John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In the spring economic statement we were told that there is €1.5 billion to spend in the October budget, and that the money would be split between taxes and spending increases. However, we were also told that the public sector rises would have to come from the €750 million within the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Are we talking about a sum between €250 million and €300 million in 2016? The Minister has also insisted that all cuts to public service pay and pensions cannot be measured over the next year. There was a total of €2.2 billion in cuts over that number of years. Can the Minister give some indication to the House today in that respect? If the cuts were €2.2 billion, the Minister has €750 million to spend within his remit. That does not add up to increasing pay levels by much in the public service, however, as well as dealing with the moratorium.

I revert to the two questions I asked earlier. Will the Minister comment on what the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, said, that he would prefer more staff with fewer earning more, and what Mr. Robert Watt, Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform said? If we cut €2.2 billion and have €750 million, it does not add up. How will that be spent?

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