John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

No one in this Chamber this evening deserves a pay rise of any description. Let us be clear about that. While the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and some Ministers have stated that they will not take their respective increases, they have not stated the same in respect of the increase of more than €5,000 for Deputies. The increase should not be taken by any Deputy. It is outrageous that those on the average wage in the public sector, earning €30,000 to €40,000 annually, are to get pay restoration of €1,000 while Deputies are expecting to take more than €100 a week. We can then compare it with the unemployed young people in this State who are expected to live on a weekly payment of €102.70, an increase of €2.70 in this budget.

I wish to clarify the details concerning the pay of Sinn Féin Deputies. All Sinn Féin Deputies draw down the full salary and take the average industrial wage out of it. The rest goes into constituency services. We make no apology for using that money to provide a first class service for our constituents throughout the State. Our job is to serve them and we make no apologies for it. It is also worth noting that this money is also used to employ additional staff in our offices, which saves the State money by taking them off the live register. Any change in our pay situation is a matter for Sinn Féin Deputies. It will not pose any additional cost to the State.

Tonight's motion is about whether Deputies should get an increase in salary, which will be an additional cost to the State at a time of significant industrial unrest in the public sector. The Government just about managed to avoid an all out strike of the gardaí last week. This evening, the ASTI has called off its industrial action, but that issue is not yet resolved. It needs to be resolved and the Government's sole focus should be on it. It is time for all Deputies to show real leadership and to forgo this pay increase. I call on Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the Labour Party and Independent Deputies to support this Sinn Féin motion and to oppose the gravy train and the additional €5,400 on top of what is an already huge salary.

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