Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thought I had set out my position very clearly, but I will rehearse it for the Minister because clearly he has misunderstood what I am saying. I am taking him on his word about the orderly unwinding of the FEMPI legislation. It was all about those earning under €65,000. He is on record countless times as saying this is what it is all about. The legislation is introduced and we discover that for those earning under €65,000, income will be partially restored, while for those on incomes over €65,000 and €110,000, it will be fully restored, in two steps in the first instance and three in the case of those on incomes over €110,000. I could not have been more clear in saying this to the Minister. The portions of income that will be fully restored are for those on high incomes, not those on incomes under €65,000. That is my problem with the legislation. I was taking the Minister on his word that the focus would be on workers on incomes under €65,000. That was the palaver at the time the Lansdowne Road agreement was implemented. It is only when one looks at the legislation and the Lansdowne Road and Haddington Road agreements that one sees the full dynamic picture of what is happening in respect of public pay. I have told the Minister that this is the wrong way to go about it. I have not made the argument that no one should earn one cent above €65,000; therefore, the Minister should not put those words in my mouth.

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