Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister. I listened to his contribution in my office and heard him say that something is being given back to all public servants with the lower paid getting the most proportionately. In principle I thought that sounded fair and reasonable. When I look at the detail and dig down there are a number of punitive measures in the Bill that are quite objectionable and it is not that fair at all in some ways. I believe some of these measures need to be deleted or amended.

Section 4 is draconian. It seeks to force unions into the Lansdowne Road agreement. If passed into law it will extend the potential to freeze increments for teachers and lecturers from 2016 to 2018.