Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Everybody in the House is conscious of the impact of this closure on young students and parents and all that goes with that, and the impact of such interruptions on students' educational lives. I agree with the Deputy that a pathway forward is necessary but we have that pathway. There are ongoing negotiations and there are possible solutions on the table in respect of ASTI and, indeed, An Garda Síochána.

The Deputy made a point about equality. She would be probably be the first to say that we must bear in mind a range of issues relating to equality, including equality between public servants in different parts of the public service and between public servants and people who work elsewhere, such as the self-employed or those who do not work at all. As IMPACT said during the week, it would not be equal or fair for us to do sectoral deals with particular public servants that leave other public servants who have signed up to the Lansdowne Road agreement disadvantaged and it would also not be equal or fair for us to do unaffordable deals with particular groups of public servants that mean we do not have the money left in the public purse to do the things the Deputy would call for such as developing public services, improving social welfare payments and so forth.

It is clear that the Government has laid out a road map that has been accepted by the vast majority of unions and public servants. We have laid a road map in respect of the work of the public sector pay commission, which will then feed into the replacement of the Lansdowne Road agreement. All of that has been laid out by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Government is committed to that. In the meantime, we want to continue the negotiations that will resolve the particular issues of concern to ASTI, GRA and AGSI and the Government is open to that. Hopefully, there will be further discussions tomorrow with ASTI and the Garda representative associations.

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