Joe O'Toole (Independent)

-----said we should look at retired politicians working in other parts of the public sector, perhaps in order to cut back their pensions also. It is only a matter of time before we look at retired teachers, gardaí or Army officers doing some extra work here and there. It is time leadership was shown on the issue. I am with the Taoiseach on this one: it is for people themselves to make their own personal decisions. Apart from this, I would like people to reflect on what we have done in politics. I would like the House to discuss the mess we have created of the profession of politics in recent times. I shall give some examples. The only group among the total of 500,000 public servants who were deprived of their long service increment were Members of both Houses, yet we ask people to enter politics. Let us take as an example a person aged 30 years on the brink of a very successful career - a high-flier. Let us say a person has been in the Oireachtas for 20 years but loses his or her seat at 50 years of age, having put family security at risk and a career on hold. He or she will be without a pension or payment for 15 years. Who will enter politics if we make such a change?