Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is open to every party to use its Private Member's time in whatever way it wishes, but it is disappointing that Sinn Féin is seeking to politicise Deputies pay and the implementation of the Lansdowne Road agreement itself. The same Deputies take every cent of pay, expenses and allowances available to fund their political activity. Sinn Féin elected representatives take pay, expenses and allowances from four different parliaments, namely, the Oireachtas, Stormont, Westminster where they do not turn up for work and the European Parliament.

More than a decade ago the review body on higher remuneration in the public sector recommended that the salary of a Deputy be linked to the maximum point on the principal officer's scale. This removed Deputies' pay from the remit of votes in the Dáil where Deputies were expected to vote for or against pay increases for themselves. This practice was rightly found to be unacceptable and was rightly changed. Deputies' pay should never be decided by votes in the House but rather by an independent process.

The report of the review body on higher remuneration in the public sector, which benchmarked the duties and responsibilities of a Deputy to that of a principal officer in the Civil Service was very reasonable and balanced. Under FEMPI legislation and the Haddington Road agreement, Deputies' pay was rightly cut during the financial crisis. From a peak of more than €100,000 per annum, Deputies' pay was reduced by €13,000. The salary is now subject to the 4% class K PRSI contribution and the pension levy where it previously was not.

The allowances paid to Deputies were also rightly reduced and are now much more transparent. I am not denying it is still a well-paid job, but this type of populist motion about politicians' pay will not resolve the industrial relations disputes under way in the State. The Labour Party has called for the Government to open discussions on a successor to the Lansdowne Road agreement. We have also called for the re-establishment of an employer-labour conference to act to ensure disputes between employers and trade unions do not become a full-blown crisis.

The House would be much better served debating practical solutions to the issues of the day which we now face in industrial relations rather than wasting time on symbolic gestures such as this motion. The Labour Party continues to support the principle that politicians should no longer decide their own pay and that it should continue to be linked to the salary of a principal officer in the Civil Service. Is there truly an argument for principal officers in the Civil Service not to have pay restoration under the Lansdowne Road agreement? If not, and I have not heard one, I do not see the argument or logic for Deputies doing so.

We considered not contributing to this time waster of a motion this evening so this is as much as we are willing to contribute on the debate. We have made our point clear and that is the reality of it.

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