Mary White (Fianna Fail)

The two most urgent issues are employment and public sector reform. I call on the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Deputy O'Keeffe, to come to House within the next two or three weeks to spell out his strategy for maintaining jobs and the creation of employment. The Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, should address the crying need for public sector reform. The go-slow is an embarrassment. I did not agree that the bonus paid to senior civil servants should be withdrawn; it was the wrong decision. However, that is no excuse for younger and lower grade staff in the civil and public service to go on strike. The fact that they have gone on strike will affect them for the rest of their lives. Leadership is required in the trade unions in order to get people back to work, negotiate and give example to young people starting on the ladder in the civil and public service that negotiation and discussion, not strikes, are the way to proceed.