The Taoiseach just told Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan that Ireland was a country of business and enterprise and that incomes were at an all-time high. Will he please tell that to nurses, 37,000 of whom were threatened by the Minister for Finance last weekend that if they went on strike, they would lose their increments? Not only would they lose their increments, they would lose a lower pension levy and the paltry pay rise proposed in the Public Services Pay and Pension Act 2017. When we had a financial emergency, the Government introduced the FEMPI legislation. After that, the Public Services Pay and Pensions Act was brought in. These Bills set out to penalise workers who were striving to improve their incomes but who were held back by the financial emergency. Where is the financial emergency now and why are workers being trapped in the conditions that resulted from it? In particular, I ask about the 37,000 nurses on whom we will all rely so heavily throughout the coming winter, as stated by the Taoiseach recently in his comments on the winter initiative.

As the Deputy knows, average pay for nurses in Ireland, including overtime and allowances, is more than €50,000 a year, which salary is well deserved. They earn every euro of that. The Deputy will know that we have passed legislation in the House to repeal the financial emergency measures and are phasing out all of those public pay cuts over time in a way that is affordable for taxpayers, starting with the lowest paid and ending with the best paid.

The Government has not removed the punitive measures.

Allow the Taoiseach to reply.

Under that legislation, any basic pay reductions will be fully reversed by the end of the year for those earning under €40,000 and by 2020 for those earning under €80,000. Increments are being paid every year and there will be two pay increases next year as well as an increase for new entrants. It is not punitive for people to contribute to their pensions. People should contribute to the cost of their pensions. It is not punitive at all; it is common sense.

The Taoiseach has deliberately not answered my question. I asked about the punitive measures being used against nurses.

Please, Deputy.

Without interruption.

I encourage-----

All I am asking the Taoiseach to do is answer my question.

If I am permitted to, I will.

It might be better to move on at this stage if people will not stay quiet.

The Taoiseach will not answer any questions.

I ask the Deputy to please stop interrupting the House. I call Deputy Michael Collins.