Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

While the question of the graduate scheme in the health service is of course a matter for the Minister for Health, the reality is that ten years ago, Ireland had a public sector of approximately 290,000 people. Today, even on foot of the reductions in the total number over the past four years of 30,000, it still has approximately 290,000 people, despite the collapse by one third in the taxation base in the intervening period. We must find novel ways in which to engage talented young people right across the public sector and to so do in a way that is commensurate with what the State actually can pay in the current circumstances.

The Deputy spoke about the question of equity and she is right about that, as it is important that there be pay equity right across the public sector. The Deputy regularly speaks about people in receipt of salaries of €100,000 but I note that of the 290,000 people employed in the Irish public sector, approximately 6,000 have salaries of €100,000. The great majority of people who work in the public sector are in receipt of average and modest pay. If the Government is going to make these savings and get the expenditure level down to a sustainable level in a circumstance in which 36% of everything it spends goes on public pay and pensions, there must be a leaner and more efficient public service. Moreover, it must be a public service that does things differently and which works in a way that ensures the quality service gets to those who need it most, and this is being achieved.

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