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

To be honest, I am not sure. Robert Watt certainly would have known that there was a willingness to go beyond the standard terms but I would not have engaged directly in respect of the specific salary for the reasons I have outlined, namely, that it would be for the assistant secretary in terms of pay and Martin Fraser in the Department of the Taoiseach. I did my bit but I think that was a better way to do things given the backdrop. I am not quite sure what was intended by that reference but, as the Chairman can see, the actual decision was made on 23 December and conveyed to the Top Level Appointments Committee. The booklet was updated and I formally approved the e-submission on 30 December.