Seanad debates
Wednesday, 8 October 2003
Benchmarking: Motion.
Secondary school teachers were complaining at that time because they felt that IT workers, who were educated by them, were earning much more than them in the private sector. I would like to point out what is happening in the IT sector at present. Two people are qualified to do every IT job that is available in this country. Most IT workers have taken a drop in income because the sad reality of the private marketplace is prevailing. I assure the House that the public service is cocooned in terms of wage increases and pensions. The private sector is a harsh world now that the economy has changed dramatically. The benchmarking process bought peace and harmony until its findings were released in May 2002, just after the general election was called. It guaranteed political stability until the election was called. I am sure the Government had been very conscious for some time that the election was going to take place in May, as everything seems to have been geared in that direction.
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