Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I draw the Deputy's attention to the second part of the sentence he quoted, where I stated proceeding with the payment was also a "demonstration of our commitment to collective agreements." We committed to that in the programme for Government and no timeframe has yet been laid out within which the Minister will enter into negotiations with unions. He has committed to the House that he intends to do it in the coming months. The next budget is only around the corner and we all know that when the recess finishes in September, discussions on that will get under way immediately. There needs to be a successor to the agreement, which served us well. It was negotiated against a difficult backdrop and in good faith, as has been demonstrated.

Both sides, and not just the Government, have acted in good faith and come to the table responsibly. The agreement has been demonstrated, across all elements of the public sector, to have been in the best interests of the public, which the public sector serves. We are all public servants.

Deputy Nash is correct that nobody has a monopoly on concern when it comes to front-line workers. Many of us have family members working on the front line.

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