asked the Taoiseach whether, in view of the sacrifices demanded from our people generally, he will introduce the necessary measures to secure a reduction by half at least of the President's emouluments and allowances of £11,500 per annum.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - President's Emoluments and Allowances.
The answer is in the negative.
As the Deputy is aware, the figure quoted by him is made up of two elements, namely, am allowance for expenses of £6,500 a year and the personal remuneration of the President of £5,000 a year. The allowance for expenses was originally fixed in 1938 at £5,000 and was in 1947 increased to its present figure of £6,500, or by 30 per cent—a percentage which was very much less, in proportion, than the general rise in the level of expenses that occurred between 1938 and 1947 and which takes no account, of course, of the further general rise in the level of expenses over the past ten years. The personal remuneration of the President has remained unaltered since it was originally fixed in 1938; it has not therfore shared at all in the general rise in salaries that has occurred over the past 19 years, but, like incomes generally, has been diminished by the higher rates of income-tax which have been chargeable in recent years.
Will the Taoiseach agree with me that it is inconsistent for him at to stage to appeal to salaried and wage earning workers, to the unemployed and even the sick, to make sacrifices and to exercise wage restraint while he is unwilling to ask for similar sacrifices from wealthy sections such as flour millers, master backers and other high salaried people?
That is a different question. The Deputy is widening the matter considerably.
Would the Taoiseach not agree that his refusal to do this is a measure of his insensitive, arrogant, aristocratic indifference to the hardship which he has imposed—
The Deputy is making a speech.
The Taoiseach has been dealing with it much longer than the Deputy and knows more about it.
It is about time he knew what the people are suffering.
I do not have to be taught by the Deputy.
The Taoiseach is out of touch with the people when he produces that Budget. He should be ashamed of it.
The Deputy ought to be ashamed of himself.
People are cross.