Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

I do not accept what Deputy Noonan indicated or inferred because this particular procedure was inserted in the national recovery plan prior to any agreement with the EU and the IMF. The position under the national recovery plan is that we will seek to reduce the cost of the public service payroll through reductions in the numbers and a very clear schedule of numbers is outlined there. Were those savings not to be secured in accordance with the Book of Estimates published for this year, then the ultimate option of other methods to reduce the cost of the public service payroll would be resorted to. That was made clear in the national recovery plan and I made it clear on many occasions before and after the agreement that it must deliver the necessary savings. Whatever government is in office at the time will have to take measures to ensure costs are contained accordingly. I have every confidence this Government will be in a position to deliver the necessary savings through the primary route identified in the Estimates this year.

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