David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

-----and sitting Ministers are in for substantial pay increases. We also know that despite the facade of fairness which the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is trying to present as underpinning the Lansdowne Road agreement, higher earners, those with more than €65,000, including Deputies, are in line for a €7,000 pay increase over the next two years. What of those earning less than €65,000? They get crumbs from the table: €1,000. Yet the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform says it is fair. It is not fair. I am calling for a debate on the unfairness of both those agreements and their impact on the vast majority of public servants who will not benefit to the extent top civil servants will benefit. It is a golden ticket for those on the highest incomes in this State and crumbs from the table for the vast majority of public sector workers. The Minister should come in and explain what the deal means and go through its detail rather than the continue with this facade of fairness he is currently trying to present.