Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We have 287,000 public servants and it is a bit disingenuous to mention three in the scale of what we need to do. As the Deputy is aware - I accept it is not politically acceptable to him - the whole focus of what we have to do is balance our budget in order that we can afford to maintain public services into the future. The Deputy is against a reduction in numbers in any sector, even in the case of rebalancing, where we are putting people on the front line and taking away back office and support staff through the use of shared services, better procurement, the reduction of quangos and all the other measures we are taking. Deputy Boyd Barrett is against a reduction in numbers or a reduction in pay but he wants us to spend more. However, he is against all charges and taxes as well. It is a wonderful fairyland he lives in.

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