Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. Cuirim fáilte roimh an díospóireacht an-tábhachtach seo. Beidh tionchar fadthéarmach ag an mBille seo ar go leor oibrithe sa tír seo. Ba mhaith liom mo mhíshástacht agus míshástacht mo chomhghleacaithe i Sinn Féin maidir leis an gcaoi ina bhfuil an reachtaíocht á thabhairt chun cinn a léiriú.

The Haddington Road agreement, as it has become known, is an effort to strong arm public sector workers and it is unhelpful and unnecessary. The Minister tasked Mr. Kieran Mulvey of the Labour Relations Commission to enter into fresh negotiations with union leaders following the members' rejection of Croke Park II. At every turn, the Minister has undermined his initiative with persistent threats of unilateral cuts. It is particularly unhelpful that, at a time when unions are going to their members to ballot them on the issues discussed in the Haddington Road agreement, this legislation hangs over them as a threat. It is a retrograde step by any Government, particularly one that steeps itself in links to the unions. Railroading this legislation through the Dáil is little more than throwing political shapes.

The Minister is responsible for the largest workforce in the country. If an employer treated staff in such a manner, Labour Party Deputies would be the first to voice their outrage, and rightly so. Union leaders have held up their side of the negotiations by coming to the table and entering negotiations with the chief executive of the Labour Relations Commission. Over the coming weeks, workers will make their decision on the Haddington Road deal. The boot boy tactics at every turn of the process have been deeply disappointing, not least for low and middle-income public sector workers at the front line of the Government's austerity agenda.

Sinn Féin does not support cutting the pay of low and middle-income public sector workers, therefore we do not support the Government position that €300 million in 2013, and €1 billion by 2015, must be cut from the public sector pay and pensions bill. Savings can be found in the pay and pensions bill by targeting those at the top, such as capping hospital consultants pay at €150,000 and imposing a higher levy on goldplated pensions to former Ministers and taoisigh, which would save €100 million. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald submitted a number of amendments to the Bill during its passage in the Dáil. These would target pay at the top and cut goldplated pensions and payments, reduce politicians' pay and perks, protect low and middle-income workers' increments and remove the ability of the Minister to increase public sector employees' working hours at the Government's discretion.

In addition, Sinn Féin budget 2013 expenditure proposals set out fair expenditure reductions across public services. We also set out additional taxation measures that are sustainable and equitable. It is up to public sector workers to consider whether they will sign up to the Haddington Road agreement. We have been consistent in our analysis that targeting low and middle-income workers' pay year after year is economically and socially unsound. Taking people's spending power out of the domestic economy and putting it into the black hole of bad bank debt is not a strategy but a road to nowhere for the 14% on the live register, the 300,000 people who have left Ireland over the past four years and the one in four households experiencing household distress.

Senator Bacik mentioned employment figures released today but what was not mentioned is the major increase in under-employment. That must be factored in. Fine Gael members of the Government are quite happy with the legislation because it pushes their agenda of dividing and conquering the unions. It is a pity the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is in the position to do so. The effect this will have on services and morale in the public services and on the economy cannot be underestimated. This will not stimulate the economy, which is what we need to do to create jobs and have a job stimulus. Contrary to what was said, Sinn Féin has made plenty of positive proposals.