Paul Bradford (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have three brief observations. I agree with the Minister that we will not reach a consensus on this. I assure him that this debate is about the Bill and what is contained in it. As the Minister rightly said, the Bill is about saving money, approximately 10% of taxpayers' hard-earned cash. We have put forward a proposal that would save another small amount of money, €1.5 million or thereabouts, over the next three years, which is an amount not to be sneezed at.

The Minister said that the calculations are done on a sliding scale and therefore it is not a question of money being for A, B, or C. I accept that the money is calculated on the basis of a sliding scale but the argument I put to him once again is that people no longer within a parliamentary party cannot be considered part of that sliding scale. It is grossly unfair that he is unwilling to accept our argument in that regard.

We can all check what we said a fortnight ago because it is on the record of the House. The Minister spoke about when people in their "preciousness" decided to vote against the parliamentary party.

The Minister referred in particular to Members of Dáil Éireann and he suggested, not I, that people who voted against the party in their preciousness, as he described it, should leave their seats in Dáil Éireann and present themselves in a by-election.