Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)

The Tánaiste and Minister for Finance said: "Pay settlements must reflect the economic fundamentals". However, under the report of the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector, the Tánaiste is getting an increase of €36,500, which is higher than the average industrial wage. The Taoiseach, who now gets €310,000, has the highest salary of any leader in the democratic world. He got an increase in excess of €38,000, making his salary almost ten times the average industrial wage. Does the Tánaiste believe it is correct for him and the Taoiseach to tell workers to accept pay restraints while they take exorbitant increases that are not performance related?

The terms of reference of the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector state that it should take account of the state of the public finances. It also refers to performance-related increases. The Government discounted the performance-related increases but took them. The increases were merely recommended and the Government did not need to take them on board. Governments are elected by the people to represent the people. In a recent opinion poll, 81% of people stated Ministers were wrong to accept pay increases. Does the Tánaiste believe it was correct to take the increases when the Government is asking others to exercise pay restraint?

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