Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent)

Does he believe it is an impediment to debt restructuring? His answer said that they are not paid more, because the OECD report states that they are not paid more in some areas. The OECD report very clearly states that at the higher end - the Minister should read the report he is quoting - they are paid more. The ECB report, which came out just a few weeks ago, stated that the per hour public sector premium is 42%. The ESRI came out with a report a few months ago which showed that when pensions are included, the premium is 25%. All of the data clearly and unambiguously states that at the higher end, our public sector workers are paid significantly more. To give an example from an area in which I have worked, our medical consultants are paid about twice what they are paid in the UK, twice what they are paid in Germany, and more than twice what they are paid in France. Higher public servants are paid significantly more, so the Minister's assertion that they are not is simply not true. In fairness, I think he knows that.

I asked the second part of the question about this being an impediment to debt restructuring for two reasons. First, I heard an anecdote from one of our own MEPs who stated that senior French civil servants were incredulous that we were sending out officials to negotiate debt write downs who were paid twice what they are paid to run a country which is a fraction the size of one of their provinces. When the Technical Group met the troika last week, they stated repeatedly that it was very interesting that we are quite rightly looking for debt write downs, yet many of those looking for them are some of the best paid civil servants in Europe.

I would like the Minister to address the two issues. I ask him please not to restate that they are not paid more. All of the data shows that they are paid more. My question is this. Is it fair that they are paid more? On the basis of his involvement in the troika negotiations, does the Minister believe it is an impediment to us getting a debt write down, as the troika has suggested?

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