Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator McDowell posed a number of questions to which, because of their inconsistency, it would just not be possible to provide accurate responses. On the one hand, it seems the Senator is making the case that, by comparison with the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board, there is in some way unnecessary expenditure. On the other hand, he seems to be arguing in favour of an increased amount of expenditure, in addition to the approximately €500,000 or €600,000 that I estimate will be the total expenditure in respect of the full year of operation. The reason the arrangement is different from what is anticipated in the explanatory memorandum is that the Bill has changed substantially in terms of the remit of the commission. We no longer have the structures of committees and subcommittees that would require increased expenditure.

The commission will operate very much along the lines of similar bodies that have been established. Senator McDowell acknowledges the similarities between the commission and the Legal Service Regulatory Authority. There is to be a small complement of staff, a handful of people under the direction of somebody at principal officer grade 1, earning approximately €90,000. The remaining members of staff would be earning in the region of-----