Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

That is another question. He would have been required by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to set out how much money would be involved.

Then we come to the question of how many staff it is assumed that this commission will have. It is to have a director and an office, and unless that is a complete sham, presumably the director is going to be directing people, and there are going to be people who are officers of the commission, seconded or otherwise from the public service, but we will have to see. How much money is to be spent per annum on the remuneration of the director and the various employees of the office?

For that reason, I ask the Minister to set out the anticipated salary rate for the director of this body. I noted that the director's term is two five-year terms, to a maximum of ten years. Is this to be a pensionable office or is this person to be appointed for a maximum of five years, extendible for a further term of five years, with no pension entitlements whatsoever at the end of it? If there are no pensionable entitlements, the clear question is whether this office of director is intended in reality to be one where the duties will be executed by a person seconded from the permanent Civil Service who will in any event have a pensionable entitlement at the end of his or her service to the State.

We come then to the number of employees. How many officers is it intended to appoint when this commission is up and functioning in its full form? How many officers is it envisaged will be appointed and at what levels and at what salary scales? Will they be seconded from the Department of Justice and Equality or other public service bodies, or will they be newly-recruited? What will the cost to the Exchequer be and what will the additional expenditure be in respect of each grade? What will the numbers at each grade be? Will their positions be pensionable?

We also have to deal with the question of office rentals. I presume, like the Legal Services Regulatory Authority, an office will be rented for the purpose of this body. Depending on it size, I would like an estimate from the Minister as to how much money is going to be spent on office rental. I noted, for instance, that €15 million has been blown away in Baggot Street by the failure of the Department of Health to move from the salubrious surrounds of Hawkins House to the award-winning Miesian Plaza on Lower Baggot Street. Due to industrial relations problems, that has lain idle for some considerable time. I would like to know how much money is going to have to be spent on office rental.