Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Does the Deputy wish to hear me? She keeps harping on about high pay so we should hear what are the reductions. At the height of the last Administration in 2009, a Minister earned €245,325, but after these reductions a Minister will be paid €171,000, or €155,000 before tax and after the pension-related deduction. That percentage decrease for Ministers is 36% and other than the unfortunate people who lost their jobs, there are very few people who have suffered such a decrease. That should be acknowledged.

I know there are some people who believe we should not pay anybody but I was reared in a trade union household and I believe in differentials. A Cabinet Minister should be paid more than somebody who does not have such responsibility, such as an ordinary Deputy, and a principal officer should be paid more than a junior administrator.

Likewise, a hospital consultant should be paid more than a junior hospital doctor. These differentials must be preserved in some manner. I say this so the record will be clear.

Deputy McDonald raised the issue of higher pay and I have dealt with this. It is a movable feast. We have move to a threshold for one unique group of hospital consultants whom Deputy McDonald believes should perhaps earn €150,000. Perhaps she thinks the same about judges, I do not know. Perhaps all that judges should earn is €100,000.

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