Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position regarding the negotiations with the public sector unions on a successor to the Croke Park Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10376/13]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Negotiations have taken place between public service employers and the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions regarding the Government’s stated intention to reach agreement on securing an overall saving of €1bn gross from the public service pay and pensions bill by 2015. Following intensive engagement in recent days between the parties, which was facilitated by the Labour Relations Commission (LRC), the LRC has developed and recommended a set of proposals for consideration and agreement that seeks to secure the €1bn gross savings required by the Exchequer while ameliorating the impacts on public service staff particularly those on low and middle incomes to the greatest extent possible. Public servants will be able to consider the full set of proposals by the LRC which were published yesterday and the public service staff representatives who remained in negotiations have indicated that these proposals will be subject to ballot by members.

I am satisfied that, subject to its ultimate acceptance and the necessary legislation being passed by the Oireachtas, the proposals will produce the necessary savings of €1 billion over the lifetime of the Agreement.