Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I do not think that anyone is suggesting that anyone else is not doing a good job but on the best day of any job, one would not even dream of an €81,000 pay increase. It is absolutely laughable while, at the same time, one wonders what is going on. There are plenty of people doing excellent jobs on a salary of €20,000-plus or, if they are lucky, €30,000-plus. Let us not suggest that anyone is saying that another person is not doing a good job but it is outrageous when we are talking about wages of €292,000 or €300,000.

The Deputy spoke earlier about international talent, as he did when he was before the committee. He has said that there was a good, open competition process, and nobody is suggesting there was not. The point of the matter is that there was an increase of €81,000 when we now see that somebody already employed by the State is perfectly capable of doing the job and has accepted the role. Why was the increase of €81,000 needed?

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