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

I was responding to the Deputy's question, particularly in regard to education. I never said there were not any difficulties. There are difficulties. Where I differ is that we will respond to the difficulties. The Minister for Education and Skills has stated we already do that. We must view the difficulties that we are referring to against the background of two developments. The first is that we are recruiting more teachers and nurses than we have done in the past. We have the ability to do it. Second, an ingredient in all that is the fact that we now have a labour market that is recovering and very healthy. It is entirely possible that we will get to a point this year where we will have more people at work than we have ever had before. This is only a few short years after us battling with the unemployment crisis within our country. Any difficulties, including those the Deputy correctly pointed to, have to be set against the backdrop of the fact that we have over 2 million people at work and we are seeing employment growth begin to be broad-based and across the country.

In response to the Deputy's second point, I agree that we must look at these matters in the round. The Public Service Pay Commission may point to where we are on pay - the commission will look at it - but I am confident it will look at other issues as well.

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