Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

I support Senator Terry and other Senators who called for action regarding the pay of people who were recruited in recent times to serve us in this House. No other group in the country has had to endure a reduced salary. The Department of Finance, in all new appointments made during the lifetime of this Seanad, offered the people who were recruited a reduced salary. It reflects badly on us as elected Members to stand idly by and allow that to continue. It is of the greatest importance that the Leader remonstrates with the Minister for Finance and the Department of Finance officials who brought this inequity into the payments system for staff of the House. It is an insult to them. As I have said before, I do not know what keeps them here. They come into the city centre and work side by side with colleagues at a lower remuneration. That would not happen in any other industry, never mind the profession in which they serve us as Members. I implore the Leader to take a stand on this issue to achieve equity for those people who are doing work for us.