I refer to the section in the programme for Government on education and to the issue of teachers' pay. As teachers play a vital role in the education of children, recruiting and retaining new teachers is vitally important. I have met and communicated with many people starting out as teachers in west Cork over recent months. They are under huge pressure due to the very unfair pay system which is in place which, as they know and we all know, discriminates against teachers starting off. These teachers do not want any more promises. In many cases they are moving abroad to teach in countries that respect them. When does this Government intend to bring in teachers' pay equalisation?

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. One of the first things I did when I entered Government was to sit down with the teachers' unions and negotiate improvements for young teachers. This represented a closing of 75% of the pay gap for young teachers. At present, a young teacher coming straight out of college is recruited at €36,000. I also made it easier for that young teacher to get a permanent position. I recognise there is still an issue that is being raised by the teachers' unions. It also affects many other new entrants into the public service. As the Deputy knows, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has assessed the cost of this and is undertaking to initiate discussions with the trade unions on this issue of new entrants' pay. I understand that those discussions will start later this week. However, it is important to say that no budgetary provision has been made in this area over and above what was provided for in the recent pay agreement made only a number of months ago. This puts constraints on Government. We are hearing many demands from across the House for more money to be spent, but there is only a limited pool available.