Dan Boyle (Green Party)

The importance of the Croke Park agreement at this point in the economic and political life of our country cannot be stressed highly enough. It is a long-term approach to addressing the series of difficulties in which we as a nation find ourselves. We must acknowledge the role played by trade union leaders who entered into this process despite an enormous set of difficulties that would have made it difficult for them, both in terms of their members and their instincts regarding the principles governing their unions, to proceed and progress this process.

It is also fair to acknowledge the degree of near political consensus that exists as to the importance of the Croke Park agreement. Senator O'Toole pointed out the responsible position that was taken by the Fine Gael Party and the remarks made by Deputy Quinn, whether in his personal capacity or on behalf of the Labour Party, are to be acknowledged. At the very least, there is no political party represented in either House of the Oireachtas that is using the Croke Park agreement as a political opportunity to ferment dissent and undermine what we as a country need to do economically over the next number of years.

At its heart this is a good agreement made at the most difficult of times. It addresses a number of the realities that exist, the fact that people within the public service have seen a dramatic reduction in income, the fact that there has been, of necessity, the introduction of a number of taxation instruments to help balance the nation's books and that the impact of these have been felt most markedly in the public sector.

Like Senator O'Toole, I take great encouragement from the process that has occurred in the CPSU, a union that represents the most lowly paid in the public sector. Despite there being a debate within that union that its members have suffered most, the fact that a significant number of them have agreed that the Croke Park agreement is worth proceeding with shows there is a degree of reality, responsibility and patriotism, which is not a word from which we should shy away at this time. There is agreement that we need to consider the set of circumstances that exists from the perspective of the nation and not from the perspective of the individual, sectors or that of party political gain. If we view the Croke Park agreement in those terms, we can emerge from the difficulties in which we find ourselves.

It is encouraging that we seem to be slowly coming out of a deflationary phase. It might seem ironic to welcome the renewal of inflation in our economy but the consumer price index figures published today show that prices reduced by 2.1%. We are in that area that Garret FitzGerald used to describe as the "decreasing of the rate of increase". That is to be welcomed because it points to our going in a particular direction.

The fact that we are in the middle of a process, that it should not be interfered with and that it should not be seen to be coerced in any way is something of which we need to be conscious in making these statements today. It is also helpful to voice appropriate words of encouragement. As Senator O'Toole said, we need to acknowledge the responsible way in which many trade union leaders have engaged with their members and argued a case that would have been difficult and unpopular for them in the current set of circumstances. If this agreement is to be approved, it can only be achieved because such people have entered into the process, have reached an agreement that would have been difficult to foresee a number of months ago and were prepared to sell it to people within the public sector who were not hospitable to receiving such a message. The fact that they were prepared to do that and that people in public sector unions were prepared to be persuaded by such an argument says something for the collective commitment that I believe will get us out of the number of economic crises with which we are currently dealing.

As a political system, we need to think of what other appropriate encouragements can be made to help that process along. Senator O'Toole spoke of the alternatives that exist, either the passing of this agreement or entering into a darker phase where there may be industrial unrest. Entering the phase of that second alternative is not what any of us would want because that would delay economic recovery and it would make it difficult to address in the shortest timeframe the losses in income and working conditions suffered by people in the public sector.

What is most attractive about this agreement is that it embodies lessons learned from previous agreements, even though such agreements served us well and brought about a very strong economy in the past. The methodology behind agreements such as benchmarking, in terms of the catch up pay rates between the public and the private sector not being mirrored in changes in how the public sector delivered services, is better catered for in this agreement. The changes occur, the savings are achieved and the reward is given. These circumstances have led us to consider how we should try to bring about public service reform. This probably is a better model. We need to consider how particular reforms can be introduced and what processes will help achieve them.

I am optimistic. I believe the agreement will be hard reached and narrow in its achievement. Significant large-scale unions have stated they are urging their members to support it. As I stated, the more negative unions have had within their organisations a debate that has been less than clearcut. There is debate taking place despite what we hear from more provocative commentators and a particular media agenda which states that the only way of dealing with the problems we have is by way of a direct expression of anger, where ever that might lead us. I do not believe this. The only way we can overcome our economic difficulties is by making the most of the processes that have worked in the past. We have been well served by social partnership. I believe those involved in social partnership representing workers' interests have been responsible. On those grounds, we should listen intently to the difficulties they describe and as a political system respond to those concerns while ensuring the sense of hurt, abandonment and anger is properly focused on bringing about a better economy and society. The Croke Park agreement is the best means of achieving this. Rather than engage in a traditional type of politics or in the type of industrial politics with which Senator O'Toole will be familiar, this is a time for people to come to a common understanding, speak with a single voice in regard to how we address these problems and to a shared acceptance that the burden of difficulties facing us will have to be fairly and appropriately shared. If these principles are evenly applied, we can have a good agreement which will the basis of a better society, which will be the responsibility not alone of this Government but of future Governments during the next ten years.