Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I reject the Deputy's charge of threatening public service workers. We have set out a very clear position of mandating the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and his officials to negotiate with the unions in respect of savings that need to be made in the public sector, amounting to an additional cumulative amount of €1 billion between now and 2015. Those discussions are under way. I have made it perfectly clear, as is normal practice, that we would much prefer to have this by consent and agreement. I commend all of those who have changed structures in the public sector, in delivering front-line services with reduced numbers in changed environments. I have also made the point, as the Deputy is well aware, that the Government reserves the right to legislate for the savings that are to be acquired if they cannot be reached by consent and agreement. Our preference is that they would be reached by consent and agreement. I am glad that the negotiations, while they are obviously challenging and in a challenging environment, are making good headway.

I reject the Deputy's charge of doing down the opportunity for graduate nurses, who were trained in this country, to work in hospitals in this country. The two-year contract offered outside the framework agreement of ceilings for employment is an opportunity for men and women as trained nurses -----

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