Joe O'Toole (Independent)

In the private sector when people are put on short-time and do not get paid, people understand that, but when it is done in the public sector it is called "unpaid leave" or something. Somebody might explain the difference to me. If I had been told the unpaid leave, as he called it, or short time, as I call it, was going to be more difficult than what is happening at the Passport Office, in one tiny corner of one Department in the public sector, I would suggest it shows the value of the judgment of those on the backbenches of one of the Government parties which cannot work this out for themselves, and I would be sorry for them. There is a long road ahead and it is not going to get any easier.

I know of the good work the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Power, has been doing in many different ways. There is work that can be done in this regard, and I accept reform of the public sector is needed. What is on offer from the trade union movement is a cutback of 15,000 in numbers, which would give the Government its savings. One could travel as far as Moscow and one would not find such an offer. Ask any colleagues in any European country where they would get it.