THE Minister for Finance, Mr Quinn, has given an assurance that the same criteria that apply to decisions on pay claims from any other area of the public service would also apply to Oireachtas members.
Responding to media criticism of the £10,000 a year pay increase being sought by TDs, Mr Quinn, in a statement, said the salaries paid to TDs and senators were based on recommendations made by the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the public sector.
As part of the normal process for its four yearly review, the body invited submissions from those groups covered by its remit, Mr Quinn continued. It was in response to that invitation that an all party submission on the pad of TDs had been made to the review body.
The Government would decide to accept or reject its recommendations when they were made, he said. "I want to stress", the Minister added, "that whatever decision is made at that time will have regard to the terms of the then current pay agreement for the public service and the constraints imposed by the prudent management of the public finances.
