Just two weeks ago, FF/Greens voted against a FG motion calling for eight junior ministers to be cut.
Finally the penny has dropped and the Government has realised that there are far too many junior ministers and they need to be cut, Fine Gael Environment Spokesman Phil Hogan TD, said today (Monday ).
However, Deputy Hogan said that the Government cannot possibly justify paying for 15 junior ministers and their staff. The number should have been set at a maximum of 12.
"As they always are, the Government is a day late and a dollar short. "This issue has been on the table for months and just two weeks ago Fine Gael gave Fianna Fáil and the Greens the opportunity to cut the number of junior ministers from 20 to 12. The government voted against the measure.
"The fact that they would reverse their position so quickly highlights, once again, the absence of leadership coming from government where there is no coherent strategy and where the policy one day might not necessarily be the policy the next day.
"It also explains why the Taoiseach and senior ministers did not contribute to the Fine Gael debate. While the decision to cut the ministers is welcome, the cost of staffing 15 junior ministers is still too high and cannot be justified. The number must be no more than 12.
"Alongside this, Fine Gael recently pointed out that over €8 million is spent on personal staff for junior ministers, many of whom are constituency based. A reduction in the number of junior ministers has to be matched by reducing the number of civil servants paid to do their local constituency work. Fine Gael has suggested a maximum of two."
