Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)

It began by stating the saving of €289 million was driven by a reduction in staff numbers of 5,349 during the period, but after pages of gobbledygook it concluded by stating that public service pensioners have left the public service and therefore it would be wrong to include their pension costs in a progress report on the Croke Park pay agreement. On the one hand it stated savings were made through their leaving the service and, on the other, because they have left the service their pension costs cannot be included.