John McGahon (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I did not get an opportunity to contribute a couple of weeks ago when the debate on the pay of secretarial assistants was going on. I was not going to contribute to today's debate but I saw my colleague, Senator Buttimer, and others discussing it and I wanted to put my experience on the record. I believe I can speak with authority on this because I was a secretarial assistant 18 months ago. I finished up as a secretarial assistant for the former Leas-Chathaoirleach, Paul Coghlan, who was a wonderful boss. I am sure we can all agree to send our warmest wishes at this present time to Mr. Coghlan, Peggy and their family.

I left my role with Mr. Coghlan in January 2020 and eight weeks later I was elected to the Oireachtas. It was only because Mr. Coghlan was such a good boss was I able to sustain the job because the pay is useless, to be blunt. It was only because I was lucky enough to be a member of a local authority at the same time that I could sustain myself on the two salaries. I have no idea how people living in Dublin, let alone those commuting to Dublin, are able to work in jobs as SAs on the salaries they have. As I look around the Seanad, this is our opportunity to stand up for people who may be forgotten about at times in this House. We see the work they do because they work directly for us. I look around at the 60 Members I am lucky to be in the Seanad with and, with no disrespect to them, not many were former SAs. Senator McGreehan worked for Senator Wilson many years ago and she has similar experiences in the role.

I am speaking from an area of experience. I worked as an SA for three to four years. It is a very tough job to do all by yourself. If a Senator is also trying to run for election to the Dáil, an SA is doing the work of two or three people. It is long overdue that we try to do something for people who are a very valuable part, not only of our offices, but of the fabric of the Oireachtas. It is wrong that in this day and age they continue to be paid at the rate they are. I want to put that on the record purely because I was there in the role. I did it for long enough and I am very lucky to be here. We have the opportunity to try to do something at some stage in the next year. I am glad to be able to say that directly to the Minister.