asked the Minister for Finance if he will state whether all the Ministers are in receipt of the full annual salary provided for in the Estimates; and, if so, whether any member, or members, of the Government are refunding any portion of their salary to the Exchequer and, if so, what amount.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ministers' Salaries.
All Ministers are in receipt of their full statutory salaries. No member of the Government has surrendered any portion of his salary to the Exchequer.
Is the Minister aware that the Minister for Health, in replying to the debate on his Estimate on Thursday night last, used the following words:—
"I do not accept at the moment the full Ministerial salary."
I believe that statement is true.
"I do not accept at the moment the full Ministerial salary and we in this inter-Party Government have adhered to that particular principle."
How does that hold with the Minister's reply?
There is a difference between being paid from the Exchequer certain sums and being charged income-tax on that and disposing of a salary according to a Minister's own desires.
What does "we" include?
I understood that Dr. Browne was speaking for Clann na Poblachta.
On a point of explanation, it is part of Clann na Poblachta policy to reduce Ministerial and Deputies' salary to the amount obtaining before the increases last year.
It was.
It is. Because this was not one of the matters agreed upon prior to the formation of the inter-Party Government, I have continued to receive the allowance paid at the new rates, but I have continued to pay back to the treasurer of Clann na Poblachta——
Deputies
Oh!
——the difference between the old and the new rates. In so far as it is possible for me, I have kept my promise.
That is exactly what Fianna Fáil did when they came in here first.
They did not do it for long.