FINANCE MINISTER of State Dr Martin Manserghsaid he would have no difficulty with being compared to a factory worker.
He was commenting on the Bill to enable the making of ministerial orders concerning allowances for Oireachtas members and determining whether they should have to “clock in” for parliamentary duties.
Dr Mansergh said a minority of members did not attach importance to attending the House. There would be less of a problem in this regard if attendance was linked to payments. A popular Dáil colleague had told him of a complaint made by a woman about his non-attendance at a constituency meeting. The deputy had explained the need for him to be in the Dáil. Her response had been: “We didn’t elect you to be in the Dáil.” Dr Mansergh said that no decisions had yet been made on recommendations by the body governing the operations of the Houses of the Oireachtas.
Labour's Michael McCarthyasked if "swiping in" for Oireachtas members would encompass their attendance at funerals and other public events.
Paschal Donohoe(FG) stressed the need for political institutions to be seen to be relevant to the lives of ordinary people at a time when more and more of them were concerned about how they would cope with the loss of their jobs. Due to the way Fianna Fáil had operated in government over the last 11 or l2 years, politicians had moved beyond being a laughing stock in relation to many of the critical issues the country faced. They had become a lightning rod for the public anger over where the economy stood.
A Bill to remove an automatic suspension of retailers convicted of breaching the law on the sale of tobacco products was passed.
Health Minister of State Áine Bradysaid that concerns had been raised by retailers, their representative groups and Oireachtas colleagues in relation to the three-month period for which a person convicted under existing legislation could be suspended from the retail register. It had also been argued that it was unfair that a judge had no discretion about the period of suspension. These concerns had been responded to. However, it should be noted that the three-month penalty remained an option, said Ms Brady.