Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Croke Park II deal, negotiated by the Tánaiste's party colleague Deputy Howlin, was overwhelmingly rejected by the public sector trade unions, many of which are affiliated to the Tánaiste's party. As a former trade union official and a lifelong union member the Tánaiste will fully understand that the nurses, teachers and firefighters who rejected the deal did not do so lightly. They did so because they understand that the deal was bad for them and for their families and for the public services on which we all depend and for our domestic economy. Yesterday, after its meeting, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions made it very clear that it would oppose any attempt by the Government unilaterally to impose pay cuts through legislation. Yesterday, the Taoiseach refused to say whether he would respect the outcome of the union ballot and he also refused to rule out legislating for pay cuts.

Will the Tánaiste, as leader of the Labour Party, respect the outcome of the trade union vote on Croke Park II? Will he, as a lifelong trade unionist, oppose any unilateral attempt to introduce pay cuts through legislation?

See this speech in context