Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is clear to any seasoned observer of industrial relations that the Government is simply sleepwalking into disaster. For all the talk about "engagement", the only way to hold the public services together is to negotiate with everybody. As I said weeks ago, bilateral deals will pull the agreement apart. I do not believe it is an exaggeration to say all public servants have made an enormous contribution to the recovery of the State. Without their contribution, we would not be in the financial position we are in. All of them now need to see a clear pathway to full pay recovery. They understood all the reductions were couched in emergency legislation that had to be fully unwound for everybody. There is no mechanism proposed by the Government to do this. Seeking to assuage individuals as they emerge with clear demands is a recipe for prolonged industrial chaos, if not the complete collapse of the overarching agreement across the public service. Will the Government consider again doing exactly what was done in the past? As the economy improves, will it reopen negotiations with all public sector unions on a new national pay agreement that would fold into the Lansdowne Road agreement just as the latter agreement folded into the Haddington Road agreement?

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