David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The civil servants were cute enough to get it streamed into their main income. We did not. It was quite extraordinary.

This affects pensions, which will be seriously reduced as a result. My pension, for example, will be less than it was ten years ago. I ask the Minister, therefore, to take back to Government a feeling which is shared very widely in the House, but which many of my colleagues are afraid to say anything about. We really need to look at the terms and conditions of our own employment. If we do not, we will not get really good people into politics. They will get a hell of a lot of abuse from the media and very little thanks from the public. If they are paid buttons as well, it will have an effect. I appeal to the Minister to mention this to his colleagues as something which should be looked at. I thank the Chair for his indulgence.