Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Acting Chairman for allowing me participate in today's meeting. We have had a tremendous exchange between the people who have given evidence, which is rather interesting. There has been great dialogue and clarification with regard to issues.

In regard to equal pay, I would say to Ms Joanne Irwin that Senators Lynn Ruane, Maria Byrne and Robbie Gallagher were elected two years ago. I was elected 16 years ago and they are getting equal pay. That is the standard we have here. Deputies who were elected two years ago are getting the same pay as Deputies, like the former Taoiseach and others, who have been here for a very long time. We set a standard here to which we should adhere. I am sure my colleagues here would be very disappointed if they were getting €5,000 or €6,000 less than what I am getting, yet I am participating in this meeting. I want to make that point.

I have knowledge of the training and recruitment work of Dr. Seán Rowland, president of Hibernia College, who is accompanied by Denis Cummins, the academic dean of Hibernia College, which has trained more than 10,000 teachers without any subsidy, to my knowledge.