Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

The view adopted by this report makes sense. Previous benchmarking in this regard was deficient. To be seen ultimately as fair these arrangements will have to be applied across the board. For that reason, I believe the decision, for example, of hospital consultants to agree a 15% reduction, must be acknowledged as an important step. While it is not among the grades examined by the review body, it is important that their pay be assessed on the same basis as that of other groups on comparative salaries.

I want now to turn to two other specific areas of public service pay, one of which is the Judiciary. I would have thought that the Judiciary more than any other group would have appreciated that there must be equity and fairness in matters, including in their pay. To their credit the Chief Justice and Presidents of the courts have urged all judges to pay the pension levy. The Minister has said that he will make provision in the Finance Bill to facilitate these payments. However, there needs to be a greater adjustment than this. Our Constitution rightly precludes-----

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