Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

Senators Fitzgerald, O'Toole, Alex White, Ormonde and Buttimer called for a debate on the reform of the public service. We have prioritised this and will try to make time available so the debate can take place as a matter of urgency before the Christmas recess. On the point made by one Senator about decentralisation, I understand that 60% of all decentralisation will have taken place by the end of the term of this Government, which means 6,000 staff will have been decentralised at that stage.

Senators Fitzgerald, McFadden, Hannigan, Ormonde, Regan, Coghlan, Walsh, John Paul Phelan and O'Reilly expressed their serious concerns about pensions and that these should be conveyed to the Minister for Social and Family Affairs. I urge all Senators with further concerns to make their contribution on the economy when the Minister for Finance is present in the House on Friday. As I informed the House last week, there is an all-day sitting on Friday to discuss matters pertaining to the economy and the finance portfolio. It is an open-ended debate and every Senator will have an opportunity on Friday to speak on the issue of the economy.

The Minister will be in the House at 10.30 a.m. I inform the House that I intend to move the Order of Business for Friday on Thursday morning——