Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary. We have a special responsibility for ensuring the Croke Park agreement is a key part of future Government policy. As the Taoiseach has said, it was a key agreement in addressing the immediate fiscal and economic challenges facing the Government. The Government has stated it is committed to implementing the terms of the public service agreement with absolute good faith. It is now moving ahead with the implementation in a timely and ambitious manner.

The agreed agenda for change outlined by the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, across all sectors of the public service provides a framework for greater efficiency and delivery for citizens which can be secured while providing the basis for confidence about pay levels and security of employment in the public sector. What we are all seeking is more for less. As we have been told, that is the motto and agenda of the day. Intrinsic to the agreement is the need to give an incentive for motivation to those who are working in the public service and also to give certainty to their employment, which is very important. As we all know, a happy workforce will respond. If incentives are given and the opportunities for such incentives exist in most cases, there will be a positive outcome. The Minister of State holds one of the most important portfolios in government because of our current economic circumstances. Those of us who have been here for some time remember the national understanding brought forward by Charles Haughey and Mr. Michael Mullen on behalf of the Government and trade unions which were on their knees at the time, but that agreement stood us well. We no longer have strikes involving those in the public service or the private sector, an example to the multinationals of what we can achieve when we work together. I congratulate all Governments, trade union members, employers, farming organisations and everyone else who had a part to play in the achievement of national understanding. With the benefit of hindsight, I must ask if benchmarking was a good idea; perhaps it was not after the first tranche. It is easy to be wise after the event, but we have a national agreement that has stood us well.

With current global economic prospects, everyone must re-evaluate our work and the return on it, an underlying factor due the emerging economies in China and India. As Chairman of the Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business, I travelled to many countries with various Ministers for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation and the former Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern. It was an eye-opener as a private sector employer and a Member of the Oireachtas. The greatest challenge is to ensure competitiveness. If we are not competitive when producing goods, we have no chance in the marketplace. Many good Irish companies have moved up to 70% of their manufacturing arms abroad, which allows them to keep their brands in the USA, Europe and Asia, and have survived as a result. If the private sector can do this while facing the serious challenges of the past few years, the public service can also meet the challenge.

The Croke Park agreement was an outstanding achievement by all those concerned. It is amazing what decent people will do to the detriment of their own incomes in the national interest. I do not know many who would not respond to the call to act in the national interest. We are all proud of our country and what we have achieved in the last 50 years. It is amazing that 75% of those who finished primary school in 1959 did not go on to second level. The boys and girls of today have great opportunities which they need because they must meet the challenges of the modern world. The challenge facing the Minister of State, the Government and Oireachtas Members is to lead and give leadership to the people by showing good example. That is what Senator Harris has explained on the Order of Business in recent days.

The Minister of State has said he will come back in November and, if possible, before Christmas to let the House know what progress he is making. He will also make accountable those who must be accountable to him because the Oireachtas is watching to see what progress will be made in the national interest between now and Christmas.