The Minister seems intent on dodging the specific issues I have raised. May I ask him specifically if the question of disadvantaged people in our society was raised by any of the social partners at any of those meetings? I refer specifically to education and health where it is clear that many thousands of people are being disadvantaged as a result of the policies being pursued by this Government. Would the Minister say whether that matter was dealt with at any of those meetings?

The Deputy can take it that the national understanding is a broad conceptual approach between all the social partners and the Government and that matters such as health and education and social developments in that and other areas are taken into account in developing and enhancing what is a national understanding, not just a wage agreement or an incomes understanding but a much wider understanding, including the elements mentioned by Deputy De Rossa.