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

My understanding from the Minister's reply is that it was coincidental that these discussions occurred at the time the Lansdowne Road agreement was being negotiated. The relevant public sector trade unions probably believed the talks were an appropriate time to raise these issues as it would allow them to return to their members with something that, while not part of the deal, would perhaps make the agreement a little more saleable.

I note the list of points the Minister raised. I have also heard media reports about issues such as the fixing of the registration fee for nurses, a flexitime system for assistant principal officers, recruitment to assistant principal grade being subject to open competition, outsourcing and the carrying forward of flexitime work arrangements of up to six days per quarter.

Outside the Lansdowne Road agreement is the Minister in a position to indicate how many of these types of issues have come back to him for approval?

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