Rónán Mullen (Independent)

I wish to be associated with Senator O'Donovan's timely call for a debate on the persecution of Christians in other parts of the world. Sometimes there is a reluctance to focus on the persecution of Christian people, lest we be seen to be selective in our concerns. It is wrong to be selective in our concerns. It does not really matter what are the beliefs of the people in question. There is, however, a danger that we would forget our history. There are people in the world suffering pain and torture for having a Christian faith which would match what happened in our history. As a country with some moral influence in the world, we should make that issue a priority, as well as rightly focusing on issues such as China and Tibet. I raised that matter on several occasions last year.

I realise there is potential for considerable public unrest about the recent public service pension levy. Senator Walsh's comments were sobering in that respect. I want a debate on how we are communicating the current crisis and how to generate the necessary spirit of solidarity which we need to get through this. For example, when I heard the representatives of the Civil and Public Service Union on the radio today, I wondered whether some union leaders realise the gravity of the situation. We need an informed debate on the gravity of the situation but also one with an emphasis on the need for solidarity. Above all, we need leadership at this time, some of which must come from the trade unions. They must assist in getting the message across to their members that there are injustices inherent in the measures taken but solidarity is needed.

I was one of several Members who recently received a letter from two public service employees who set out in stark terms the pain they will face because of the levy. It will seem like injustice and, in an objective sense, what some people will be asked to bear in the short term is an injustice. However, it must be seen in the context that urgent action is needed. People need to hear clearly the message that going on strike is not the way to go. That is incompatible with the spirit of solidarity that we need. There may be a future reckoning where people who are asked to take a disproportionate share of the sacrifice now will have to compensated. Going on strike is not the solution, however, to any of our problems. The leader of the Labour Party showed the right spirit today when he made a similar point.

In such a debate, we also need to examine leadership from other quarters. Is it appropriate that anyone whose salary is funded, directly or indirectly, from the public purse would receive in excess of €150,000, for example? Will we examine if those in the Government, and outside of it, are willing to accept there may be a levelling at the top level of salaries?