Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Last night, we had an excellent debate on the issue of members of local authorities. We are coming up to local and European elections, to be held next year, and a number of senior members of local authorities have decided they will pack it in at that stage. They will get a relatively small lump sum for up to 40 years of service in some cases. Why is it that outgoing members of local authorities cannot avail of a last-minute additional voluntary contribution, AVC, in order to enhance their income? Any public servant leaving the public service can avail of a last-minute AVC to invest a sum of money and get a 50% tax rebate. It is something we should do for those of us who depend on members of local authorities for our seat in this House. A career in the public service, particularly in politics, can come at a massive cost. I will talk about my own case. When I came into the Seanad, I was prevented from job-sharing even though my employer was willing to allow me to job-share. Only teachers and lecturers in what were institutes of technology and are now technological universities are banned from having a job share even if their employer allows it. In my case, that cost me more than €10,000 a year. Class K PRSI has damaged my pension, while the fact that the single scheme pension Act was commenced in 2013 has damaged any pension entitlement I will have. I am not the only one in this House to be affected in this way. We do not talk about these things because people will say it is politicians looking after themselves. I have a family, as does every other politician or every other worker in this country. I am entitled to be treated the same as any other worker, just as my county council colleagues are entitled to every available system to maximise any income they have. As a House, we should support members of local authorities being offered the opportunity to avail of a last-minute AVC. When I finished my teaching career, I was not able to avail of a last-minute AVC because I was not going to keep the post and leave somebody without a permanent post. Not being able to get a last-minute AVC cost me €60,000. At the end of the day, we have to look at ourselves in politics and not be ashamed of the fact that we work for a living.I am not afraid of the job I do and I do not care what anybody says outside of here, at the end of the day. I am not in any way embarrassed to ask for members of local authorities and Members of this and the other House to be treated the same as any other worker and given every facility when they come to retirement age. I will leave it at that.