Continuing the Tánaiste's theme of financial prudence and reasonableness, Government sources have indicated that a salary of up to €300,000 is being considered for the next Garda Commissioner. To say the least, this is well in excess of the current salary of €180,000 for the post which most people would consider a high one. I ask the Tánaiste to think seriously about this proposal. I particularly ask her to consider whether, if it was agreed, it would exacerbate the debate about high pay levels in the public service and impact on public sector pay policy generally at a particularly delicate time.

There is no current review of top level pay in the public sector. The priority, rightly in my view, is the unwinding of financial emergency measures in the public interest, FEMPI, legislation rather than a special top level salary increase. The current salary for the position of Garda Commissioner of €180,409 is graded at general secretary level 3, while the top level service payable to anybody in the public service is currently €190,000, which is the salary the most senior Secretaries General and the Taoiseach enjoy. If the salary for the next Garda Commissioner was increased substantially in the way that has been suggested, it is certain that the Judiciary would demand a similar increase for the Chief Justice or members of the Supreme Court and that would spread across the ranks of the senior Civil Service. The ripple effect would continue across all grades. For example, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, has argued that the recruitment difficulties for nurses can only be adequately addressed through pay. The Irish Medical Organisation, IMO, has made much the same point about vacancies both at consultancy level and in general practice. The Government has already committed to a review of recruitment in the health sector. Conceding an increase of this magnitude to the new Garda Commissioner would completely undermine arguments that might be made for all the other sectors who are in a queue to have significant pay increases.

As Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform I agreed two years ago that a new method of pay and conditions for senior officeholders would be put in place. I did so in response to calls for pay increases from the Judiciary at the time, which the Tánaiste will well remember. I did so deliberately to ensure that no one individual or cohort would be able to unravel public pay policy. Will the Tánaiste advise whether the Government has now abandoned the commitment to a structured mechanism in deciding public pay at top level in the public service? Can she set out clearly for the Dáil the Government's approach to top level pay?

Following the retirement of the Garda Commissioner, Nóirín O'Sullivan, the process is under way to appoint her successor. It is primarily the job of the Policing Authority and the Public Appointments Service, PAS, working together to find the best candidate for that job. The Deputy quoted a salary figure, but certainly there is no decision by the Government regarding that figure, regardless of what reports may have indicated in that respect. Clearly, the issue of recruiting the very best candidate is important and the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland is also examining the kinds of skills that are needed to run a large-scale, 21st century policing service, and it will be giving the Minister for Justice and Equality its views on that.

The Deputy referred to structured mechanisms. The best structured mechanism recently was the agreement on public sector pay. There is no question of abandoning the structured mechanisms that we have. However, there is an issue with some jobs and there is some flexibility to attract the right candidate, whether that is to run aspects of our health service or other areas. That will always be dealt with in a careful away. I take the Deputy's point about the danger of setting precedents and changing the approach to top level pay in the Civil Service and elsewhere but, clearly, there are recruitment difficulties, about which every Member will be well aware, given the competition for people. More and more we are seeing gaps in services because of the difficulties in recruitment. This issue needs to be considered because we want the very best people to run our services. The Deputy quoted one arena where, clearly, that is very important but there are others as well.

The structured mechanisms are important in terms of the review of top level pay. We have to accept that there are difficulties increasingly in filling some senior management posts. We all want better management, whether it is in health or housing or a range of other areas. This is an issue which the Government will consider carefully in each instance but clearly, there is a broader approach, which the Deputy has outlined, and there is no intention to depart from that.

There is no doubt that someone of skill, integrity and management capacity is required to lead An Garda Síochána. I hope the Tánaiste regards that all senior management roles should require that skill set. I am no wiser about the general approach and I am even more concerned because the Tánaiste said the Government will consider the issue in each case. Is it, therefore, a matter for the head of the HSE or the Chief Justice or the head of any service to make a business case for a salary level or is there is a coherent approach to top level pay? Will a new review of top level pay be instituted? Will that come after the unwinding of the FEMPI legislation? The House needs to know clearly what is the Government approach to the issue of public sector pay, particularly when the current pay round negotiated with public sector unions has not been signed by off by so many public sector workers.

I said clearly but I will reiterate that the Government favours a structured approach to the issue of pay, which we demonstrated again last week in the agreement that was reached. I also said that there are difficulties in recruitment and that, on occasion, these may lead to a decision in specific circumstances where the issue of pay may have to be reconsidered but the overall approach is absolutely one of a system being in place under an agreement that is being implemented in respect of top level pay.

I will have to revert to the Deputy regarding a review of top level pay.