Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

The Taoiseach's claim that the top paid civil servants have experienced a progressive reduction in comparison to lower earners does not hold up. We all know that, after the announcement, the scrapped bonus payments were factored into the calculation, resulting in a reduction in the order of 3% at the higher level as against 5% for low to middle income earners. The Taoiseach has been made aware of those facts not only by the Opposition benches, but also by backbenchers in his own party, who, I understand, raised this particularly vexed issue on numerous occasions.

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