Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To reply to Deputy Ó Snodaigh, it is a matter for the pay commission and I cannot speculate on when it will complete its work. The Government will give due consideration to the recommendations of the report when it is completed. What I said on the record in May last year was that I wanted the pay commission to receive all of the material. Unfortunately, there was a huge amount of back and forth between the pay commission and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and between the Department of Defence and military management. We wanted to be able to make sure we provided all the data it requested. This is something of which we were very conscious and we did provide it. It is one of the reasons I was very willing for the Department and military management to have an opportunity to have face time with the pay commission so they were able to put forward their side in person. It is very important to do so. It is now a matter for the pay commission. I hope to see this as soon as possible but it is an independent pay commission.

To address Deputy Murphy's question, I have no sense of shame. I am waiting for the pay commission to report. It is easy for Deputy Murphy to be on the Opposition side of the House and be able to shout off the sidelines. He is the same person who came in here and said 50% or 60% of members of the Defence Forces were on family income supplement, which was untrue and false.

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