Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 61: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will respond to correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14317/10]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I understand that there is no correspondence with me on this specific matter but that the details supplied relate to the difficulties arising for the transaction of business with public service offices during the programme of industrial action undertaken by public service unions. The industrial action is in response to the pay reductions imposed by the Government on public servants with effect from 1 January last as part of the Government's budgetary strategy to bring the public finances under control.

Any industrial action, whatever form it takes, is regrettable, in particular if it has any impact on service delivery to the public. In that regard, under a process of engagement and discussion between public service employers and the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, facilitated by the Labour Relations Commission, a draft agreement has been reached between the parties which provides for the settlement of the dispute in the public service.

The Labour Relations Commission has called upon unions in the public service to suspend their programme of industrial action pending the balloting of their members on the draft agreement. I welcome this call and would urge the public service unions to suspend their industrial action to enable normal services to be resumed in public offices as quickly as possible.