TAOISEACH Brian Cowen again warned that public servants would not advance their concerns through industrial action, as Opposition TDs complained they could not get replies to parliamentary questions.

“Any industrial action, whatever form it takes, is regrettable, in particular if it has any impact on service delivery to the public.’’

Mr Cowen said the public service management would do everything possible to minimise any such impact.“The work-to-rule situation means practices are in place which are affecting the role of public representatives, and this has been a targeted initiative by those in the current industrial relations situation. We have to try to find a way forward generally to find a basis for engagement, and we will work towards that.’’

Tom Sheahan (FG) said for a number of weeks, he, like other members, had been putting down parliamentary questions and receiving the one-line answer that the question could not be answered within the time given.

“It suits the Government not to answer parliamentary questions to members. I am frustrated that the answer I got to questions I asked weeks ago was that the department had not sufficient time to answer them.’’

Emmet Stagg (Labour) said they were talking about “basic bread money’’, and not about luxuries or TDs being inconvenienced.

“We are talking about poor people who cannot get the most basic low payment to put bread and sausages on the table, because they will not buy any more than that with it. They are going to the Society of St Vincent de Paul, which is running out of money.’’

Mr Stagg said whatever action the Government needed to take in talks with the unions, that part of it should be solved quickly.