Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

In the Taoiseach's response he indicated that former taoisigh are entitled to the service of two secretarial assistants for five years following the completion of their terms of office as Taoiseach and also to have one secretarial assistant thereafter for whatever length of time for their lifetime. Is it the case that if they also continue to be serving Members of the Dáil - each of us as Members of the Dáil is entitled to the services of a parliamentary assistant and a secretarial assistant - that they are also entitled to the further services of two additional secretarial assistants, as the Taoiseach's reply suggests? Will the Taoiseach clarify the situation?

Will the Taoiseach accept that the recent reply to the parliamentary question I submitted to him has caused considerable interest? My read of the situation is that people are aghast that former taoisigh, irrespective of whether they are actually serving Members of a current or future Dáil or have retired from the post, would be entitled to two secretarial assistants for a full five years and one thereafter indefinitely. Does the Taoiseach not think that this scheme, which was introduced by the former Taoiseach in 2001, is wasteful and beyond the acceptance of people? It did not have merit in 2001 but in the current economic times when serious downturns are affecting everyone's circumstances, what justification does the Taoiseach believe there is for the scheme continuing, given that what is involved is not small change?

Is the Taoiseach aware that last year alone the former Taoiseach, who happens to be a current Member of this Dáil, secured------

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