Teachers, nurses, council workers, workers who work in this building and public and civil servants have voted overwhelmingly - more than 90% in most cases - for industrial action. Some of the work to rules will begin this week because the Government has not offered them a pay increase that will actually make up for the loss of earnings as a result of the inflation and cost-of-living crisis or been willing to discuss pay upfront in negotiations as their union representatives have asked it to do. Is the Government going to sit down and make a proper, decent offer to the workers, including in this building, who keep our public service and Civil Service going to compensate them for the loss of earnings in real terms because of inflation in recent years and give them a decent pay increase to keep pace with inflation over the coming years? Is the Government going to do that to avoid them having to take this action?

The last pay agreement not only kept up with but exceeded inflation, particularly for low-paid workers. Of course the Government is anxious to enter into public service pay negotiations. We have made it very clear we want to engage in public service pay negotiations with the unions. I do not believe there is any need for balloting or work to rule. Negotiations without preconditions should commence with the objective of achieving a public service pay agreement for all public service workers, just like on previous occasions. That is entirely doable and is what should happen.

The Government will not talk pay upfront.

What does the Deputy mean? The bottom line is we want to enter into a public service pay agreement. We are putting substantial funding aside in the budget towards a public service pay agreement. The unions know this deep down, or the leadership certainly knows it.