McGrath backs pay reductions reversal

FIANNA FÁIL backbencher Mattie McGrath last night backed the Government’s reversal of pay cuts for some 600 high-earning public servants despite previously criticising the decision.

Mr McGrath said he remained unhappy but thought he would be in a stronger position to effect change from within the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party.

He referred to Fine Gael finance spokesman Richard Bruton’s challenge to disgruntled Government TDs to vote with the Opposition during last night’s Dáil discussion of remuneration in the public sector.

“While they’ve offered me a lifejacket . . . I will not take them up on their offer but I will remind them that they might best [have] used that for some people, fellow soldiers, who’ve slipped overboard in recent days.”

Mr McGrath said recent events had shown that the Opposition benches “offer very little scope to make a difference”. He said he was only interested in making life better for his constituents in South Tipperary and he wanted to be in a position to make changes.

“I may not have been successful this time. But my voice has been listened to on other occasions and I’ve no doubt it will be again in the future.”

Mr McGrath said since last week’s Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting he had held a number of meetings with Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan and Government Chief Whip Pat Carey and had received assurances that the Government had no wish to see further reductions in public service pay rates, “especially from the lower paid”.

Fine Gael TD Kieron O’Donnell accused Mr McGrath of performing an “about-turn”.