Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

I wish to ask the Taoiseach about reports which emerged this morning regarding the entitlement of county managers of local authorities to payments of €74,000 on retirement. I understand these payments come from the same severance under which the Government gifted €713,000 to Mr. Dermot McCarthy. I do not need to inform the Taoiseach that the people are suffering real hardship, not just in respect of the outworking of the policies of the previous Administration but also at the hands of his Government. I want him to give a guarantee to the people and this House that he will end the practice of making these outrageous payments. I also want him to explain to the House how it is that an outgoing Secretary General has walked away with such a bonanza and how it might be that, on his watch, managers in local authorities are set to do likewise.

The Taoiseach is aware of the position with regard to the unemployment figures. He is also aware that certain children have returned to school without being able to secure the services of special needs assistants and that there are people on hospital trolleys. However, his Administration, which was supposed to be about change and a new beginning, is standing over the outrage to which I refer. Will the Taoiseach explain how it is that Mr. McCarthy walked away with that cash and how it is that he proposes to reward the managers of local authorities in a similar fashion under the same scheme?

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