THE TAOISEACH Brian Cowen denied there were Government divisions on the education cutbacks. During heated exchanges, he accused Labour leader Eamon Gilmore of attempting to sow divisions within the Government.
"There is no division in the Government in relation to the necessity to deal with the issues. There are concerns, as there are in every party, when there are issues affecting education," Mr Cowen added.
Mr Gilmore said that the Green Party had decided to send a backbencher, Deputy Paul Gogarty, to negotiate with Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe on the issue.
"It must be the first time that a party in Government has sent a backbencher to renegotiate measures already agreed by its own Ministers in Government."
Addressing the Government benches, which included Mr O'Keeffe, the Labour leader said: "When it comes to this exchange, I think my money is on Batt."
Mr Gilmore said that there was not a "fig leaf, organic or genetically modified" in the Government counter-motion to cover the political embarrassment of the Green Party.
He added that the Taoiseach had insisted there would be no change to the education cuts. "Now that is at variance, very significantly at variance, with what your partners in Government are trying to communicate out there."
He said the Green Party was attempting to buy time and political space. "The so-called negotiation between Deputy Gogarty and Minister O'Keeffe is a waste of time. It is simply a fig leaf.
"It is simply a way of getting over a politically embarrassing hump this evening and tomorrow and to buy time."
Mr Cowen insisted that there would be "continued, serious investment in education". If the Opposition parties were in government, they would have to contend with the budgetary issues, said Mr Cowen.
"That is, simply, to be straight with the people . . . and to say to the people, simply this: we will continue with our investment in education next year and in the years ahead . . . and in better times, we will accelerate that investment."
He warned that if the proposed measures were not taken, it was clear that the budgetary situation would deteriorate further and the cuts contemplated would be even greater. Even with the disciplines they were taking, they would still have a current budget situation which had to be addressed in future years, he said.
"And further strategic decisions will have to be taken . . . and any suggestion to the contrary is not being honest with the people. And I intend, whatever the popularity stakes, that I will be honest with the people."
Earlier, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said that a public sector pay freeze, for those earning more than €50,000, would raise €300 million.
Mr Cowen said that the Government worked in partnership with public service unions. "Social partnership is not just about working together in good times," he added.
