Low paid public sector workers have been treated harshly by Government. During the last budget Fine Gael had proposed a much fairer way of achieving savings while protecting lower paid workers. Recent negotiations between Government and unions produced the far from perfect Croke Park deal but it does offer pay stability for both the Exchequer and public sector workers. If this deal is endorsed by the union membership Fine Gael will commit to honour the commitment not to cut public sector pay between now and 2014, if elected to Government.

Over the coming weeks, public service workers will decide whether to accept the deal agreed between their trade unions and the Government.

As the timeframe of this agreement extends beyond the term of the current Government, it is important that Fine Gael, as the Party that aspires to lead the next Government, sets out its view.

We understand the anger of public sector workers, particularly those on low rates of pay. This anger is intensified when they see the scale of golden handshakes given to many in the banking system.

In our pre-budget proposals last year, Fine Gael proposed a much fairer way of achieving the required reduction in the public pay bill which would have protected lower paid workers, with those earning below €30,000 having their pay preserved. Our priority in Government will be to restore the pay of this category.

The Croke Park deal falls far short on the scale of reform needed to transform our public services. While it does include some welcome and long-overdue reforms in the areas of staff redeployment and flexible hours, the deal leaves the core structural weaknesses of the system untouched. It does nothing to tackle the over-centralisation of power in unaccountable departments and bureaucracies like the HSE that leaves frontline staff demoralised and frustrated. In short, it is a limited agenda to achieve a small cut in the costs of doing things in the same way. What Fine Gael wants to create is a system that facilitates, encourages and rewards initiative and commitment by staff.

On the positive side, the Croke Park deal does offer pay stability for both the Exchequer and public sector workers.

The industrial action that has occurred since the Budget has impacted on the delivery of services and is causing difficulties for the public. These are people who are not responsible for cutting the pay of public servants. The restoration of normal service delivery must be a priority. The Croke Park agreement can ensure that this happens quickly.

If this deal is endorsed by the union membership Fine Gael will commit to honour the commitment not to cut public sector pay between now and 2014, if elected to Government. We will also prioritise the restoration of the earnings of lower paid public servants.

In addition, Fine Gael will contest the next general election seeking a public mandate for a more ambitious reform agenda, including the implementation of our New Politics, FairCare and NewERA plans.