Michael Mullins (Fine Gael)

My party colleague, Senator Fidelma Healy Eames, has stolen my thunder somewhat on the issue I wished to raise. I join her and others in congratulating the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Leo Varadkar, on his timely intervention at the weekend which forced the chief executive officer of the Dublin Airport Authority to forgo a bonus of €106,000. However, I read with dismay in this morning's newspapers that other semi-State bodies and boards might approve significant bonuses for their chief executive officers. The Leader must impress upon the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, that at a time when ordinary people are being put to the pin of their collar to meet their basic daily requirements, it is obscene that any chief executive officer paid from the public purse should be in receipt of such a bonus. No bonus should be paid to any chief executive officer of any semi-State body in the coming year. I ask the Leader to press this point with the Minister in order to ensure it is Government policy.

This morning, all Members were dismayed by reports on early morning radio and in some newspapers that the facilities of these Houses may have been used to manipulate a competition.