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TAOISEACH ENDA KENNY says the rejection of the Croke Park 2 public pay deal means public sector workers no longer have any automatic protection against mandatory redundancies.
Kenny said workers had voted on the proposed pay deal, which would have cut €300 million from public pay this year, knowing that it would have guaranteed them protection against public redundancies.
He said the workers’ rejection of the deal meant there was now no such protection for workers.
“That was an inherent part of it,” Kenny told the Dáil, referring to the pay cuts. “But of course, if there’s no agreement, there’s no protection – and that’s the point.
In the negotiations between the Labour Relations Commission and the unions on Croke Park 2, employment was protected by those negotiations and protected under Croke Park 2.It’s absolutely true to say that if you have no agreement, you don’t have that inherent protection. That’s fact.
Kenny’s dramatic comments, made in the Dáil this morning, suggest that the government now believes the original Croke Park agreement – which was due to run until June 2014, and which ruled out any mandatory redundancies – is now null and void.
The Taoiseach also defended the presentation of revised Budget figures which included the Croke Park 2 pay cuts, which were published even after public workers voted to reject the proposals for saving €300 million.
His comments came after Micheál Martin queried comments from public expenditure minister Brendan Howlin, who last night told the Dáil that if the government was a private sector employee, it would not be pulling ahead with mandatory job cuts.
Martin claimed the government was ready to proceed with unilateral pay cuts, and that laws cutting pay and pensions for public workers were being drafted and ready to go if LRC chairman Kieran Mulvey’s talks with union representatives did not lead to a second round of pay negotiations.
He said this was in spite of the government’s insistence that the rejected Croke Park 2 deals could only be ‘tweaked’ rather than facing a total overhaul.
The Taoiseach’s comments followed those of Pat Rabbitte, who this morning said the rejection of the Croke Park 2 agreement meant “theoretically” the government could pursue job cuts.
He added, however, “there’s no particular will on the part of government to remove that protection from public sector workers,” he told RTÉ.
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Great story, lovely to see people getting a permanent home, wishing them health and happiness in their new abodes.
Trust a politician to turn up for the foto
I love my brick. Foto, Foto…
There are 2 houses boarded up on my street in dublin 9. They have been foe over a year since the last families were evicted for drug dealing. There is another around the corner that was vacated and is now used as a changing room for the local soccer club. So there’s 3 3 bed homes not being used. What the fook are the council playing at.
It’s very positive… We could complain and moan, that someone one had to die outside the Dáil for things like this to happen but realise it’s A good news story on the back of a very tough year for the likes of poor John Corry.. Let’s hope they have a good Christmas and great credit The likes of Lord Mayor Christy Burke & all involved..
No Ray,these houses haven’t been planned, built and equipped since that poor man died near the Dail!
But I take your point. Never in the history of our decrepit little state have a government responded so quickly to a tragedyli,e that, but at least they are responding which can only be a good thing. It’s up to us, the public, to ensure that it’s not a just pre christmas, pre election stunt. We need to keep the pressure on to make sure the policy is continued and also spread nationwide. While the homeless crises in Dublin is desperate, and the govt response is making the headlines, other cities like Cork and Waterford have a similar problem which are not being tackled.
great news to hear, i wonder how long they were waiting? just 5 f****in houses though, hard work from Alone mind, they get little support only from what we give :/ and to think this government could provide 500 if they wanted but would rather pay others.
Its so good to know these few people are living in their own homes for Christmas, long may they enjoy and hopefully by next Christmas no one will be sleeping on the streets at least those who don’t want to. Happy Christmas to you.
I used to work with ALONE when i was a teenager, very long time ago, need to get finger out
and get back there , Merry Christmas to one and all, xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Once it is not a publicity stunt? What about homeless families too?
Isn’t it great that these people can now have a cup of tea by the fire in their own homes ! All the best to them
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