Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday, public sector workers dealt a body blow to the Government's austerity agenda with an overwhelming majority of unions saying "No" to Croke Park II. The truth of this matter is that workers correctly calculated that this was an unfair deal. They recognised that it would be bad for public sector workers and their families, bad for the public services on which we all depend and bad for the domestic economy. Our nurses, teachers and emergency service workers refused to be intimidated by the bully boy threats of the Minister, Deputy Howlin. They have sent the Taoiseach a very clear signal. They are telling him that he has taken enough from them and they do not have any more to give.

The idea that €1 billion would be sucked out of public services and not hurt the schools that educate our children or the hospitals that care for our sick family members, was always absurd. Equally absurd is the claim by the Minister, Deputy Howlin, that he will run out of money before the end of the year. Anyone with the wit to read the NTMA's Exchequer balance figures knows that is simply not true.

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