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

There is a very clear division of responsibilities. The role of Cabinet is to approve the appointment of Secretaries General, and that was done in the normal way, as it should be done. When it comes to setting specific salaries, that is a matter under legislation for the relevant Minister, which is myself. Having said that, what the Taoiseach did do was to set out in detail at Cabinet the context within which it was proposed to go with an enhanced salary, an enhanced package, for the position that was being advertised a couple of days later as part of the PAS and TLAC process. He set out that context and he informed Cabinet that there would be an enhanced salary as a result of that.