Caretaker government seems surprised that wage demands are coming forward

Having talked up the economic recovery, how can the caretaker government be surprised that wage demands, such as by Luas drivers, are coming forward? asks Seán D Barrett

The facts are clear: The recovery is something most people know from the media and statistical reports but not in their wallets or homeplaces. The posters said ‘Let’s keep the recovery going’ and is it any wonder people want their slice of the recovery? Now, though, having so ardently sold this story to the public, the caretaker government seems surprised that unjustifiable wage demands are coming forward.

While Dublin has experienced a recovery, mostly driven by the multinational sector, the rest of the country still languishes in extremely low growth. The problem for most people is that price levels, though collectively flat- lining, have increased in some crucial areas. This has placed pressures on households above and beyond that of the national recovery programme’s tax increases and wage cuts.