Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Higgins for her questions. We certainly want to raise the floor. That is very important and it is why the new public service pay deal is structured in the way that it is following the agreement we reached with the trade unions. It remains to be seen what the outcome of that agreement will be in the coming weeks. I certainly share that objective. We want to make sure the salary is not a barrier to getting the very best people to apply. I hope the Senator is right that we will have people applying who are motivated by public service, as all of us are, and want to give to their country or people from abroad who see this as an opportunity to influence public health policy in Ireland in a positive way. That remains to be seen. The context of efforts to fill other leadership positions is a reality. It might not be an entirely comfortable one but it is a reality that we have to make our decisions alongside. I have no indication that there will be knock-on demands. There may well be. I am not naive but certainly in the position I hold as Minister I have no intention of the particular salary for this post being used as a ground for acquiescing to knock-on claims. I am not of that frame of mind, nor do I see a justification for it.