Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister has summarised the current position without giving any reason as to why he is holding the current position. He said he issued his report on 29 June 2014 in respect of the annual review of the need for the FEMPI legislation and he concluded that it is still necessary, but he gave no explanation as to why he believes it is still necessary. The level of the national debt is now decreasing as a percentage of GDP, and I understand that is the principal reason being used in this respect. Given that things are moving in the right direction, it is a reason to say that in the near future the legislation will no longer necessary. I note the Minister said that the Haddington Road agreement runs until 2016. There is almost an implication that when we reach the end of that period there might not be any further need for the FEMPI legislation. However, it might be possible during 2015 for the Minister to consider, similarly to the way in which he cut the Croke Park agreement short by six months, going into negotiations and having a new bilateral discussion with public servants in advance of the agreement's coming to its natural end with a view to advancing developments.

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