Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

The 2008 OECD report on the Irish public sector was complimentary and stated it compared very well with the public sectors of wealthier European countries. The Minister referred to duplication and achieving other efficiencies. Why does he not achieve this by discussion inside the public service with the involvement of public sector workers? As he is well aware, many of the most recent entrants into service provision are low paying employers who do not provide any level of security of tenure and offer difficult working conditions.

Although it is separate from the areas to which the Minister referred, water is a crucial public service. I note from reports this morning that Bord Gáis will commence wholesale water metering of homes in 2014. This is a complete waste of public money. The resources in question should be used to remediate the disastrous water infrastructure rather than fattening up the water service for privatisation.

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