I dtús báire, ba mhaith liom a rá go gcuirim fáilte roimh seachtain na Gaeilge sa Teach seo agus ar fud na tíre freisin mar is deis mhór é seo ár dteanga dhúchais a labhairt. Ní minic a chloistear an Ghaeilge sna sráideanna nó sa Dáil agus áiteanna eile, agus is mór an trua é sin. Ba cheart go mbainfimis úsáid aisti chomh minic agus is féidir chun í a choinneáil beo agus ár ndúchas freisin.

As well as that, Seachtain na Gaeilge reminds us that we are a united, democratic and independent nation. We are a proud nation and are very interested in our future. Therefore, we ought to have the same objectives to keep our teanga, culture and heritage alive, as well as protecting our citizens. Our citizens ought to be fairly treated but they are not and is mór an trua é sin. It would appear that there is a hierarchy sa tír seo. There is a hierarchy in Ireland today and, sadly, morality does not even come into the picture sa tír seo. It would appear that this Government sees no difference between right and wrong any more. Is rud uafásach é sin.

In referring to comhaontú Páirc an Chrócaigh II, an tUasal Walter Cullen, who is a spokesperson for the UNITE trade union, stated the cuts being proposed cannot be sustained by the workers nor can they be anything other than disastrous for jobs ar fud na tíre. This comment came from one of the country's leading trade unionists. In addition, it is not justifiable that na banaltraí agus na gardaí on the front line should be obliged to accept such savage cuts. It has been proposed under this agreement that those earning between €35,000 and €40,000 per annum would be obliged to accept a cut of up to 8%. This is not acceptable but it does not simply stop there. Those who earn more than €100,000 per annum only stand to lose 6%. Tá sé sin uafásach ar fad and is totally unjust. Tá na daoine ar fud na tíre ag feitheamh, which leads me to mo cheist.

Why did the Taoiseach return to the Croke Park agreement and start these cuts with na daoine beaga? Why should they stand to lose more? They have worked and strived so hard down all the years and did nothing wrong. Is daoine an-mhaith ar fad iad. I believe the Taoiseach perceives the ordinary taxpayers as simple scapegoats to pay for the sins of the bankers, the Government's predecessors, regulators agus daoine mar sin.

Go raibh maith agat, a Theachta.

However, the taxpayer is a lot stronger than the Taoiseach might believe. Why did the Government not start with na daoine láidre who are earning €100,000 per annum or more? It is always the same with the Taoiseach, who looks at the ordinary people, appears to see a euro sign and thinks they will take all the pain. Chuala mé an Tánaiste ar an raidió ar maidin agus sílim go bhfuil sé thuas sna scamaill nó thuas san aer. Tá sé ann since an toghchán dhá bhliain ó shin. In light of the austerity the Government is visiting on the people at the behest of our European friends, should Members be promoting German in the Chamber today or perhaps the language of other people to whom we are bound? Why did the Taoiseach not start with those who could take the cuts before ever revisiting Croke Park? Is maith leis an Taoiseach an pheil and he is a good footballer. While he likes Croke Park from that perspective, why did he not go after those who can take the pain, namely, senior public servants, former politicians, retired taoisigh agus daoine mar sin before going after the ordinary people? Cén fáth?

Hear, hear.

Ar dtús, ba mhaith liom mo chomhghairdeas a dheánamh leis an Teachta as ucht an iarracht atá á dhéanamh aige an teanga a fhoghlaim. Mar is eol dom, cé go raibh Gaeilge na scoile ag an Teachta nuair a tháinig sé isteach anseo, bhí sí caillte aige agus tá sé ag déanamh tréan iarrachta an teanga a fhoghlaim arís. Is maith an rud é sin dó mar Theachta agus mar Éireannach. Déanaim comhghairdeas leis agus molaim dó leanacht ar aghaidh leis na ceachtanna agus an cleachtadh agus tiocfaidh an Ghaeilge thar nais chuige.

Maidir le comhaontas Pháirc an Chrócaigh, séard atá i gceist ná go mbeidh iad siúd a bhfuil an méid is mó acu ag íoc an méid is mó. Sin an fáth go bhfuil an gearradh siar suas go 10% dóibh siúd atá ag fáil níos mó ná €180,000 mar thuarastal. Tá a fhios ag an Teachta nach dtosaíonn an gearradh siar ar phá ach ar thuarastail atá níos mó ná €65,000. Tosaíonn an gearradh siar ar 5.5% agus éiríonn sé chomh hard le 10%. Mar sin, níl gearradh siar ar bith ó thaobh pá de do sheirbhísigh poiblí atá ar thuarastal níos lú ná €65,000.

Freisin, thar an tseirbhís phoiblí ar fad, de réir an pháipéir atá curtha os comhair na gceardchumann ag an gcoimisiún, ta an comhaontú seo féaráilte thar an réim ar fad. Ní mar a chéile chuile duine atá ag obair sa chóras poiblí, cibé banaltraí, múinteoirí, daoine ag obair sna comhairlí áitiúla, gardaí nó duine ar bith eile iad. Aontaítear sa pháipéar ón gcoimisiún go bhfuil an comhaontú féaráilte thar an réim ar fad agus is iad siúd atá an méid is mó acu a bheidh ag íoc an méid is mó. Mar is eol don Teachta, tar éis an bhuiséíd, tá suas le €500 milliún le fáil uathu siúd atá na tuarastail is mó ar fáil acu.

