asked the Minister for Finance whether he intends to grant increases in salaries and wages to offset the increases in the cost of living on civil servants following on the recent Budget, and, if so, what steps the Government propose to take in order to provide the necessary money.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Civil Service Wages and Salaries.
For the reasons given in my Budget statement I trust that the questions raised by the Deputy will not arise.
May I take it from the Minister's reply that, when he does inevitably come to grant these increases, which are certain to be demanded, he will concede the principle of retrospective payments, which he initiated in his Budget statement in respect of the master bakers, to civil servants and other State employees.
That is purely a hypothetical question.
It will not be hypothetical for long.