Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have a few other points. The Minister made the point these staff members are not public servants. They were aligned to the public sector pay structure until the previous recession. I also make the point that the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, CCPC, is aligned to public sector pay. Even MABS, which is a sister company of the citizens information service funded through the Citizens Information Board, has received those pay increases. The point regarding the Labour Court is that the only people who can be brought before the court is the employers group of the citizens information service, but they are actually on board. They are going along with this.

The trade unions and the service are going to the Labour Court. The Minister and the Department cannot be brought because they are not the direct employer, nor can the Citizens Information Board.

I will take the Minister up on the point about a Supplementary Estimate. Is she saying that, pending the outcome of the Labour Court and so on, this will not necessarily wait until budget 2025 and that a solution could conceivably be found in advance of that funding-wise?

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