Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We always do our best to be fair to all the different interests that are raised with us. If we consider the question Deputy Calleary put to me a moment ago, the amount of funding for wages that was removed during the period of crisis from our civil and public servants, at €1.4 billion, is exceptionally large.

At €1.4 billion, the income removed from civil and public servants during the crisis was exceptional large. The needs being articulated to me on behalf of civil and public servants are that they want this figure to be fully restored and view pay restoration as fair. However, what I need to do is balance their needs against an agenda of fairness in service delivery. We use a single source of money, namely, the revenue we raise through taxes and State borrowings, to pay public service salaries and cover the service and investment needs which Deputy Durkan and other Deputies frequently raise with me. My aim in government is to balance these competing needs.

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