Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 270: To ask the Minister for Finance the pay scales of the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, senior Ministers, Ministers of State, Deputies and Senators at the time of the 2002 general election; the increases since that date; and the current pay scales. [3802/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The following table lists the pay rates in place at the time of the general election on 17 May 2002 and the revised scales since then for the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Ministers, Ministers of State, Deputies and Senators. The table also lists all subsequent pay increases — general, review body on higher remuneration in the public sector and Benchmarking.

Report No. 38 of the review body on higher remuneration in the public sector recommended that the salary of a Deputy should be set at the ordinary maximum of the grade of principal — standard — in the Civil Service, and that the salary of a Senator should be fixed as 70% of that of a Deputy and should be revised for the future on that basis. The provision of long service increments for Deputies and Senators is in line with the views expressed in the above review body report. Therefore, as a result of this recommendation any increases awarded by the public service benchmarking body will be paid to Deputies and Senators.

The salary of the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Minister and Minister of State is made up of two elements: the office holder's salary plus the Deputy's basic salary. While the Deputy's element of the salary is determined in the manner set out above, the office holder's element is based on general pay increases and a report by the review body on higher remuneration. The office holder's salary does not attract increases recommended by the public service benchmarking body.