Deputy Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform ( Brendan Howlin:

I appreciate what the Deputy said. From the start of the process, which is more than one year ago, I indicated that I wanted to engage with unions and everyone affected by this significant and ground-breaking legislation in as open a fashion as I can. I have met representatives of the unions and my officials have met unions, in groups or individually, to discuss this matter.

Before the sos, the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, indicated that an assistant secretary of my Department had written to a number of secretaries general on this matter. I will ask the assistant secretary to clear with the secretaries general if they have any objection to the correspondence being released. I certainly have no objection to its being sent to Deputy Fleming or to any interested Deputy. Subject to no objection being raised by the secretaries general or the Prison Officers Association, the Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants, the Garda Representative Association, the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association, the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors and SIPTU, I will do that.

Question, "That the words proposed to be deleted stand", put and declared carried.

See this speech in context