Liam Twomey (Fine Gael)

I refer to the Minister's remarks about the public service and the comments he has attributed to other political parties, which he perceives as being negative towards the public service. These remarks may indicate that it is the Minister who needs to think about what he is talking about. Nobody is criticising the public service. Most people on this side of the House are of the view that the 6% pay increase planned for next August will have to be postponed, but it seems the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste do not agree with that view as they seem to be hell bent on paying it. The Minister says that 10% of the public service pay — that is the pay of doctors, nurses and teachers - will be borrowed.