asked the Minister for the Public Service the cost of deducting the one day's pay from the salaries and wages of public servants following the one day strike on 15 October 1985.

The information requested by the Deputy is not available and the expense which would be involved in compiling it would not be justified.

The amount might be very embarrassing. Is it a fact that an inordinate amount of overtime and extra work will have to be undertaken to deduct this pay? Is it a fact that the section of the public service which had the most stoppages in the last few months and during this Dáil session were the teachers and that no deductions have taken place yet for that time lost?

There have been deductions so far in most Government Departments. I have to say that I understand that the deductions in respect of unauthorised stoppages on the part of teachers will not take place until next month. I presume the Deputy is not suggesting that these deductions ought not to be made in respect of work which was not done?

About what?

That these deductions ought not to be made?

Did someone suggest that? Are some of the Minister's colleagues putting pressure on him to implement that? I never said anything about it.