Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Of course the Minister has the responsibility to ensure that the requirements of competing interests are met in how he presents a budget that this House might support. There is no problem whatsoever with that and there are underlying issues associated with that budget which we spoke about three years ago that we would expect to see as part of that.

I simply say to the Minister that when we put that amendment forward, it was done to honour a commitment that was made within that same agreement that provided for three budgets. That agreement was that this Government would seek to address the pay inequality for new entrants within the public service. The amendment to the legislation put a report in place that laid out clearly the costs associated with achieving that goal. The Government then entered into negotiations on good faith on foot of what was contained within that report on the understanding that agreement would be reached between both parties prior to the budget, irrespective of what might be contained within the budget.

Of course the Minister has a duty and an obligation to ensure that competing interests are met.

The Minister has an obligation and a duty too to recognise the commitments and the obligations and the agreements that have been reached between parties relevant to the issues I have mentioned.

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