Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

On the structure of the Civil Service, there is a simplistic view that there are so many chiefs and not enough Indians. There is a complexity to the public service. When I was in the Department of Health years ago, we actually did not have a proper child support system in place. Now, we have specialists who interview children in Garda stations.

Senator Kathryn Reilly spoke about public service reform and pensions. There is a simplistic view that we can simply levy pensioners over a certain level. I examined the issue and wanted to bring forward financial emergency measures in the public interest, FEMPI-style legislation to take back a significant proportion of the pensions of individuals, particularly those who may not have performed as well they should have in recent times and left with large pensions. I brought it forward and top-sliced 20% - Sinn Féin stated we should only top-slice 10% - for pensioners with pensions over ¤100,000. I needed the legislation to be robust. I am not interested in tokenism that will have me down in the High Court with the legislation falling. First, the measure must be related to the financial emergency and, therefore, have sufficient take to justify it. Second, it must have reasonably broad application. One cannot simply say A and B must pay extra. This is careful and delicate work, to which we need to bring fairness. I can assure the Senator that I will work might and main to ensure the budget is fair.

Two minutes should be more than sufficient to ask a question. I will call Senator O'Neill first, and then Senators Walsh and Gilroy. We will take those first three.