Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will follow up on Deputy O'Callaghan's question and remain on that topic. We have heard much about the economic recovery from the Tánaiste and other Ministers and while there is some recovery under way, it has yet to trickle down to many members. Many people have suffered as a result of the austerity that was imposed in the State over recent years and there is no argument about the level of austerity imposed on public sector workers in particular. Gardaí are no different from anybody else in that context. There have been pay restoration demands from various sources, including nurses, teachers, Luas drivers and bus drivers, all of whom have engaged in some level of industrial action over recent months. The Garda is in a unique position in that regard. What was announced yesterday is unprecedented. Nobody inside or outside the Government should take lightly what was said by Pat Ennis of the GRA yesterday. If anybody is naive enough to believe that the GRA will not proceed with the four days of withdrawal of service it announced yesterday, it would be a huge mistake.

We have a situation with the pay demands and the restoration demands. The Tánaiste said the Department is open to further negotiations. I am glad about that but I believe the Tánaiste must proactively engage with the GRA. The GRA indicated yesterday that it is willing to return to the negotiating table provided there are real and tangible measures from the Government for resolving this. Everybody wants to know what the next step is. Is it a wait and see game on the part of the Tánaiste? Is she waiting for the GRA to come back to her or will she actively engage with the GRA, as of today, to try to resolve this before 4 November?

See this speech in context