Results 10,061-10,080 of 34,866 for speaker:Seán Fleming

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Seán Fleming: The Minister is saying that if FEMPI goes, the Lansdowne Road agreement goes with it. Where was the honour on both sides in that agreement if it is felt that a change to this legislation means the agreement did not happen? The Minister referred to the agreement and the changes that were introduced. I take the view that the people who negotiated the Lansdowne Road agreement for the next...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Seán Fleming: My mistake, the Lansdowne Road agreement will bring an additional cost of €300 million next year and for each of three years, making a total of €900 million by 2018. The Minister also said that the total savings under the FEMPI legislation would be €2.2 billion. I still do not believe the FEMPI legislation would hold in court today. The Minister might think it would...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Seán Fleming: What the Minister is now saying is that until such time as the Exchequer can afford to fully pay back that €2.2 billion, the FEMPI legislation remains on the Statute Book. In effect what the Minister is saying is that in the course of the three year period, if we get to €900 million, a sum of €1.3 billion still remains to be met beyond 2018. If we are lucky enough to be...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Seán Fleming: Will the Minister explain, as that is the impression he gave? Until we are in a position to deal with reversing the €2.2 billion we are still in a financial emergency. Based on the progress we have made, it will take between five and seven years. That is a ludicrous position for anybody to be taking here today, that the FEMPI legislation will continue for six or seven years. Does...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Seán Fleming: I will conclude on this point. I know the Minister cannot determine the number of years, in the way I did, but is he saying that the Lansdowne Road agreement, which the Government has agreed with the unions, brings costs of €900 million at the end of the period in question? Is that €900 million per annum at the end of it?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Seán Fleming: That is €900 million per annum at the end of it out of a figure of €2.3 billion. If we run the three full years of the Lansdowne Road agreement, based on the projected growth of 6%, 4.5% to 5% and so on, will we be approaching half way in terms of reversing the costs?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Seán Fleming: Everyone would hope that when we get to the second half, the process will be quicker. Is the Minister essentially saying that at the end of the period of the Lansdowne Road agreement, based on the projections that he has entered into the agreement, that the Government will be 40% of the way towards restoring pay cuts, paying €900 million out of €2.2 billion, and that when we...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Seán Fleming: Will the Minister clarify whom the section is aimed at? About what particular group are we talking?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Seán Fleming: For the benefit of everyone watching, are this section's provisions included in the Lansdowne Road agreement?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Seán Fleming: Was section 4 negotiated in that context or is it something that the Minister is now inserting? Was the extension of the periods negotiated under that agreement?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Seán Fleming: Will the Minister clarify something for me, as I am unsure about it? I have a simple view. If this provision is covered by the Lansdowne Road agreement and has been accepted by the majority of trade unions, that should be it. If this does not form part of that agreement, that is a different kettle of fish. Is the provision changing increments' dates in the Lansdowne Road agreement? I am...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Seán Fleming: Complex.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Seán Fleming: I am listening carefully.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Seán Fleming: I am trying to elicit information here. This legislation is designed to facilitate the Landsdowne Road agreement. That agreement cannot be ratified unless this legislation is passed.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Seán Fleming: I have the Landsdowne Road agreement in front of me and in paragraph 5.4-----

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Seán Fleming: I am concerned with paragraph 5.4.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Seán Fleming: I have no problem reading both paragraphs.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Seán Fleming: Okay. Paragraph 5.4 states:The Government has also indicated that it intends to provide in the legislation for a grace period consistent with the term of this Agreement during which both the reduction in pay and any deferral of increment progression provided for under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act, 2013 will be disregarded.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Seán Fleming: I have no problem doing so because I want to understand this properly. Paragraph 5.5 states:The Parties note that, notwithstanding the improvement of the country’s fiscal position, [there is no emergency] the legislative constraints imposed on public service employers under the financial emergency legislation will continue to be the context for pay determination during the lifetime of...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Seán Fleming: Yes. In other words, the Minister is saying to me that the increment freeze periods that were due to expire in three years and in 2016 under the Haddington Road and the Landsdowne Road agreements are being extended for the term of the latter agreement, up to 2018.