Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

I return to the Government's housing tsar and the proposal to pay this individual €430,000. Paying somebody a salary of almost €500,000 to take up the responsibilities of the housing Minister is cracked, to tell the God's honest truth. Most people who jobshare take home half a wage. The Government wants this individual to take home almost €500,000. I do not know if the Taoiseach is on a solo run in respect of this matter. His friends in Fine Gael seem to think he is. I raised the issue with him yesterday and asked him to confirm the salary of €430,000. More importantly, I asked him to justify that salary for people who are struggling hard and many of whom cannot afford housing or rent. He failed to do that. Having had the night to sleep on it, I ask the Taoiseach to come to his senses and put a stop to this.

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