Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am sick to my back teeth of my PRSI record, which is broken because I moved from class A to class K. A man of advancing years like myself does not get an opportunity to maintain his PRSI record and were I to try to do that, it would cost me €5,000 per year, having taken €8,000 of a pay cut to sit in this seat. I am not afraid to talk about it because I am one of the few politicians in this country who was denied an opportunity to maintain an external career and a political career. I had to take a career break under statutory instrument so I am not afraid to talk about our terms and conditions of employment.

We are not all in here on golden pensions and many of us came into the House with a short time left to serve. We will not build up a substantial Oireachtas pension in that short time. Why are we afraid to talk about our terms and conditions? A few junior Ministers met the Minister for Finance last week and the newspapers had a feast on what they suggested were junior Ministers cribbing about their costs but they were right to meet the Minister and to stand up for what they are entitled to. People ask me about my expenses all the time and I was featured in the media last Sunday because of a trip I took during the summer. They reported that the cost of flights was €4,000 but they did not report that the first journey, three flights over 18 hours, and the following journey, four flights taking over one and a half days, were done on budget airlines.The cost of my accommodation for a week was €646. I am, therefore, not afraid to talk about the money spent or about terms and conditions of employment. We should have an open debate and let the media do whatever they do about it. I do not care.