Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

The Taoiseach has referred a couple of times to comparisons with the private sector to justify the pay increase which he has given himself. These private sector comparisons are understandable when one is considering, for example, the salaries of chief executives of State companies, which may be comparable to private sector wages. Similarly, salaries among the Judiciary may be compared with earnings in the legal profession. Can the Taoiseach tell the House what private sector comparison he is relying on to justify his own pay increase? I am not aware that there are comparisons that can be made with the private sector in respect of political offices.

Since I asked specifically about the Dublin Bus dispute, can the Taoiseach tell us whether there are plans to ask the Labour Court, the Labour Relations Commission or any of the industrial relations bodies established under the social partnership arrangement to intervene in that dispute and bring about a settlement?

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