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

This link between Deputies and principal officers has been maintained over the years, meaning that people in this House do not determine what they are paid. That is the right principle to ensure that other interests do not compete in allowing Deputies and Senators to determine their salaries. In response to a claim Deputy Cullinane made in his opening statement, if Deputy Adams feels so strongly about this, he should return his salary to the taxpayer and do what any officeholder has done. We have returned, as we should, our element of pay restoration back to the Exchequer because that is the right thing to do.

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