Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister, Deputy McGrath, to the House. I thank him for his comprehensive address to us on this legislation. I am speaking to this Bill on behalf of my colleague, Senator Davitt, who intends to be here before the end of the debate. Therefore, I will be brief in my contribution.

I thank the Minister once again for outlining the details of the Bill. While at a first glance the overall budget allocation of €462.505 million appears to be a great deal of money, however, as the Minister outlined, it covers three years, namely, €160.7 million in 2022, €150.8 million in 2023 and €151 million in 2024 and represents a €40.2 million or 9.5% increase on the 2019-2021 allocation. The Minister outlined the various areas the budget deals with. The Houses of the Oireachtas Commission came into existence in 2004. That was a good day's work, namely, the fact that these Houses took responsibility for their own budget and its implementation.I welcome the fact that each House has representatives on that commission who do an excellent job in as far as they can. One issue I have regarding membership of that commission is that it tends to be confidential and, while in reality its members represent the Houses, the Members of both Houses are in the main not aware of what is actually happening on their behalf at the commission. I understand from Members past and present that when questioned about an issue that may or may not have been discussed - because we are never sure - we are told that members must maintain confidentiality. That is an issue I have with the commission, therefore, which the Minister could perhaps address into the future.

I am glad the Minister mentioned the issue of secretarial assistants and parliamentary assistants, which has been raised in this House by many Members over many years. I am glad and confident that the Minister will deal with it in the manner in which he has dealt with a number of other contentious issues that have come before him over the years. I refer mainly to the Moorhead report and pay and conditions for councillors. That issue had been kicked around for more than 20 years and was certainly mentioned. We got to the top of the hill on many occasions in the past with various Ministers but it was not dealt with until it came to the desks of the Minister and, in fairness, the Minister of State, Deputy Burke. Therefore, I wish to pay tribute. This is the first public opportunity I have had to thank the Minister. I have thanked the Minister of State in the past and I would like to do so again. It is an issue that needs to be dealt with, however. As the Minister has outlined, the roles of secretarial assistants and parliamentary assistants have changed down through the years. I am confident that the issue will be addressed by the Minister because it definitely needs to be. I welcome the Bill and will be supporting it but I would like to see a little more transparency from the commission. I pay tribute to the Houses of the Oireachtas Service, which carries out its duties in a very professional manner. I thank the Minister and Acting Chairperson.