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THE CABINET HAS agreed on a 10% pay cut for government ministers, Taoiseach Micheál Martin confirmed this evening.
The Taoiseach said the government today decided “to give back 10% of its salaries back to the State as and from the commencement of government” last month.
Martin said this cut goes from the Taoiseach down as far as the Ministers of State.
The cut was approved by members of the Cabinet earlier today. Martin described it as an “important measure”.
Speaking of the vote last week to approve a pay increase for super junior ministers, Martin said this “could have been handled better” by the government.
On Friday, the Dáil voted to pass legislation to extend a €16,000 allowance to all three super junior ministers in the current Cabinet.
This was a pay increase which minister for public expenditure Michael McGrath “didn’t recall” his party, Fianna Fáil, trying to block in 2017.
Under the previous rules, only two super juniors could avail of the allowance, which is paid out on top of the Minister of State salary of €124,439.
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An absolute disgrace increasing junior ministers by 16k. What were the government thinking….seriously. Adbsolutely disgusting. Front line medical staff should have received this money any day before these ministers
@Donnacha Bhoicaire: It was only the 3 Super Junior Ministers
@Donnacha Bhoicaire: Ahh come on now, front line medical staff got a round of applause. Imagine the bills they can pay with that.
@KilkennyProud: They were testing the waters.
@Donnacha Bhoicaire: Front line medical staff get paid enough too.
@Donnacha Bhoicaire:Medical staff will get increase.
But by your comment you are saying it would be better if they did nothing and didnt reduce minister salaries. I’m happy with response – like you was not happy with junior minister pay increase.
@JoyMonkey: They do in your granny!
@Padraig O Toirnoir: people have very short memories. When crap hit the fan these were the people on the front line forgoing their families to keep people alive
@KilkennyProud: only 3. That’s not the point. They shouldn’t be getting 16K€ during this crisis. Frontline workers are far more worthy of pay rise.
@KilkennyProud: 42000€ but people claiming €350 who were on less before are no good scammers.
@JoyMonkey: nurses start at under 25k. Healthcare assistants, cleaners etc probably minimum wage and zero hour contracts. Don’t think that is really enough
@Donnacha Bhoicaire: It is a start but not enough. I’ve been on furlough for past 3 months and will be for few more. A 20% gross pay reduction.
Taoiseach should go further. Taoiseach, President, Ministers, ceann comhairle, TDs & Senators down 20% for 24 months. Limit vouched expenses to max of 10% of base salary then pay your own way. No travel expenses to Dail if live within 75km. All CEOs of semi state organisations & quangos a reduction of 20% for 12 months. Be ruthless.
@Donnacha Bhoicaire: Just to clarify, They were NOT increasing Junior Ministers pay by 16k ,They were trying to pay their 3rd Super Junior that 16k , ASIs paid to the other Two. I’m firmly of the opinion that there should never be Super Juniors, and that would save just 48 K.. Anyway, they are ALL getting far too much.
@KilkennyProud: yeah 3 too many.
@JoyMonkey: how much does a nurse get paid? How much does a hospital cleaner get paid? You haven’t a clue what they have gone true during this. Cut the salaries of the fat cats at the top by 25/30% . politicians can live on 70k max per year. Consultants the same. If you can’t live on 70k you have problems
@Donnacha Bhoicaire: why didn’t they just get a round of applause like the frontline workers – shameful on behalf of the government
@Jennifer J: they don’t need around of applause. What they do need is a racing kick in the hole, it might get the brains going.
@Ger Murphy: I wish u were in charge. But turkeys don’t vote for Christmas
@Donnacha Bhoicaire: they did NOT increase junior ministers pay, they increased the number of junior ministers for two to three and extended the pay to the third new ministerial post to that of the other two ministers holding those posts.
In context if you have two truck drivers and decide you want a third truck driver and promote a van driver to a truck driver roll so you now have three truck drivers there would be a strike if the new truck driver was paid less than the existing two drivers. It is one of the issues that teachers, and others, have complained about – people doing the same job for different remuneration.
@barry moore: why shouldn’t people be able to earn a much as their skills and talents allow? If you start capping salaries you end up with demotivated and second rate people in all jobs. Just like in the old Soviet Union…
@JGD: what talent or skills were shown with super junior minister pay increase? Zero. What talent or skills were shown with stopping the PUP payments on people who left the country. They changed the rules after they stopped the payments. What talent or skill was used when eamon ryan was sleeping during a vote on workers rights. You can’t expect front line workers to do the grunt work and carry the country on 25kper yes while the fat cats on 140k+ hide and with the stroke of a pen give themselves a pay rise.
