Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As Deputy Howlin is well aware, we cannot have an open-ended recruitment process if the money and resources are not available, either for particular hospitals or for any Department.

The Minister has not commented upon any expediting of the agreements, save to say that both will have to be implemented in their entirety. He has commended the many hundreds of thousands of public servants who have committed to working within that regime. Clearly, in the case of those who are outside, there is a willingness to work with the unions to see how the matter might be moved on. However, we cannot have a situation where the same benefits apply for those who have voted to remain outside because of the considerable sacrifices implemented by many of those public servants in the interests of restoring the financial health of the country. That is why the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act was put through before the Christmas period, as Deputy Howlin is aware.

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