Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I think the Taoiseach will acknowledge that the Haddington Road agreement was negotiated in the worst of times and the Lansdowne Road agreement in better times as the economy improved. However, the commitment to the public sector unions was always that as the economy improved the legislation which had formed basis on which public sector pay had been cut - the FEMPI legislation - would have to be repealed, but it needs to be done in an orderly way. Does the Taoiseach accept this? Does he understand it is subject to legal challenge at any time? Without a negotiated settlement, there is a danger that the agreement might collapse entirely, that the FEMPI legislation might collapse. I ask the Taoiseach to confirm that the cost of the Garda pay deal which was approved by the Government will be €40 million or €50 million and that it will be part of the published Government arithmetic. Does he expect additional knock-on costs to be met from the published Estimates for next year?

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