@JGD: cleaning is a skill and even if cleaning paid top money a lot of people still wouldn’t do it … think it’s above them
@Donnacha Bhoicaire: Its a start but its not really going to hurt them in all fairness, a 20-30% paycut would send a clear message of solidarity with us more mortals who have been hit hardest. On another note, someone above mentioned that frontline healthcare staff are paid enough, that’s utter nonsense, try telling that to a HCA or junior nurse or hospital porter who have all worked during this pandemic, real work with no advisers to assist them in their daily duties. Again though, it is a start but like I said, it will have little impact on the lifestyle that mi sisters enjoy. Maybe they should also look at the expenses these politicians claim, especially the one that pays them just for turning up for work.
@Donnacha Bhoicaire: I haven’t forgotten what the front line staff did, don’t lump me in with the brainwashed fianna fail gombeen voters!
@Donnacha Bhoicaire: Plenty of other frontline workers excluding the medical section that are keeping the country going also, truck drivers, bus drivers, shop workers/cashiers, you get the picture.
@JoyMonkey: for the hours that they work …they do not..and before the covid crises they were treated like dirt by a lot of people…
@barry moore: hospital consultants couldn’t live on 75k…. sure their medical insurance would be more than that.
@David Corrigan: testing the waters? did they really think the waters had turned since February 8th?
@barry moore: suppose consultants aren’t front line staff?? So don’t deserve what they paid. What do you think someone who trains for 15-20years, takes responsibility for all decisions regarding patient care, including during covid and for covid patients, gets sued in this country at the drop of a hat, is responsible for their patients 24/7 365 days a year (no shift work there) and is in demand all over the world should be paid???
@Patricia O’Reilly: they choose to take out indemnity insurance its not a requirement. The state covers public hospitals.
@Ciaran bolger: not forgetting they already had a 30% pay cut. One of the reasons we have 500 empty consultant posts here
@barry moore: yea just for the craic, sure they don’t need it at all.
@Ciaran bolger: as I said the state covers malpractice. Nurses are in demand all over the world why aren’t they paid equally? Some of them can spend the same amount of time studying different areas.
@Donnacha Bhoicaire: 100 per cent in agreement
@barry moore: you clearly have no idea what your talking about. Firstly the insurance doesn’t cover doctor malpractice, it covers the institution and it’s loyalty is to the institution. They will happily (and have) throw the professional under the bus to cover the institution. That’s why most public consultants still carry their own insurance and representation to protect their own reputations because the public indemnity scheme couldn’t give a fig for their reputation.
There is no comparison between consultant education, training and responsibilities compared to nurses. In terms of depth, duration, intensity, exams, thesis, research and responsibility they are pole’s apart. It’s like comparing an electrician to an electrical engineer or a draftsman to an architect.
@Donnacha Bhoicaire: Fianna Fail gave us The Teflon Taoiseach. Now we have The Toss pot Taoiseach.
@KilkennyProud: They were fast enough to pass legislation concerning this travesty…. Not so long ago Simon Harris threatened striking nurses with fines if they did not return to work. Varadkar supported Harris. These are the same people who refused to support a motion concerning low paid workers and Debenham workers. Hypocritical paracites.
@Ciaran bolger: your even saying it your self they choose to pay for the insurance. If they are so well trained and have so much research behind them why would they need insurance to cover their mistakes unless they aren’t competent. Meaning they aren’t worth the huge salary they are taking.
@Ciaran bolger: I know of two cases where medicines was prescribed by a consultant and when it went to the pharmacy they refused to give the meds as they would cause an adverse reaction when taken.
@KilkennyProud: it was only one actually. 2 were already getting the money and they had to change the rules to allow the 3rd super junior minister have the same rate of pay as the other 2..
@barry moore: seriously???
@barry moore: are you kiddin me???, 2 whole cases??? How about the 1,000’s of patients who get their tumours removed every year, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, not to mention cardiac treatment, diabetes treatment everything really, who do you think diagnoses everything, prescribes treatment regimens, including all the drugs given…..doctors including consultants. As for insurance, is your house insured??, why, if you are competent and not in the habit of starting fires why would you need it.
@barry moore: Why don’t you spend less time ranting on the internet and go out and make a difference in the world. You know those useless fat cats were all voted into office. You could be too. Then you could fix everything, probably cure COVID19, cut your own salary, and take abuse off trolls every day. You might actually realise how difficult the job is instead of working that groove into your armchair.
@David Corrigan: and they got scalded.
@Padraig O Toirnoir: it wasn’t junior ministers who hit the rise
@Alan McGreevey: haha. I’m working 50 hours on an standard week trow in some overtime and studying. Haven’t missed a day this year and haven’t had annual leave. No Groove in my armchairs.
