Fine Gael’s youth wing has called for a complete renegotiation of the Croke Park agreement at its national conference in Tullamore, Co Offaly.
The president of Young Fine Gael, Eric Keane, said it was a “farce” to treat public servants who were hard-working, committed and innovative in the same way was people who were not.
“Increments should not be paid because you’re another year in the job and you have more grey hair,” he said.
Mr Keane said many members of the organisation were public servants and they stood up for people who were on low pay, but claimed that the trade unions had “failed” their members.
Responding in the course of his address to the conference later, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said a "real test" for the agreement would come at the end of the month, and he hoped "it would measure up".
Mr Kenny said he wanted to see the agreement implemented in full as expeditiously as possible.
The “consumers” of the public service were very important, he said, while the “rights and responsibilities” of public service workers would be respected.
Earlier, Mr Kenny said the visit to Ireland of Chinese vice president Xi Jinping would improve the existing understanding between the two countries. The Chinese could see for themselves how Ireland had developed from an agrarian to a developed society.
“Ireland is the only country in Europe that the vice president is calling on on his way back to China. That clearly has significance in itself.”
He said the issue of human rights in China would be raised by both Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore and himself. “I will be raising the question of the improving response in respect of human rights by the Chinese authorities.”
