Martin Mansergh (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)

My apologies, amendment No. 9 is water under the bridge. However, I still want to deal with the point. It is intended that the total remuneration of the office holders in table 1 would attract the reduction specified for them. For example, the salary of the Taoiseach or a Minister as a Deputy, his or her ministerial allowance and so forth combined will undergo a total reduction of 20%. It is because a ministerial salary is paid in parts that the table refers to remuneration rather than salary. As it stands, the Bill achieves the aim.

My own salary as a Minister of State was amended in the Dáil and the deduction was raised from 8% to 10%. For administrative purposes, 8% will be deducted from my salary as a Deputy, but the missing 2% will be added on to the 10% deduction from my ministerial salary. I am not talking about 2% of my ministerial salary, but 2% of my salary as a Deputy. A 10% reduction of the total salary as Minister of State and Deputy combined will then be achieved.