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: nearly there with your facts ??? Were not junior ministers they were super junior ministers already 2 added a 3rd and made pay the same it had to be equal
@Ciaran bolger: as part of mortgage agreement it has to be insured, its not insured by choice.
@Ciaran bolger: i didn’t build it, I didn’t make the electrical goods nor did I plumb it. Its insured against other people mistakes. Now your comparing apples with oranges.
@David Corrigan: let’s argue over money while the cases continue to go up ?!
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: Three truck drivers all driving at the same time. They’d have 10 in the cab if they could get away with it.
Fair play. It’s probably a sign of things to come for use all but still, good to see this. Our politicians wages were (are) simply too high.
@Dec: I wouldn’t mind the wages being high if we actual got good people working as politicians but they couldn’t arrange a p up in a brewery.
@Jim Buckley Barrett: you know the answer run for office
@Dec: fair play my A***
@Dec: fair play , my backside – they didn’t come up with the idea themselves
@Jim Buckley Barrett: fireside talk go run yourself.
@Jim Buckley Barrett: only ourselves to blame Jim. And shur look it….its a well paid job
@John Nolan: Jim has a job already, which in turn pays for these wasters.
@Jim Buckley Barrett: they’re pretty good at p ups in the dail bar
@Jim Buckley Barrett: It is lazy to tar all politicians with the same brush: they are not all the same. The “all politicians are crooks and wasters” line is a cliché and is too easy – it is generally used by people who want to make themselves feel better by disparaging others. The fact that we have, at this stage, mainly controlled the virus is at least partly down to politicians.
@Dec: are they getting their increase in October?
@Lorcan McNamee: you are deluded man the fact that the politicians didn’t shut down the country fast enough in January is the reason we have the number of cases and deaths we have had. We have frontline staff to thank for controlling the virus and the nphet for guiding the clowns you call politicians that quote lord of the rings among other shite when a country is in crisis let give the voter a few quid for or cause we done so bad I the election now they are in government watch them take it away tenfold.
@Dec: Hopefully, they can make it up on expenses
@Dec: A TDs salary is double the average full time wage, hardly too high given they are elected. Plus the average full time pay doesnt include nixers etc which would prob bring it up to 60k in all honesty.
Most TD, SF aside, are well qualified and would earn 100k+ in the private sector, so its nonsense to think they enter politics solely for $$$$
@Dec: They didn’t have the intelligence to do that on day one.It was only public outcry about the 16000 increases that forced them to do that.They are a pathetic lot unable of any sort of intelligent thinking.
so I don’t think they should be praised for this.
I think they should have take a cut of a minimum of 20 % considering their employer is almost bankrupt
@Lorcan McNamee: so name few who deserve our respect.I can’t think of any who are forward thinking with clever ideas to benefit this country.its all about themselves and their parties and how to keep the power.They never have the ability to work together for the common good of this country
Too late damage is done, greed and self interest has shown.
And also agree(silently) to increase expenses allowance no doubt
@Mick Costello: sure when you’re making stuff up why stop there?
@KilkennyProud: sorry of course our fantastic political leaders are so honest they would never dream of that
@KilkennyProud: Micheál Martin to be paid more as Taoiseach than Varadkar was after ‘pay cut’ https://jrnl.ie/5161760
Too little too late
@Mr Jerry Curtin: I disagree, this is a welcome gesture.
Not many people would take a voluntary 10% pay cut
@Hector Son:
Is that the best they can do? It’s only approx 5 per cent of net pay. Joke
@Mattress Dick: How about 60% pay cut for all TD’S and Unelected by the People
Senators
@Roger Dawson: will you take the same pay cut
@Tony Lyons: Yes
Do you know how much a pensioner get in Ireland.
Do you know what 60% of 200k is
Maybe they should reform the expenses gravy train now. Super high salary still and generous expenses to. Just window dressing to divert media attention away from an own goal
Take it and give it to the medical staff that worked twice as hard in these times.
No politician should get paid more than average industrial wage.
@Uncle Bobby: tell that to the SF lads the richest party in the state.
@John Nolan: How many ministers do they have?
@Uncle Bobby:
Politics isn’t an 8 to 5 job, Bob.
Sure they’re only getting warmed up after teatime on at least three days a their grueling working week
It seems like a 24/7 365 always-on, tough type of job.
And they can’t even call in the unions to demand better quality ear muffs when noise levels from opposition benches reach breaking point.
@Rory J Leonard: god I wounder how many more td’s would be having naps if they had earmuffs
@8-Bit-Relic: none in Dail and have a look at the mess up North taking the Queens shilling.
@John Nolan: I got it, none!
