Taoiseach must explain the extent of the pay cuts announced in last week's Budget says Gilmore

Posted on December 15, 2009 at 07:26 PM

Today's Leaders Questions saw the Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore TD question the Taoiseach about the extent of pay cuts announced in last week's Budget.

Eamon said: "I want the Taoiseach to tell me if the cuts in pay will apply not alone to direct employees of the State but to all bodies, as stated in the Bill, which are wholly or partly-funded directly or indirectly out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas or from the Central Fund."

Following the Taoiseach's response where he fudged the issue Eamon said it was because the Taoiseach does not know what the impact of the pay cut will be because it did not assess what its impact will be on low-paid employees and those on social welfare.

Eamon said: "There is a requirement on Government, it is in the Cabinet handbook, that every measure before Government be poverty proofed. It is to be examined to see what impact it will have on those who are in poverty or at risk of going into poverty.

"The Government did not give a second thought to this issue. It does not give a curse for people who are poor or in receipt of low pay."

The full transcript of the debate will be available later on the Oireachtas website.

Tagged with Finance • LeadersQuestions • Budget •