Majorities within Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael approved of the tactics used by members of the Garda Síochána in pursuing recent pay increases, in spite of reservations expressed by Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Opposition leader Micheál Martin and, according to the latest Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll. Fifty-seven per cent of Fianna Fáil supporters found the threat of strike action to be acceptable, as against 49 per cent for Fine Gael. Majority support for Garda tactics extended to all social groups, with the exception of top income earners, while a majority of Labour Party supporters also disapproved.
This rejection of traditional boundaries by a disaffected electorate reflects developments elsewhere in Europe. It makes the task of government extremely difficult as conflicting demands emerge in relation to spending priorities and a need to maintain industrial peace. On one hand, minimal support is being offered in favour of public sector pay increases while, at the same time, the Government is urged to open negotiations on a successor to the Lansdowne Road agreement with public sector unions.
If additional resources become available to Government, the most popular option is to spend it on roads, schools and housing, followed by recruitment of additional gardaí, nurses and teachers. Cutting taxes comes a poor third, with social welfare and public pay increases faring worst. Such a forward-looking, socially aware approach becomes somewhat confused, however, when opinions are canvassed in relation to preservation of the Lansdowne Road Agreement and demands for increases in pay by public service unions.
A majority within Fine Gael favours retention of Lansdowne Road provisions until January 2018. But half of Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin supporters want negotiations to begin soon – Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe has indicated this is likely to happen. While favouring early negotiations, however, the electorate holds strong view on the benefits already secured by public servants.
Regarding the Public Pay Commission, due to report on comparative pay and pensions within the public and private sectors next year, the electorate has definite views. Some 57 per cent of those questioned believed state employees did "a little" or "a lot" better than their private sector colleagues, while 16 per cent maintained their conditions were "a little" or "a lot" worse. Donohoe takes the majority view. He has indicated public service pension entitlements, in particular, will form a key aspect of future negotiations. Retired public servants benefit from productivity and pay arrangements entered into by their successors. This provision should be ended. Most state employees are well paid and have secure pensions. Their good fortune should not, however, come at the cost of inadequately-funded services.