A member of the Oireachtas or parliamentary office-holder will have an option to refuse a pay increase if they wish, the Dail was told.

The Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Mr Martin Cullen, was introducing the second reading of the Ministerial, Parliamentary and Judicial Offices and Oireachtas Members (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, 2001.

The Bill, he said, gave legislative effect to recommendations by the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector concerning the payment of long-service increments to TDs and senators - and the payment of an allowance to Ministers of State who routinely attended meetings of the Government.

The Review Body had recommended that the salary of a Dail deputy should be set at the "ordinary maximum" of a "standard grade" principal officer in the civil service. A senator's salary was to be set at 70 per cent of the TD's. It also recommended the introduction of long-service increments for TDs and senators comparable to those paid to principal officers.

In addition, instead of being paid an "allowance", the Bill provided the Leader of the Seanad would be paid a salary. This position would be pensionable - with effect from September 17th, 1997.

The Bill provides that in addition to their standard TD's income, the Taoiseach will have a salary of £79,146 per annum and the Tanaiste £62,295. A "member of the Government other then the Taoiseach and the Tanaiste", will get £54,855.

A Minister of State will be paid a salary of £24,640 on top of standard income. The Attorney General, who is not a member of either House currently, will have a salary of £95,998. The Bill provides that an Attorney General who is a member of the Oireachtas will receive a salary of £54,855.

The Ceann Comhairle of the Dail will have a salary of £54,855 and the LeasCeann Comhairle will have a salary of £24,640. The Cathaoirleach of the Seanad will get £22,518. The Leader of the Seanad will get a salary of £7,213.