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

Nobody with an ounce of common sense could claim fairness for a scenario where pensioners, older citizens and carers who save the State a fortune are meant to be thankful for being given an extra fiver a week, while, at the same time, those who hold the highest office in the land are in line for a bonanza in a pay increase. I hear the Minister's response that Ministers are voluntarily forgoing the rise, but that is not what I asked him. I told him - I put it to him again - that the Government had to put a definitive stop to all of the proposed pay increases. That is fair and the decent thing to do and is, I think, what is expected of us, as political leaders. That includes that the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, Ministers, every Deputy and every Senator. I again ask the Minister to tell us if the Government will put a definitive stop to the increase, not provide for a voluntary pause. If it fails to do this, I want him to be aware that we will act to ensure the increases are stopped by way of an amendment, whether it be to the Finance Bill or enabling legislation.

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