Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 10 May 1994

Vol. 442 No. 5

Written Answers. - Deputies' Secretarial Assistants.

Alan M. Dukes

Question:

100 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for Finance if his attention had been drawn to the continuing uncertainty concerning the status and conditions of employment of those employed as secretarial assistants to Dáil Deputies following the publication of the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) (Amendment) Bill, 1993; when his Department's officials will be meeting SIPTU with a view to resolving this dispute; and his intentions with regard to the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) (Amendment) Bill, 1993.

Minister for Finance (Mr. B. Ahern)

Secretarial assistants are employed by political parties and by individual members of Dáil Éireann and no change in this position would arise from the Bill to which the Deputy refers. That Bill, as explained when it was before this House, was drafted to ensure that such employment was on a constitutionally unimpeachable basis and to eliminate misunderstandings of the status of such staff which had come to light during High Court proceedings. My understanding is that the union which represents many of the staff currently employed and the Whips are in discussion under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission. It would be inappropriate for officials of my Department to involve themselves in that process.

I indicated to Deputies last November that not proceeding with all stages of the Bill before the Christmas recess would make it difficult to enact it in the current Dail session. That position still obtains.