Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

I want to raise the issue of the payment to a former Secretary General to the Government. Such a payment is wrong in the current economic climate. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has given us the line of the day: we must live within our means. I accept this is a legacy issue but to the people, our fellow parliamentarians and other commentators, it is an issue of gargantuan concern that, in a recession, somebody can walk away with a lump sum that is multiples of his or her income, during which time the rest of the country is trying to live within its means.

I do not mean to personalise the issue and am not on a witch-hunt but I want to see fairness and balance. Our fellow citizens want the same. We are told unemployment, a reduction in services and increases in indirect taxation are coming on foot of the next budget. The people want fairness. The giving of largesse to a small coterie of people must be stopped and cannot be allowed to continue.

I appreciate that the Minister will embark on a project of reform and I commend him on this. We will support him in this regard. The people are sickened by what they regard as largesse being given to a small chosen few. To add insult to injury, they see potential for persons in retirement being considered for or asked to take a further job. This is according to the commentary of others, not the Government. This must not be allowed to continue either.

The Government, which has done a great job since entering office, has begun a process of reform and this must continue. We must end the practice of giving excessive largesse to those on the top end of the scale who are retiring, including ourselves. I am not talking about the ordinary people but those at the top.

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