Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The OECD produces a myriad of reports, some of which are very detailed and are of value in their own right. This country is in serious difficulty and we must provide a more efficient and effective public service with smaller numbers. That is not to decry the heroic efforts of many people in the public service who strive constantly to deliver the best service in very trying conditions. I speak particularly of those in the health, education and justice areas.

The European Union had no interest in making subordinated bondholders share the burden, but that has now happened. The Government has made it quite clear that bondholders in Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide Building Society are in a different category to those in the two pillar banks of AIB and Bank of Ireland. To answer Deputy Boyd Barrett's comments about high earners, taxation levels and levies hit all earners. The universal social charge is something that the Government will review in its preparation for the 2012 budget.

The planned reduction of between 18,000 and 21,000 in public service numbers by 2014 is through voluntary redundancy only. The human resource manager of the HSE stated some time ago that 700 people could do the jobs of the 2,000 personnel in one sector, which is why there was such a take up in such a short time of the offer of voluntary redundancy by the HSE. This is necessary to achieve a more cost effective, down-sized public service. That is not easy for many people, but unfortunately it must be done.

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