Tá am anois ag na ceardchumainn an páipéar a scrúdú agus díospóireacht a bheith acu faoi céard is brí leis na dtéarmaí do chuile duine agus a n-aigne a dhéanamh suas faoi. Tá súil agam go nglacfaidh siad leis an gcomhairle seo. Má ghlacann, beidh deireadh leis ansin go dtí deireadh an chláir agus ní bheidh an Rialtas ag teacht ar ais le gearradh siar eile ar bith a chur orthu. Is maith an rud é sin mar beidh gach duine in ann a chúrsaí a phleanáil as seo amach. Tá an t-am ag teacht agus tá cinneadh le déanamh ag na ceardchumainn. Tá cuid acu ag rá gur maith an rud é seo agus gur mhaith leo go nglacfaí leis, agus tá cuid eile nach bhfuil sásta leis. Caithfidh siad a n-aigne a dhéanamh suas, agus tá súil agam go nglacfaidh siad leis.

Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an Taoiseach as ucht an mhéid a bhí le rá aige. However, the Taoiseach still is not getting it in respect of na daoine go léir atá ag obair. They are waiting and tá siad go léir ag léamh na nuachtáin. Members are giving it time and no Member on this side of this House is being reckless with regard to this agreement. However, there is no justification and one cannot, either as Gaeilge no i mBéarla, equate a 10% cut on a person earning €150,000 with a 5% cut on a person earning €40,000 to €50,000 nor can one suggest it is fair. Sin rud an-dána ar fad. One cannot justify that in any tír nó i dteanga ar bith. Is it fair to those people on the front line, such as na gardaí agus na banaltraí a oibríonn go crua gach lá? They are out on the front line and are being singled out by some Ministers who have stated that even though they left the talks, they are not being "penalised". However, they are being penalised, victimised and singled out. Moreover, one should be clear that the representative body of members of An Garda Síochána, namely, the Garda Representative Association, was not and cannot be invited. It can only be a fairy godmother at the talks waiting from the crumbs ón tábla. That is all it can be as it cannot be involved. As all Members are aware of and understand this point, one should be fair and should acknowledge that gardaí are being treated unjustly in this regard. They are the people who are needed to keep that líne beag which separates this country from anarchy, and one can see the impact this is having.

Go raibh maith agat, a Theachta.

It is unfair for Airí to be ar an raidió agus ar theilifís ag rá rudaí ar nós while they left, they will not be punished, but those who remained inside will be rewarded. That is not a just system and such comments should not come from any Cabinet Minister. However, I note an tAire, an Teachta Varadkar, agus cuid eile acu freisin have made such comments. This is not fair and the old, bad way of dividing and conquering is being employed. It is the old way that was used when we were under the dominance of na Sasanaigh, and that is wrong.

Séard atá an Teachta ag rá ná go bhfuil difríocht ann idir seirbhísigh poiblí agus iad siúd atá ag obair sna seirbhísí poiblí. Is daoine sa líne tosaigh iad múinteoirí atá ag obair inniu. Is duine sa líne tosaigh é freisin aon innealtóir atá ag obair don chomairle áitiúil. Ní hiad na gardaí ná na banaltraí amháin nó na dreamanna eile a luann daoine go minic amháin atá ag obair sna línte tosaigh. Tá jab le déanamh ag chuile seirbhíseach poiblí agus tugann siad seirbhís do mhuintir na hÉireann nuair a dhéanann siad an jab atá acu le déanamh. Táthar, don chuid is mó ag obair i línte tosaigh.

Tá an Teachta ag caint faoi dhaoine agus ag rá go bhfuil gearradh siar níos mó á dhéanamh orthu, cé nach bhfuil tuarastal an-ard acu, ach tá an Teachta ag tabhairt san áireamh ansin an obair atá á dhéanamh acu ar an Satharn agus ar an Domhnach. Ach maidir le seo agus na ceardchumainn a d'fhan istigh ag na díospóireachtaí, gearradh siar ar an mholadh a rinne an córas bainistíochta agus aontaíodh go dtabharfaí pá ráta de 1.75% thar nais do na hoibrithe, de thoradh ar an soiléiriú agus an argóint a rinne na ceardchumainn i leith iad siúd atá ag obair sna seirbhísí poiblí.

Níl ceardchumann ag na gardaí, ach le blianta anuas bhí siad in ann a n-argóint a dhéanamh agus na fadhbanna agus an mhíshástacht a bhí acu a lua cé nach raibh siad sa chóras go díreach mar cheardchumann. Má ghlacann na ceardchumainn leis an bpáipéar, beidh sé thar bhráid an tseirbhís poiblí ar fad. Níl sé i gceist ar chor ar bith go ndéanfar díriú mífhéaráilte ar dhaoine áirithe atá ag obair sa tseirbhís phoiblí. Tá sé i gceist go mbeidh sé féaráilte thar an réim ar fad. Is é sin an rud atá sa pháipéar seo.

Mar fhocal scoir, ní neart go cur le chéile.