Alex White (Labour)

The Minister of State keeps saying things that do not answer the point I am making. If table 1 means what it states, the remuneration to which it applies is the emoluments that the Taoiseach and the other Ministers receive for their services as holders of the qualifying office specifically referred to in that table. It does not refer to any other emoluments. Table 1 states "Taoiseach" under the heading "Office" and "20 per cent of remuneration" under the heading "Reduction". There is nothing in the Bill to suggest that the remuneration of the Taoiseach includes his remuneration as a Deputy. All the Minister of State has to do is change it in order to ensure that this outcome is achieved. Otherwise, it is not achieved in the Bill.

The Government might want to deal with this by way of a formula the Minister of State has just mentioned. I am not suggesting that he has just said this now for the first time, because I am not aware of that. I am referring to this business of the 8% cut and the 2% cut being lobbed on and put over to the other side. In other words, the Taoiseach's salary will not be reduced by 20%, but by a higher amount. Therefore, table 1 is completely wrong. To every single figure in table 1 that deals with reduction, there must be another amount added. We are legislating to say that the figures in table 1 are wrong, because they should be higher and they will be higher.