Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

Generally speaking, bonuses would not apply to public servants. What reward did most of the civil servants get who took part in the recent EU Presidency other than warm thanks and congratulations from the Taoiseach, his Ministers and the rest of us? I do not accept that special monetary bonuses should be used to pick out particular people. When I was in public service I did not like the fact that the occasional person would start comparing himself or herself to a chief executive in a private company. They were generally very senior people who claimed that they were not paid enough. If people want to be paid dollops of money, they should not enter the public service. It has its own ethic and ethos and I do not have a problem with it.