Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

I support the comments made by Senator Coffey about the ESB and the job it did in rationalisation. It must be recognised that salaries in the ESB are excessively high, with an average annual salary of almost €70,000. Nonetheless, the company rationalised to a significant extent during the good times. There is a need for other semi-State companies to follow suit. The same applies to the regulatory authorities in which many staff are significantly overpaid for carrying out what are not much more than administrative functions. The chief executives of a number of companies are on salaries to which only people in very challenging positions should aspire.

Competitiveness is one of the biggest challenges facing the economy. As Senator MacSharry said, rightly, there is a national emergency and we are probably not far from having recourse to the International Monetary Fund. In that scenario the delay in having concrete suggestions made by the implementation body on the Croke Park agreement is regrettable and we should be highly critical of its failure. The House should have another debate on the subject very soon. It is time the implementation body was replaced by others who would drive the agreement to achieve essential savings. Otherwise, we are doing a disservice to the public service because when it will be necessary to have recourse to the IMF, the first thing that body will look at is the excessive salaries paid throughout the service which are at least 30% higher than those paid in other competing countries. We owe it to good people in the public service to ensure there is maximum intent and energy behind the drive to implement the Croke Park agreement. I certainly do not see this happening.