Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The turnout this evening is something of a disappointment. Where are the Government and Fianna Fáil Deputies this evening? Are they hiding? Are they hiding in their offices, are they sitting at home with their feet up watching this or are they hiding in the Dáil bar laughing and joking about this? Why do they not have the courage of their convictions to come in here and stand up and say why they feel they have a right to reward themselves a pay rise of €5,400 on top of a salary of €87,000? Why are they not here to stand up and defend what it is that makes them so special above everybody else? We all know that Ireland is experiencing a two-tier recovery but this measure compounds the wealth divide even further. In last month's budget, we saw Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil slapping each other's backs congratulating each other on throwing pensioners €5. Sure it was the best you could do, lads. Public servants who earn under €60,000 will get a pay rise of €1,000 over the next two years. Meanwhile, Deputies feel entitled to pocket and pilfer €5,400 over two years on top of a salary of €87,000. I would tell those who are here and others who are absent to go back to their constituents - the workers who earn the minimum wage, the workers who are on zero-hours contracts, the newly qualified teachers, the nurses, the gardaí and the people who are hounding job centres day in and day out looking for work but who cannot get it - and tell them what it is that makes them feel so special and above everybody else that they deserve a salary of €92,000. Have they become so aloof and detached from any semblance of fairness and equality? Have they got to the stage that they actually think this is fair or just? New politics, my backside. It is the same old, same old.

In any other country, this type of greed would be seen as a scandal and rightly so. In Ireland, it is just more of the same. We have got used to the self-serving greed of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. There is only one Fianna Fáil Member here out of 50. I ask him to do the right thing and try to show the people that Fianna Fáil is no longer up to its neck in self-serving greed and sleveen politics and to back this motion.

The issue we are discussing is whether Deputies should be paid a salary of €92,000 or to continue with the €87,000 salary we are currently being paid. I have two questions for any Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil Deputy who intends to vote in favour of this pay rise and a salary of €92,000. Is €87,000 not enough for them? What makes them think they need an extra €5,400? It would be interesting to hear Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Members stand up tonight and answer those questions. We all know the country is struggling. The recovery is happening, but very few are experiencing it. The vast majority of people in the State have seen no real benefit from recovery. It would be a welcome act of solidarity for this Oireachtas as a whole to decide-----

See this speech in context