Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

As I have indicated, the negotiation process is underway and I do not propose to compromise it by engaging in speculative comment or debate on the detailed negotiating mandate of the people I have sent to talk on the Government's behalf. I want to make it clear, however, that all public servants from the lowest paid to the highest paid have contributed to our economic recovery. We designed the cuts imposed in the FEMPI Act I introduced in 2013 to be as progressive as possible. We protected the core pay of 87% of public servants; that is those who earn less than €65,000. The Haddington Road agreement reiterates the commitment to give priority to those public servants on salaries of less than €35,000. The agreement also contains commitments to those who suffered an additional real pay cut in 2013 either through a direct cut in core pay or through the loss of the supervision and substitutions allowance paid to teachers. The agreement is a collective agreement registered with the Labour Relations Commission and it contains detailed commitments on the restoration of those pay cuts. As Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I will respect the terms of the collective agreement I solemnly entered into as should any person who respects the formal industrial relations processes of the State.

My intention is that any agreement reached will maintain and build upon the productivity and other reforms delivered through earlier agreements, including the Haddington Road agreement, and secure an industrial relations framework that will foster and support further productivity and change in the workplace. Reform is now a constant part of employment for public servants and is a central element of my strategy to deliver a public service that will in turn deliver improved outcomes for all stakeholders, including the business sector and every family in the State.

See this speech in context