andMr. McQuillan asked the Taoiseach the total salary and emoluments of the Attorney General during each year since his appointment.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Salary and Emoluments of Attorney General.
1.
The total salary and emoluments of the Attorney General were at the rate of £3,000 per annum up to the 30th April, 1960, and at the rate of £3,500 per annum as from the 1st May, 1960.
May I take it that the emoluments mentioned by the Taoiseach are for work performed on a part-time basis by the Attorney General?
That is a separate Question. Only the salary and emoluments were asked for; nothing more.
Is it not a fact that the emoluments concerned represent only a small portion of the entire emoluments received by the Attorney General?
I do not know what the Deputy is referring to. The Attorney General, as such, is paid certain fees. Is that what the Deputy is referring to?
The Taoiseach knows perfectly well what I am referring to. Would the Taoiseach say what are the full emoluments of the Attorney General from his position?
The history of these fees is quite interesting. In 1936, the Government at the time decided that the salary of the Attorney General should cover all services rendered by him as Attorney General and that he should surrender all fees received by him in respect of his functions as Attorney General. That decision was reversed by the Government that came into office in 1948. That Government decided that fees received by the Attorney General should be retained by him as part of his personal income. The present Attorney General has, however, since his appointment surrendered to the Exchequer all such fees received by him.
I am not concerned with 1948 or 1949, but I am concerned with 1960-61. Are the figures given by the Taoiseach the full emoluments of the Attorney General? In view of what the Taoiseach has said, has he surrendered portion of that £3,000 to the State?
The figure I have given represents the salary and emoluments of the Attorney General. Fees received by him, as Attorney General, are surrendered by him to the Exchequer.
Is it not a fact that the Attorney General is entitled to private practice at present and that, in view of the fact that he has private practice, he is not in a position to give full time attention to the very important issues which have faced him for the past three years? In view of that, would the Taoiseach reconsider the terms of appointment of the Attorney General and put him on a full-time basis?
I am aware the Attorney General gives much more than full-time service to his office.
But not to very good effect.
To excellent effect.