Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The IMF-EU agreement. It states clearly that in the event of potential shortfalls in projected savings arising from administrative efficiencies or public service numbers reductions, the Government will consider an appropriate adjustment, including adjustment to the overall public service wage bill. In the context of that element of the quarter 3 section of the agreement, what is meant by an "appropriate adjustment" to the overall public service wage bill? Does this mean that in the event that the review does not measure up in terms of the Croke Park agreement the Government must either re-open the agreement in respect of the numbers employed by the public service or that it would take a unilateral decision to have further wage cuts? The sentence refers to an "appropriate adjustment, including to the overall public service wage bill". If the review is not sufficient, what is the underlying decision of the Government? Is it to re-open the agreement in respect of the overall numbers? Is it to take a further slice off further public salaries?

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