As the Tánaiste will know, over 100,000 public sector workers, including teachers, SNAs, healthcare workers, council workers, civil servants and people who work in this building, are now on a work-to-rule because the Government has refused to offer them a pay rise that would allow them to keep up with the current cost-of-living crisis. I fully support them. Over the past few days, I have talked to many public sector workers in Donegal, including members of the Inishowen and Letterkenny branches of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation. I was struck by how downhearted they are at the fact that they feel the Government is not willing to engage. They feel it demonstrates a lack of respect. They are under severe stress in this crisis and are struggling to pay bills. They deserve respect. Will the Tánaiste intervene and ensure the Government comes to the table with a decent offer that keeps up with the pace of inflation so that public sector workers can get through the current cost-of-living crisis?

I have nothing but respect for public sector workers. The political and economic philosophy of this Government is that work should always pay. That includes those working in our public services. Let me be absolutely clear, crystal clear, and beyond any doubt. Please let every public sector worker hear this. The Government wants to sit down with their representatives without precondition to engage on a new public sector pay deal. I know there is hurt and pain out there and that people are under pressure. I get that. However, the way to get to a new public sector pay deal is to go into a room and get around a table with no preconditions on either side in order to make progress. We will make an allocation in next week's budget that shows we are very serious about getting a good, sustainable and affordable public sector pay deal that makes sure work, including work in the public sector, always pays. We need to get in that room, however. We on the Government side are willing to turn up without precondition. I respectfully ask the unions to consider that.