Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy referred to the need for urgency. I acknowledge that this is a matter that Deputy Calleary has raised with me on new entrants in to the public service and especially teachers. That has informed the approach taken by me and the Department of Education and Skills on this matter.

With regard to the unwinding of FEMPI, it should be put into context. I am taking a group of questions on this point in just a moment. We are in year one of a three year agreement. We are in the early phase of an agreement which a number of unions have just voted to join. This three year agreement still has two years to run. When considering future legislation and the environment post-Lansdowne Road agreement, we will lay out our plans when the current agreement has expired and has done the work we are expecting it to do and which we have agreed with the majority of unions.

See this speech in context