Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am looking forward to the engagement, which will be useful. I commend Senator Craughwell on bringing forward the amendment. The proposal has support from across the Houses.

There is a related issue which the Minister may not be able to address. We have seen improvements in the conditions for people working in the Houses of the Oireachtas. They are workers and that point has been well made. One of the improvements is that secretarial assistants in the Seanad are finally getting recognised as administrative assistants, which is long overdue. The pension for those who had been secretarial assistants for up to 30 years was less than €10,000 per year. We need to recognise all the people who work in the Oireachtas as workers and treat them well. Senator Craughwell's point was consistent with that so I wanted to raise the matter.