We need a public service we can all be proud of

THE decision by the Arbitration Board to maintain the status quo with regard to privilege days in the civil service has been described as incredulous by some quarters and disappointing by others.

Discontent and disruption amongst the civil service would have ensued, had the ruling gone the other way. The origins of these privilege days from the days of British Rule to mark Empire Day and the King’s Birthday have been used to discredit those who work in the civil service. This is clearly unjust, unfair and inaccurate. These privilege days, regardless of their name, have been used and accounted for in the wider annual leave allocation.

It was a cynical exercise to use two days, whose origins might be considered sensitive to some, to launch an attack on those who work within the civil service — amongst whom are the same people who warned Bertie Ahern and his successive cabinets of the dangers of pursuing their disastrous pro-cyclical strategy of reduced taxation and increased expenditure. If our public service is considered to be inefficient and wasteful, then a broader negotiated settlement needs to be worked out between the public service unions and the government. Only a fair, just and balance negotiated settlement, with which both sides can live, will provide a platform to create a public service of which we can all be truly proud.