Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the fact that it is a priority. I note that the Minister did not specifically state that he honoured the commitment he gave me in May that he, on behalf of the Government, would meet the unions in June to advance this matter. I am well aware of the report that followed the amendment as proposed by Fianna Fáil on the financial emergency measures in the public interest, FEMPI, legislation. I am well aware of the costs associated with that being implemented in full, but I am also well aware of the commitment the Government gave, in the full knowledge of that, to meet the unions to seek to resolve this issue and allow a recommendation that would be achievable and agreeable to both parties. Irrespective of what that might be I stood aside and allowed that process to proceed and would have supported a resolution on the basis that there was good faith, as the Minister rightly said, and on the basis that the priority would be honoured, as the Minister alluded to.

I ask the Minister again if they met in June and if he is committed to resolving this issue prior to the budgetary package being agreed, irrespective of what that might entail or what implementation it would require within that budgetary package, whether it is in a full-year term or a two to three-year term, but ultimately a decision and agreement that would be reached between both parties.

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