SEANAD REPORT:FINE GAEL was prepared to work with the Government to arrive at solutions to the economic problems facing the country, Frances Fitzgerald, Fine Gael leader in the House, said.
Tough decisions were needed, but they would have to be fair and equitable. People, particularly those in small businesses and those who had no jobs, needed to see a realistic action plan from the Government.
Some Fianna Fáil members said they wished to acknowledge the positive approach being taken by their counterparts.
An attempt to get an immediate debate on the Government’s cost-cutting proposals proved futile. Seanad leader Donie Cassidy promised that a day-long debate would take place tomorrow.
Mr Cassidy noted that a reduction in wages of around €10 a week – the price of two or three pints of Guinness – had proved to be a problem for the lower paid in the public service at the unsuccessful social partnership talks.
These people were going to benefit in their pensions up to a level of 50 per cent and this was index-linked for the rest of the lives.
Joe O’Toole (Ind) said the union leadership had felt they could not propose to their members that the vast majority of people in the public service, who earned less than €60,000 a year, should have money taken from them to fund the banks, still being run by “the same people who caused the problems in the first place” and who were still on annual multi-million “dollar” packages.
Alex White (Lab) said that if the Taoiseach did not put forward a package of genuine substance he might as well head for the Phoenix Park.