Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

A couple of inaccurate statements have been made by Deputy Bruton which I wish to clarify. He failed to point out that the increases from the higher remuneration body are being paid in three phases. Five per cent is being paid back to the date of the report's presentation in September. It is not a question of a payment of €16 million coming out of this year's Estimate at all, as the Deputy should know if he had read——

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