asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on his recent talks with the ICTU regarding the proposals for growth and economic recovery; and if any initiatives are planned following the talks.

10.

asked the Taoiseach the progress made to date in his discussions with the social partners on the development of an agreed programme for economic recovery; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

11.

asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the recent discussions he and some of his colleagues in Government had with the ICTU.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 9, 10 and 11 together.

I met with the President, Mr. John Carroll, and the Executive Council of the ICTU on 15 April. I was accompanied at the meeting by the Ministers for Finance, Labour, Energy and Communications.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss with the Congress representatives their proposals for a national plan for growth and economic recovery. The discussions were positive and constructive.

I indicated to the ICTU representatives the Government's intention to bring forward a medium-term programme covering a period of three to five years. The programme will be based on the principles recommended by NESC in their recent report: A Strategy for Development. I outlined the principles of this programme and Congress agreed to enter into discussions with the Government on the elaboration of the programme.

I and my colleagues will be meeting ICTU again tomorrow to discuss the proposed programme further.

A series of meetings to discuss the programme have also been drawn up with the other social partners.

These meetings are consistent with the Programme for National Recovery which Fianna Fáil published before the last election and in which we made the commitment to examine in consultation with the social partners all the obstacles to higher employment and greater competitiveness, the way in which these should be tackled and the possible solutions.

Was the basis for the discussions that indicated by the Minister for Finance in his Budget Statement when he suggested that there would be no scope for increases in public service pay during this year, and did the Taoiseach get a response to that from the Congress delegation? Will the Taoiseach say whether or not this series of ad hoc discussions is the substitute for the forum which he in Opposition promised to create to discuss obstacles to growth and employment?

The meeting with congress was a preliminary meeting and consisted of an exchange of views. That meeting and the meeting tomorrow will deal with the elaboration of a medium term programme for economic recovery.

Even preliminary meetings have a set agenda. Did the question of public sector pay arise, or was it discussed by either the Government or Congress delegates and was a view given by the Government or by the delegation on the public service embargo?

No. The first meeting was of an exploratory and preliminary nature and confined itself to an outline by both sides of the requirements as we saw them and the need for a programme of economic recovery. It resulted in agreement to proceed with the necessary discussions to bring forward such a programme.