Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister's key responsibility is to restore the living standards of all public servants. He has mentioned the Garda deal. I am not sure what the final figure is, but some have suggested it might be €50 million which has been set aside from the little money the Minister had in the kitty. That is the overall cost. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions and SIPTU have made a request that serious negotiations begin on the organisation of pay and conditions for public sector workers post the Lansdowne Road agreement. I welcomed the appointment of the Public Service Pay Commission. We have heard quite a few people, including Deputy Sean Sherlock and others, speak about having an employer-labour conference across the economy, not just for the public service. Does the Minister agree that Fine Gael has a fairly brutal record when it comes to social partnership? It has not created the connections that are necessary to get us all moving forward together. I do not think anybody denies that restoration of pay and conditions is necessary. The Minister clearly has the key responsibility to try to carry on the work of his predecessors.

See this speech in context