Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

That was in stark contrast with the actions of the previous Government. Public servants understood our capacity to maintain public services was under threat unless we all contributed in the way we had set out.

In terms of another section 2B being necessary in the future, I hope it will not. I hope we never again face the type of existential threat to the economy that we faced in steering the ship of State in recent years. Please God, we will never have that level of disaster visited on us again.

I strongly agree with the Deputy in her question on low pay. That is the reason the Government has determined to establish a low pay commission that will apply not only to the private sector but also to the public sector. We want to ensure that not only do we restore full employment in the State, which is our objective – yesterday we saw that the unemployment rate was still very high, but it is now 11% and falling – but also that those who are in work have a liveable wage.

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