John Kelly (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I support my colleague, Senator John Whelan, in his call for proper engagement with the 24-7 Frontline Services Alliance. I said last week in the House that front-line workers and middle-income earners had nothing left to give in further talks. As Senator Diarmuid Wilson said, morale in the Garda Síochána is at an all-time low. I know that in some Garda stations in this city gardaí do not have stationery supplies. The Government might be looking in the wrong direction when trying to solve the problem. It has suggested a fire crew of five personnel should be sent to deal with a house fire, while there are 30 fire chiefs and 350 assistant chief fire officers. There is only one chief fire officer in the North of Ireland and two assistant chiefs. That is the example to consider rather than cutting the number of front-line staff. The same problems are evident in the HSE. Everyone and anyone knows the HSE is top-heavy with management staff, yet we are asking junior nurses to take serious pay cuts and work for ¤22,000 a year. We are looking in the wrong direction when trying to solve our problems. We have to avoid strikes at all costs in order that the country will not be brought to a standstill. Proper engagement with the 24/7 alliance is the only way to proceed.