Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

I understand the views of the Senators, which they expressed on Second Stage. Senator Cullinane accepts the principle of applying the consumer price index and therefore I presume he is not opposing this section. I did not hear him say whether he was or was not opposing it but if he believes that increases related to the CPI is the way to go, then they are the way to go for everybody. We have not applied them because of the existing situation that applies under the Croke Park agreement. This is available for some future date if this Government or any future Government decides, in the generality of it, to apply the consumer price index increase rather than reference to any pre-existing salary point. If we applied this now or had done so for the past number of years, it would be greatly advantageous to public servants who have had no increase. Nobody in the public service has had an increase; in fact, they have had diminution.

For completeness in regard to Senator Cullinane's point about the modality of doing this, as he will read in section 47, if at some future date I or my successor Ministers determined to make such an order, a draft of the order would have to be laid before this House and fully debated, and the draft would have to be approved by a resolution passed by these Houses. The actual mechanism would have to be laid out, debated and voted on in this House before it could have effect. That should give all the assurances the Senators require.