Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This is clarification in respect of what was announced this morning. It is not actually an increase of €1,000 but an increase of €1,000 annualised from April to August because the measure was provided for in the Estimates as commencing in September. The Taoiseach did not indicate from where the money was coming or whether the cost would be €128 million or €175 million.

This was clearly an attempt to placate public sector workers who are genuinely annoyed that one individual union was able to do a bespoke deal. Will there be further bespoke deals if other groups, for example, nurses, make a similar demand on government? Is the solution not the one I set out many months ago, namely, to open proper negotiations with all public sector workers to ensure everybody is treated exactly the same?

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