Dáil debates

Thursday, 23 June 2022

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions

 

12:20 pm

Photo of Paul MurphyPaul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

When is a pay increase not a pay increase? Is it when a person is on over €150,000 a year? The Secretaries General of the Departments led by Ministers took home €210,000 each last year. Over the next 12 months, they will take home €250,000 each. In anybody's money, that is a pretty significant pay increase year on year.

In the context of the points relating to hospitals, the truth is if we want to attract and retain health professionals, we need to have pay equality in the health service. We should not overwork staff in the overly pressurised environment of our currently underfunded health service. We need to tackle the housing crisis and get people to come work in a national health service. That is the answer and what the studies show. People do not need to be on €250,000 a year to do a job in our health service. People will want to work in our health service if they feel they can contribute to a real public service.

The Government is moving immediately to increase the pay of the highest earners and saying to ordinary people that they have to wait. They cannot wait. Thousands of people were out on the streets last Saturday and tens of thousands of people will come out if the Government does not move now in respect of pay increases for ordinary workers and price controls to stop the cost of living and housing crises.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.