Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

On 23 December, the Minister for Finance indicated he would introduce a measure under which senior public servants would not pay the levy applied to every other public servant. He decided that bonus payments, supposed to be for exceptional achievement, were effectively a part of standard pay. When will this motion be presented to the House? I have not yet seen it on the Order Paper. Will the Minister provide an opportunity for the House to debate it? There is substantial concern about this measure and substantial opposition because it is believed it is unfair to ask people on the lowest pay within the public service to pay their full due, but those up in high posts have slipped out of that position. When will the Minister make time for this?

While I am on my feet I refer to the issues of debt collection and people getting into difficulties with loans. Emergency legislation was introduced to try to deal with the banking situation. Where is the same urgency to update our bankruptcy laws, to regulate debt collectors and to provide a framework in which people can be treated fairly by those pursuing debts? Will we see legislative proposals from the Government, on foot of the group the Minister has stated he intends to establish, to protect consumers at a time of remarkable vulnerability for many families?

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