Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On the Ministers of State at the Cabinet table, the legislative changes will result in no additional cost to the taxpayer. The three Ministers have issued a statement to that effect. They will be taking a 10% cut in addition to not availing of the additional amount that was voted through in the legislation last week. In respect of my own situation, I will be gifting back to the State close to €25,000 over the 12 months. That includes a 2% pay increase for public servants in the autumn, which I will not accept and I will gift that back. It has been the policy of outgoing Ministers to gift back any additional increases that would have accrued to Ministers in the ordinary course of events, in accordance with the financial emergency measures in the public interest, FEMPI, provisions. That is the position.

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