Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

Now that I have an opportunity to put the supplementary question to the Taoiseach, the independent report has been delivered but it is being ignored in favour of what the Taoiseach himself has called the Minister, Deputy Bruton's personal agenda to implement even more serious cuts. I put it to the Taoiseach that the Minister, Deputy Burton's apparent claim that the proposals would increase FIS and other welfare claims is significant and it deserves to be treated seriously, not undermined by Fine Gael as something that needs to be faced down. Surely the Taoiseach can accept that the spectacle of daily briefings of Minister against Minister should stop? Will he simply agree to implement the recommendation of the independent report on JLCs, get on with it and end the growing uncertainty for more than 200,000 workers about their basic terms and conditions.

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