Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)

I support the amendment and wish to raise a related matter, the allowance for a personal assistant to which each Member of the House is entitled. Can the Minister for Finance clarify how this allowance applies to Ministers and Ministers of State who already have an extraordinarily generous allocation of officials from their Departments to assist them in their constituency and ministerial duties? Parliamentary assistants are invaluable to all Members of the House but I understand that Ministers and Ministers of State receive this allowance directly. Can the Minister clarify whether this is the case?

The general perception is that we are all on the gravy train but, in the context of what is coming down the track in terms of public finances, this House should lead by example. In this respect, additional scrutiny should be applied to the ministerial salary cut made recently. Much spin was placed on that measure but I understand that, unlike the cutbacks relating to allowances that are being agreed for all Members of the House, the ministerial salary reduction will not impact on future pension entitlements. If cutbacks to allowances payable in increments to Members will be applied in future, why are ministerial salaries not seeing this reduction? Ministerial pension entitlements should decline accordingly.

It appears there is a golden circle in the House and it consists of Ministers and Ministers of State who enjoy a far more privileged position than ordinary Members. When Members' expenses are published Ministers and Ministers of State strut around and make much ado about the fact that they do not draw expenses. However, we hear nothing of how their parliamentary assistant allowance is paid. Their pension arrangements are more generous, and are safer in the current economic climate, than those of ordinary Members. Ministers and Ministers of State have credit card allowances, walking about allowances and a range of other benefits to which ordinary Members of this House are not entitled. Having said that, ordinary Members of this House are not looking for such benefits as they willingly acknowledge the difficult circumstances we are in and are prepared to lead by example. I see cynicism at the root of the attitudes of Ministers and Ministers of State to these proposals.

See this speech in context