Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

I ask the Deputy at least to acknowledge what we have done to date. For the first time we have put in a ceiling of €200,000. The Taoiseach is receiving 30% less in pay than his predecessor. We have reformed the expenses and car transport systems and introduced new pay ceilings across the public service of €200,000 and €250,000.

The pressure will be whether in the commercial semi-State sector we will get people of sufficient calibre to run the very companies we have been asking questions about. They will be important in driving our economic development. In terms of ensuring we have people of the highest calibre and ability working in the public sector, the Government will ensure that arrives.

The Deputy made a valid point on ensuring that everybody is paid a fair wage in this economy. That is why one of the first things we did was to restore the minimum wage, something the Deputy said was impossible. It was achieved in the first couple of months of this Government. As our economy recovers, we will try to ensure everybody has a projection of increased income. I hope we can do that on the basis of fairness to shrink the gap between those earning most and those earning least in our economy.

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