Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I emphasised in my earlier reply that these are not the allowances the Deputy suggested in his question for obvious reasons. They are payments to secretaries who work.

All areas of expenditure are, of course, kept under review. However, previous incumbents of the office who have utilised the scheme have not done so on the basis of a full-time secretarial assistant every year. The Deputy did not make that point in his contentions. A former incumbent incurred a cost of €1,766 so far this year and €11,000 in a previous year. Another former incumbent incurred a cost of €12,365 this year, €19,000 three years ago and €14,000 in the previous year. In other instances, a full-time, full-year secretarial assistant was clearly utilised. That could be said in respect of all the incumbents and a reduction in the costs are also clear as time goes on.

Former taoisigh can be assisted in a cost-effective way. They have a role to play in society and we should provide support where it is required and accord dignity to the office. It is not a question of providing benefits to former incumbents; it is about the office and what it represents.

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