Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Minister of State on getting this Bill through the House and passed into law. It is very important legislation and the body that has been set up here is an important one that ultimately will employ nearly 1,000 staff. It has a huge task before it when it comes to bringing together most public service wage payments, some of which are paid at different rates. I presume there will be ongoing problems as to how people give notice of sick leave or holiday leave and how those messages are transferred from the relevant Departments to this new National Shared Services Office. There will be some teething problems. I wish the new office well, however, and I wish this new legislation well because it is a way forward. It will make for savings in and give a more efficient structure to all matters relating to pay, pensions and conditions in the public service.