Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I can confirm to the House that the Government considered the matter this morning and approved a recommendation from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform that in the first instance, having noted the decision of the trade unions in their ballot on the Croke Park II negotiations, the Labour Relations Commission, LRC, should be asked to engage with the 21 unions involved to see if there is room for negotiation in respect of the outcome of the decision by the trade unions. That does not alter the fact that the figures and the arithmetic remain the same. There is a requirement to achieve a saving of €300 million this year from within the public payroll bill, rising to €1 billion by 2015. In the first instance the Government has decided to ask the LRC to engage with the unions, having published the Revised Estimates, including the requirement clearly set out by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, who has the full backing of the Government in this matter, to determine whether there is a basis for discussion and negotiation. The Government expects to get a response to that engagement inside two weeks.

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