Noel Treacy (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

I am pleased to have the opportunity to participate in this debate. I do so in the interests of democracy and of the Constitution. I regard this situation and this debate as being highly hypocritical. The position pertaining to ministerial pensions is clear. Six decades ago, Members' predecessors in this House introduced a ministerial pension regime to ensure that of those who held ministerial office would be available to serve the people in subsequent elections. They could go before the people in subsequent elections following their transformation from being Ministers, with the consequential drop in salary, to being humble backbenchers. They would be available for re-election on that basis. This measure was introduced to ensure the expertise and experience garnered in this House would continue to be available to this House.

I first was elected to this House 28 years ago and have fought ten elections since then. On entering this House, I was proud to serve on a committee of public expenditure with some of the most outstanding former Ministers from all parties who had served this country over the years. The committee's members worked together and took some powerful decisions in the interests of the country and of public expenditure and made a huge politically consensual contribution towards ensuring value for money for this country.

I regret that Members have allowed a situation to evolve that I would describe as being the politics of envy and the politics of hypocrisy. It is ironic that Fine Gael would table this motion and I note it has been supported by the Labour Party in its efforts of late. Deputy Kenny spoke to me last Tuesday week in this House and said he felt this whole pensions situation was really draconian and that it would drive politicians out of this House because there would be no incentive to remain. Perhaps a covert effort is under way, through tabling this motion, wherein the Opposition believes that by forcing this issue and forcing the hands of people, it might drive them out of this House so that it would not face competition in the next election from experienced people, be they current or former Ministers.

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