Cowen insists pay deal will not be re-negotiated

PUBLIC servants who think rejecting the Croke Park pay deal will lead to a re-negotiation are “just wrong” the Taoiseach said, insisting it is the only option on the table.

“The position won’t change on either side. Government will still be faced with the same budgetary constraints,” Brian Cowen said in a speech to party members in Cork last night.

As 300,000 public sector workers decide whether to vote for or against the deal in ballots over the next six weeks, Mr Cowen called on those who are against it to “spell out” their alternatives.

He said: “It’s hard to believe that people want full-scale industrial action if the deal is rejected. And it is just wrong for people to believe that a rejected deal can simply be renegotiated in the summer or autumn.”

Earlier, Mr Cowen said he “regrets everyday” when he looks back at decisions that were made, and apologised to people who have lost jobs and the standard of living enjoyed during the boom.

Mr Cowen said he took “full responsibility” for all his ministerial roles, but that the Government had been pursing policies in different times.

Now that we are in recession, he said, the Government was taking steps necessary to “get Ireland back in the game”.

“What people want now is for the Government to come up with decisions to get the show back on the road and that’s what we are doing,” he said.

Defending his Government’s performance, he said there were a “whole range” of factors why we are where we are.

He admitted the Government had to be accountable for decisions but said what people wanted was to know where Ireland is going now.

The Taoiseach was in Cork yesterday to announce the creation of 160 new jobs by VoxPro, which specialises in customer service, technical support and telemarketing for client companies globally.

The news came just a week after another Cork company, Abtran, announced 300 jobs.

Mr Cowen said Cork companies were working hard to create new jobs and bucking the national trend.

“This shows that there are businesses out there working hard and shows what can be done with good capable people at the helm — people with talent and determination to succeed,” he said.

The Taoiseach said the job creation showed Ireland was “open for business”.

He said the Government would continue to promote business abroad through agencies such as Enterprise Ireland.

Mr Cowen played down fears over the potential loss of 5,500 jobs in Quinn Insurance, to which administrators have been appointed, saying it was hoped the company could “go forward in a viable way.”

Speaking on the deal with religious orders, the Taoiseach said he wanted to work with congregations to see what further contributions can be made.

The Taoiseach said he was not personally aware of concerns over Cork-based charity Right of Place.

The organisation has been under scrutiny since late last year after the HSE ordered that it urgently answer questions in relation to how it was spending its money.

Mr Cowen said any issues that were raised will be taken up and reviewed in due course.