Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

There is an extraordinary media focus on the Croke Park agreement, as well as a parliamentary focus, judging from the parliamentary questions I am asked about it. Of the tens of billions of euro of public expenditure with which I am dealing, the amount of energy and effort put into the allowances issue, with a target saving of ¤75 million, is out of all proportion to the value. It is ongoing with an inquiry into allowances. While it is all simple to understand on the face of it, again, it is another case of drilling down and discovering it is not so easy. Is taking ¤34 a year in a footwear allowance from a service officer going to make or break the public service?