Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

I do not disagree with the Minister that expectations must be kept in line with realities, that we need to be conscious of competitiveness and that conditionality is vital in any public pay settlement. Against that background, how can he appeal for wage restraint from others when the Government will not apply it to itself? I cite the recent pay increase of 14% to the Taoiseach and similar increases to Ministers. If no demands for performance have been made of senior managers and Ministers, how can the Minister refer to conditionality of the pay settlements of others, reform and better delivery at the front line? Does the recent higher pay settlement repeat all the criticisms that were publicly made in the benchmarking process? There was no transparency in the evidence presented and no taxpayers representative to deal with issues from a taxpayer's point of view and this payment is made without any improved performance from those receiving it.

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