Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is well recognised both in this country and the world over that one should have a healthy tension between the Minister of the day and some of the agencies under his or her remit. Unfortunately, what we have at the moment is an unhealthy tension. All of the issues are in the public domain and have been well aired. We need political leadership to clear the air and get us back to a healthy situation in terms of the tension that should exist between the representative associations and the Minister.

Before the Croke Park II agreement was even published, the Minister and his colleagues were spinning the story that it was fair and proportionate and that the higher paid were taking the pay cuts. However, that is not the case. It was insulting not alone to public servants, but to the country as a whole to say that what was contained in the agreement was fair and proportionate before the detailed document was published.

I speak in the interests of restoring morale and goodwill. As the Minister and Members are aware, we rely on the goodwill of members of An Garda Síochána every single day of the week. They bring a level of dedication to their job that goes far above the call of public service and public duty. They are effectively on duty on a 24-7 basis. Any garda who is worth his or her salt, which is the case with the vast majority of them, give such dedication to the job. The Minister said he was in touch with the representative associations on 22 February.

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