Annette, if, if this is just dancing around the head of a pin, uh, or dancing around the issues, um, is there a value in just calling off the strikes and just going into talks?

Um, yeah, Ciaran, I think we'd love to say that, but the reality is we have been forced to take industrial and strike action bec- because the government said it to agree a new public service pay agreement with us.

The government haven't paid the one percent local bargaining due since September 2025.

That's the stark reality of it.

The public sector workers have seen value on their earnings reduced over the last few years, and that's due to high inflation.

The government's, the government's positioned, the one point two billion is not sufficient.

It's, it's still not meeting.

They found three quarters of a billion quid for fuel protesters earlier this year, so they can find more money, but they, you can't really expect them to tell you in advance how much is there.