Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)

Many Senators have given fine speeches on making this House more relevant and responding to people's concerns. Never was there a better moment than now for the Leader to take an initiative in making this House relevant by bringing the Minister for Finance before us to make a presentation and answer our questions on what is happening.

Irrespective of the merits of taking 12 days' unpaid leave, such a proposal cannot work in front-line services. Given these matters are being argued in the media, the question of our relevance arises.

The country is lost without clear leadership. This Government has had previous opportunities to address public service reform. That should be an ongoing process rather than shoehorned into a couple days of high pressure negotiations. The Government should have built in reforms and flexibility over time. It is a failure of the Government that that did not happen. I call for a debate to deal with these issues. Senator Buttimer is correct when he says it is wrong for splits to develop in our society between the private and public sectors. We should hold that debate to get over this problem which has been caused by an absence of leadership. We should suspend normal business to hold the debate immediately after the Order of Business today.