Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I welcome the Bill and also the comments of the Fine Gael spokesperson on finance, with nearly all of which I agree. This legislation is of particular interest to me, as one who worked in the Houses of the Oireachtas intermittently, mainly when in Opposition, over the past 20 years. Even if I was paid from the famous leader's allowance, I would like to believe I was a necessity, rather than a luxury.

This Bill gives the staff of the Oireachtas the status of a Government Department. In my view, the perceived status to date has been somewhat ambiguous or in limbo. People may have been unclear as to whether they were the equivalent of a Department or some subordinate part of the public service. The Bill puts them on a par with Government Departments. I believe that is to the benefit of those who work here, in that their professional status is absolutely clear vis-à-vis other Departments.

Some members of the staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas, parliamentary staff, may aspire to – and actually achieve – membership of one House or the other. Indeed, one of our most famous patriots, Erskine Childers Senior, was a clerk of the House of Commons for a period. In this regard, I support the views of others, notably the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, Deputy Roche, that there should be a portrait of Mr. Childers in Leinster House, because of his contribution to Irish independence. However, I would not necessarily hang the portrait quite next door to that of Arthur Griffith.

As a Member of this House, given where I have come from, I have had some difficulty in becoming accustomed to the degree of support, assistance and even deference we receive from a very helpful staff of the Houses. I believe we owe a similar deference to the staff of the Houses in return, as all of us are working in the same direction. I very much endorse Senator Higgins's comments on the need for further improvements in staffing arrangements and, like him, I acknowledge the steady improvements made over the years, especially the significant difference which the Minister for Finance, Deputy McCreevy, has brought about.

This has been an ongoing process over the past 20 years or more, on a cross-party basis. Deputy John Bruton made important improvements and reforms in the Houses, as one of his achievements as Leader of the other House in the 1980s. The former Taoiseach, Mr. Charles Haughey, also made improvements in conditions in the Houses. Following one of the famous leadership heaves in Fianna Fáil, a Fine Gael Deputy told me he was glad Mr. Haughey had survived, having regard to his work in improving conditions for Members in the Houses. We are steadily modernising and improving the situation in the Houses.