Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It would be worthwhile for the Minister to confirm that there is nothing in the legislation to override the Haddington Road agreement in practice. Collective agreements are recognised by the Government and despite the fact that a procedure for compulsory redeployment is being provided for, which I accept may be needed, the practice has always been that the first to go leave on a voluntary basis. A total of 10,000 public servants moved on a voluntary basis and more would have moved had the decentralisation programme gone ahead, particularly to Drogheda. Loads of people were queuing up to move there, as Senator D'Arcy will be aware. The Department of Social Protection had a queue a mile long. I would like the Minister to comment on this.