Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

I join with Senator O'Toole in asking for a debate on the implementation plan for the Croke Park agreement. One of its main architects, Mr. Kieran Mulvey, questioned the pedestrian pace of its development this morning. That pace is unacceptable. While Senator O'Toole and I agree on much, we disagree on some matters. I am heartened to hear about the €1 billion we can save on overtime payments and the €1 billion that can be saved through number reductions in the public service. As we saw yesterday in a report on salaries in the education sector, the highest paid person earns €22,000 per month. My only issue on public sector pay is whether that person could live on €15,000 or €16,000 per month. The answer is "Yes". Everyone earning more than a certain amount of money must realise that, regrettably, we are in a national emergency and, as such, determine what he or she realistically needs to continue. It is not a question of achieving efficiencies that trade unions are more than willing to provide through the innovations outlined in the Croke Park agreement. Rather and as with the private sector, they must be immediate in nature and not pedestrian, as Mr. Mulvey outlined today. An early debate on the implementation plans is essential.