Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

Does the Minister of State agree that the reduction of numbers has very little to do with the Croke Park agreement because it was already in train? Does he agree that unless there is a radical reduction in the cost of public service pay and pensions, we will find it impossible to extricate ourselves from our financial difficulty? In 2000, public service pay and pensions cost €8.6 billion. Ten years later, the gross cost was €18.6 billion, which is not sustainable. Does the Minister of State agree that the €3.5 billion referred to as a saving will effectively be halved because of the pensions worth €1.75 billion? Does he agree the tax foregone on the other half will reduce the figure to €850 million? The saving is, therefore, only 25%.

Does the Minister of State agree with Senator Sheahan that numbers could be reduced by 20% - this is exactly the figure I got from senior and middle management - if only they could remove those who are not performing, and that this would improve productivity?