Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The reason I asked initially about the processes and procedures by which a line Department seeks permission for the release of funding is because there could sometimes be seen to be a pattern in this regard. The unions representing workers in a sector go to the line Department, and I understand that the Minister is saying this is where they need to go. However, the line Department might say that it supports them and that it can pay for this through existing funds, but that it cannot get the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to sign off on it. It is something I have heard a number of times and it seems to be the situation here again. The unions engage with the relevant Department and that line Department gives the green light, but it then says it needs the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to give it the green light and, as a result, the process reaches an impasse.

I understand that one of the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform’s primary functions is to manage expenditure in a prudent fashion but when we have the Labour Court recommendation, the support of the relevant line Department and a Government commitment to make an offer, the question is whose decision it is and who is in charge. It is clear that someone needs to take ownership of this issue. I ask the Minister to give a commitment that this will be done because the line Department is saying it is up to his Department.

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