Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am not sure what Deputy Barry's comment about the badge relates to. I am very proud that women have had the vote for 100 years and I hope we will do an awful lot more to advance women's rights in this country in the coming months. There is an urgency in terms of resolving this but, and I mean this respectfully, with the position I hold I do not have the luxury of being able to say some of the things Deputies can say on the other side of the House. In response to Deputy O'Reilly, I am informed that talks are at a sensitive stage. I checked that before I came into this House. I am informed that unions and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions are involved. I am also aware, as is the Deputy, that one union has already accepted the proposal and has issued a statement welcoming it. Where people get it somewhat wrong is the idea that this was applied universally in each and every section 39 organisation. That is not the case. There are 2,200 organisations with their own boards, governance structures and CEOs and they applied them in different ways.

Let me be clear in case there is any misunderstanding: I accept there are a number of legitimate issues. I accept that a number of people experienced pay cuts, that we need to establish the facts and that this will come with a bill that ultimately will need to be met. I accept that but the unions are calling for a process and I want a process. I accept that Deputy Broughan raised this issue a number of times. I believe there is a legitimate issue here but I am making the point that there is a complexity to this issue that is not there with public servants. This Oireachtas did not pass a law to cut the salaries of people in section 39 organisations. This Oireachtas did cut public servants' pay. This Oireachtas passed a law to restore public servants' pay. It did not pass a law regarding section 39 organisations. It is a process and we must work our way through it. I am determined to work our way through it. There is no need for industrial action because we will put a process in place and I hope we can reach agreement on that very quickly.

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