Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)

Gabh mo leithscéal. It is a very important issue. It would be important to have such a debate while it is still in people's minds and pertinent, in particular in regard to Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution and the all-island nature of it.

Reference has been made to bringing in high profile individuals to speak to us in the House. Perhaps when the nominations close it would be an idea to invite the nominees to the House to give us their vision for the Presidency.

Ábhar eile gur mhaith liom a ardú - agus cuireann sé an-olc orm - ná an cheist atá ardaithe ag an tSeanadóir Ó Briain. Is é sin na híocaíochtaí seo dos na bainisteoirí contaetha. It is outrageous what we hear again today on the amounts that are being paid to county managers. The Minister of State, Deputy Alan Kelly, was in the House last week. He wrung his hands in response to my statement that €400,000 was being cut from the rural transport budget. He asked where we were to get the money from. On the other hand we see hundreds of thousands of euro being paid to county managers and others. It is an example of the Government leaving pensioners waiting for buses while the county managers jump on the gravy train. It is not good enough.

We are constantly told that there is not enough money in the country and that there are harsh economic realities. While the Government wrings its hands when it comes to saying "No" to the top civil servants and such types of payments, if there was a political will the payments could and should be stopped. The Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, should come to the House to explain how the Government can justify making such payments when it is telling ordinary members of the public to tighten their belts and that there is not enough money to give pensioners in rural areas money for buses to bring them to the post office.