David Norris (Independent)

Perhaps it is a good thing she did not shove the snout in because there are plenty of people around here who, at any available trough, whether it contains water or money, will shove their old snouts in for a good snuffle, hoping there will be dollars in it.

I refer to the former Minister, the former Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, for which he receives a payment of €20,000. We should all be grateful because he did us all a favour, letting the Church off with a couple of hundred million euro and sticking the taxpayer with that amount. We should all be delighted and grateful. I am also grateful for the Minister's clarification of the amount which is €75,000. This is a small amount, a flea bite, according to the Minister.