Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have said to Deputy Adams that the Government will respond to this collectively and set in place its strategy for a best managed way of dealing with the many challenges facing the Government, the economy and, in particular, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

A low was reached in 2013 of 260,700 public servants. The corresponding figure was 285,400 in 2008.

The end of 2016 figure for public service employment is likely to be more than 279,000. Given the requirement for additional public services and investment in them, possibly 8,000 to 9,000 recruits will be required every year. The replacements for that reduction of more than 25,000 were mainly in the priority areas of nurses, gardaí, teachers and so on. In the interest of everybody, and to be fair to everyone, the Government is saying that we need a collective response. The Lansdowne Road agreement has proved to be a central tenet of public pay in this country. We stand by it. The ceilings have been set out. The Minister does not have the moneys being demanded, so there is a need, in everybody's interests, for a well-managed process and strategy by which these matters can be discussed in detail and a pathway forward negotiated.

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