Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy will be aware, although he did not acknowledge it in the question he put to me, that yesterday the Cabinet made the decision that office holders would forfeit the wage restoration that is due under the lifetime of the Lansdowne Road agreement. That decision by this Government, reaffirming the decision of the last Government, was made precisely in recognition of the challenges our country still faces. We acknowledge that the country is recovering but we have always been clear that it is not yet a recovered country. For that reason, anybody who is privileged to be a member of the Government is deeply aware of the challenges that members of the public services and beyond still face. We made the decision, and it was the right decision, to forfeit that phase of wage restoration. I am being very clear about the Government's policy on politicians' pay. I ask the Deputy to clarify Sinn Féin's policy on this matter. For a period of time I heard the party say that politicians should only be paid the average industrial wage. Will the Deputy clarify if that is still the case and, if it is, what is the amount of money?

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