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

I will, of course, comment. As always, I greatly appreciate the honesty and frankness of the Chairman. He has made his views known on the issue quite consistently in recent times. However, as a Minister answering questions such as those being put to me, I have to set out the legal position and I cannot go beyond that. The truth is that when it comes to the gifting of a salary, it is anchored in taxation legislation. Every person is an individual taxpayer and has a right to privacy, so it is not for me to declare, even if I had the information, which I do not, when any individual started gifting or stopped gifting. I simply do not have that information and I am not actually entitled to it. I have to present the facts whether we like them or not. I do not always like the facts either but I cannot change them nonetheless.

The Building Momentum agreement involves three single 1% increases. The most recent increase on 1 February was structured around a sectoral bargaining process. There are several sectoral bargaining units that are still involved in a negotiation and may well not use that allocation of funding for a flat 1% increase. They may use it to resolve what they regard as outstanding issues. I expect several of those will come to a conclusion in the coming weeks and some of them will result in the resolution of issues that have been knocking around for quite a long time. That will be welcome. As regards the Civil Service, the sectoral bargaining units that were established have opted for the flat 1% increase under Building Momentum.

To correct the record because I do not wish to give the wrong impression, I think I misquoted at least one figure in the context of some of the recommendations made by the higher remuneration review body in the past. It recommended salaries of up to €318,000 for Secretaries General, €310,000 for the Taoiseach, €270,000 for the Tánaiste, €240,000 for Ministers and up to €270,000 for the heads of various colleges and universities. These recommendations were made back in 2007. I make those points by way of context. We have to think very carefully about the next steps. I am clear what the next step should be from my perspective and that is to have this independent panel, removed from the Department, have a fresh look at this area and make recommendations to me. I will be happy to engage with the committee again on the matter. I will be bringing recommendations to the Government in due course.