Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I see no rationale in the Tánaiste rejecting this simple, straightforward request because there is a culture of privilege and it is continuing on the Tánaiste's watch. We must be alert to the fact that this could go beyond the CRC. If I understood the Tánaiste correctly, he said the CRC is in breach of Government pay policy. However, the Government is in breach of Government pay policy and that creates a difficulty.

People are most charitable. I agree entirely with the Tánaiste’s commendation of those who give to charities but nobody who gives money for equipment to help a child or elderly person or for research into the ailments that affect sick citizens want it to be used to top up already extravagant salaries. In 2011 the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, a member of the Labour Party, cleared the payment by the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, a Fine Gael Minister, of a salary of €195,000 to the then acting chief executive of St. Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin to take over HSE hospitals in the west.

See this speech in context