Sharon Keogan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. Mary is a very good secretary I am sure. I thank the Minister for looking after the local authority members in this country and giving them at living wage for the first time ever. When I was elected here I had very little knowledge of what the role would entail. I will have been here two years in March. I have been navigating my way through what is expected of a Senator with regard to legislation and it has been very difficult. I split the secretarial assistant role into two positions, which is even worse. People say, "Oh my God, she split the role between two people". The amount of money these people, our assistants, get paid is pitiful. I am here to lend my voice to this. The money for secretarial assistants must be doubled at least. They are secretarial assistants and they deal with all of our emails. We can get 200 emails a day. That is an unbelievable number of emails to have to deal with. These could be local emails from people in my area or from throughout the country who require assistance, which I do. I also have someone who looks after the legislation and the amendments that need to be made on the various Stages. We have waited long enough for this. Whatever the Minister can do he should do it quickly.