Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)

I am not displaying it. I have read it a number of times so I can probably quote it from memory. The Minister expressed dissatisfaction that his adviser could not get the top point in the salary scale. The spokesperson confirmed on the record to the newspaper that the Minister will be battling for the new special adviser to secure the top point on the principal officer scale. This man and this Government are completely out of touch with reality. The only thing the Minister will do is reduce the unemployment rate by one in north County Dublin. It appears that many people in north County Dublin want to have special adviser jobs with the Minister, Deputy James Reilly. It is not right that somebody on a pension of €137,000 should come back into the office, with the Minister battling on her behalf for a salary at the highest point of principal officer rate. It is completely out of touch with reality.

The Minister does not need these special advisers as the Department is full of advice. The Department does not administer the health service any more but advises the Minister on health policy. He is a doctor. We thought he had all the answers to the problems due to his experience as head of the Irish Medical Organisation and as a practising general practitioner, GP. Why does he need more advice? I thought he knew everything but it turns out that he does not and needs advice. It is shameful and pathetic that the main public battle the Minister for Health is engaged in at present is about whether his advisers get the top point of the salary scale. It is being reported in the newspapers, both on and off the record, and it is doing the Department of Health and the HSE a huge disservice. We must have a debate about it in the House with the Minister.