Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)

I would like to see the figures from previous JLCs on the amount of money brought forward by the Government in previous budgets and the amount of money that was actually spent on whatever the increase was. We will find quite a gap there, particularly when we look at the last increase and the length of time it took to achieve that. It was little or nothing in real terms.

Regarding the JLC itself, we all recognise that pay is a major issue. Once this JLC has concluded its work, which I hope will be sooner rather than later, and ahead of September, would the Minister be willing to look at the process again and perhaps conduct a review of how pay is determined? While I appreciate entirely that the Government and the State do not pay the wages, it is providing significant funds from taxpayer money. A total of €45 million is being provided in the latest round, as just one example. Based on the process and the Minister's meetings and engagements on this issue, on which she has been forceful, does she think it would be worthwhile after this next increase to look at the process in place?

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