Seanad debates
Tuesday, 27 May 2003
Sustaining Progress: Statements.
The public service has been bought off for the moment. There was a very clever device whereby the benchmarking body was set up. Coincidentally, it reported on 30 June 2002, after the general election, so it kept the public service unions very quite until then, while they were blatantly tic-taced that they were to get a very good deal. That was perfectly obvious to anybody who watched what happened. It is no coincidence that the only private sector person on that benchmarking body, Mr. Jim O'Leary, an economist, resigned before that body reported. This happened because there was obviously a tacit agreement that after the general election these guys would get what they wanted. Many believed they would be quiet until that point and that the payment would be made then. That is exactly what happened.
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