Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State. I also welcome the opportunity afforded to us to speak on this crucial agreement. As the Minister of State is aware, Senators have been debating this agreement for quite some time on the Order of Business. Many of us have expressed strong views on why it should be approved. It is fortunate we have an opportunity to flesh it out in more detail.

The story is often told of the Kerryman - I am sure it was not Senator O'Toole - who, when asked for roadside directions, said, "If I was going there, I would not start from here." If we were to travel happily down the path to public sector reform and deal with some of the inherent and long running problems, we would prefer not to be starting from our current economic position. However, we are where we are and have to make the most of the opportunity presented to us. What the Minister of State said, what I have read about the Croke Park agreement, what is in the public arena and the document available to all union members ensure a fair and reasonable balance at this difficult economic juncture. We all wish the economic circumstances were different and better and that we did not have to take so much money out of the economy, but we have to recognise, as everybody does, we are living in perilous and difficult economic times.

The only political advantage the Government has over its predecessors when they attempted to turn around the economic ship of State is that there is, for the first time ever, a very clear public understanding of the scale of our economic plight. Economics was not a comfortable subject of discussion for most people in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Dr. Garrett Fitzgerald was mentioned. I am sure that when he was trying to explain the economic plight of the country in the late 1970s and early 1980s, what he said passed over most people's heads. There is now a much deeper and broader level of understanding. Therefore, the Government has an opportunity to introduce a much more realistic economic package.

The union leaders who negotiated the agreement, with the Minister of State's Department and the Government, must be congratulated for attempting to put together at this difficult time an arrangement which is as fair as it can be in the circumstances. On the whole, positive leadership has been shown by the majority of trade union leaders. They recognise, as we do, that times are extremely difficult and that we cannot allow the economy to go down the tubes or to happen in this country what is happening in other places across Europe. When one contrasts the reasoned and constructive performance of union leaders in recent times with the more extreme performance of those who marched on the streets to proclaim the right to work - many of whom have never created work for anybody - the route to consensus, dialogue and partnership is clearly the way forward. I, therefore, congratulate the union leadership on its approach to the Croke Park agreement.

The difficult economic times and difficult set of proposals, ironically, allow us at least to address the question of flexibility, reform and introducing new systems of management within the public sector. This is a debate which has been needed for some time. If there is some good in the current difficult economic environment it is that we might be in a position to bring about urgently needed reforms in the way we do our work across the public sector. We in this House and our colleagues in the other House could lead by example. Work practices in the political system and the business of politics urgently need to be reformed. In this way we could show some leadership. The public service, notwithstanding its huge record of constructive achievement in building our country and society over many decades, needs to demonstrate a new way of thinking and doing business and a more flexible approach.

I hope, as a result of the agreement which I hope will be passed, that we will be see the desired degree of movement and flexibility within the public sector which is urgently required. On that point, I agree with my colleagues who expressed their disappointment at what has been termed as a work to rule which is taking place in some Departments, whereby the queries and representations of public representatives are not, in the main, being dealt with. This is very unfair. We are making representations on behalf of citizens, workers and union members the length and breadth of the country and it is wrong that certain offices are refusing to deal with them. I know the Minister of State receives this complaint on a daily basis, but he should try to encourage the union leadership to resolve the issue because what is happening is grossly unfair, not just on public representatives but also on the people we serve. As Senator O'Toole said, where does one draw the line between a work to rule and something more akin to a mini-strike? It is disappointing and an issue which needs to be addressed.

I wish to revert briefly to the document before us, namely, the Croke Park agreement. While it is a difficult sell for workers across the public sector, including the many who have yet to vote, we have to keep repeating the message that in these difficult economic times which we will face for a number of years to come we must all work together in partnership. The old-fashioned partnership agreements which have served us well, commencing in 1987, need to be revised, updated, modernised and made more inclusive. Groups such as small business organisations who were excluded from the process - they were always very angry at being excluded - need to be part of the new dialogue.

The lesson of history, not just in this country but also across the globe, is that division does not work. We must, therefore, continue to work together. The breakdown of the talks last winter came as a great shock to some union leaders. Perhaps, however, it introduced a new sense of realism to the broader structure. It would be useful if, outside of the Croke Park agreement, the Minister of State and his Government colleagues, union leaders, employers and other interest groups considered putting in place a new structure to plan beyond the Croke Park agreement for a broader economic framework for the next decade. The new sense of realism in the country is unprecedented. Senator O'Toole has referred to union leaders and politicians who sometimes have to talk the talk and make a speech, yet we know the story is slightly different from what we are presenting. There is a sense of realism on all sides which gives us an opportunity to try to build a new partnership structure.

We will not make a decision in this House on the Croke Park agreement. I hope the tens of thousands of workers yet to vote will read the document carefully and recognise that, in their interests and that of their families, it represents a reasonable, fair and balanced attempt to deal with current economic difficulties in a fair fashion. I hope will be approved. We will have many opportunities in the House to continue the inter-party political debate and the blame game, but there is a bigger picture. I, therefore, recommend the agreement for its approval.