@Uncle Bobby: I have no problem with them getting twice the industrial average. but they seem to have managed to get there wages back up to pre crash levels. unfortunately they are linked to civil service grades so how many are at that level and are their responsibilities commensurate with the salary.
@Uncle Bobby: Only a poorly educated ignoramus could think thats sensible.
Chukey our law clowns
Too late…they all showed their true colours when they voted for it.
All this because they got too greedy.
A nice gesture given what happened last week… however i personally would be happier if they justify their salary with hard work and well thought out, fair and positive decisions…
A big round of applause for the Ministers, FFG propped up by the false promise party the Greens, will bleed as much money out of this term as the can, because they no we no the come the next election Sinn Feín will not be denied there time in government.
@Jimmy Mac: yes, because they were somehow ‘denied’ government this time. The current government was formed from a democratic process. End of story.
@Jimmy Mac: if this is bad the coming of the pointers and divers.. Ireland wont know what hit them.
@Jimmy Mac: Did the shinners up north not accept salaries from Westminster while refusing to take their seats there?
@Ger McDonnell: Listen to The Week in Politics,they argued against the increase and gave it all back!SF manifesto had proposals to cut politicians pay here and reforms also re pensions!
@Eoin O Shea: what planet are you from, these gangsters would sell there mother for power, but the next election will be the last time they will ever rob us again.
Good move by Taoiseach, Like to hear the total figure in savings. Now needs to announce a wage increase for nurses and hospital front line workers. This issue needs to be addressed and resolved NOW.
Also needs to read Vicky Phelans’ Sunday Independent article yesterday and fully implement all those recommendations proposed in the review and give her the credit and courtesy she so rightly deserves now. She is a shining star in our midst and the women of Ireland owe her a huge debt of gratitude.
Maybe I’m losing it. But if the 3 super juniors got a 16k raise on an original salary of 124k, bringing their salaries to 140k. Then a 10 percent payout. 14k. Doesn’t that mean they now get 126k? Isn’t that a pay rise?
@Michael Brennan: only one super junior was getting an allowance increase of 16k. The whole cabinet is taking a 10% cut.
@Tim Pot: If you factor in the €8,000 pay increase they awarded themselves plus vouched and unvouched expences this propaganda exercise is pointless….Nothing changes… The pigs are back at the trough.
Trying to amend the feathering of own nests which was a huge sting in the tail for the ordinary Joe soap.
The cut should continue through too TDs Senators Councillers and the Judiciary
Damage control over the PUP Airport Patrols. A lot of people have copped on that they should not be doing this as it wasn’t stated in clear language when the PUP was announced. Regardless about how you feel about the issue, they cannot justify these airport raids on something that was never mentioned when the PUPs were handed out.
I think what they are doing at the airports is a monumental piece of wickedness – targetting the poor on purpose – and they already regretting it. Glad it backfired and this is trying to hide it.
If these politicians actually did the job themselves maybe they’d be worth it but they have so many advisors, juniors, super juniors etcetera etcetera King & I pronunciation here) you wonder why they are being paid so much to just be puppets!!! We’d save a fortune if we got rid of the front end / top heavy TDs
Make it 50% and also make all your financial records available to the public. We are the ones who pay your overpaid salaries and you guys did promise the change and transparency that we voted for.
It’s welcome for sure. It should have done at the beginning of lockdown but greedy Leo wasn’t having it unfortunately.
100% pay cut and earn the rest! Like those on hours worked and mentally in attendance..
Make it a set average wage as a politician and you will get people who actually want to do the job to run. Not shams who fall asleep and are only there for the money and pension
Why do politicians need with such high salaries what do they do with it that they need it so badly but can’t let poorer workers have a decent wage. Put every TD and minister on 30-40000 a year that is enough for them to live on.
Greed for What to do sit down ,drive home and get paid. I’m not going to pay any more tax ..
i wonder were they embarrassed into doing this by what the New Zealand govnmt did , 20% in their case.
@RJ.Fallon: Even after her 20% cut the NZ PM was still on a bigger wage than our Taoiseach.
I doubt this would have happened without the backlash they got. Should be more but it’s something.
Bet that excluding the super ministers.
Nurses should get a 16k raise for all there work not some made up positions.
They all had an €8000 pay rise not long ago.
Jeans how will they manage without it…like as if we will ever know if they did take a cut.
The irony of Pascal D telling us that they had to give the 3rd super junior minister the same as the other ministers as they were doing the same work….. oddly enough they didn’t think that about the new entrant teachers/ nurses……oh sometimes I wonder who ties their shoe laces in the morning!
Caught milking the system bare faced
Feeling FF yet? Jokers
And they after giving 16,000 pay rise ffs
I know everyone gets triggered by politicians salaries but 125k + 16k allowance is a standard senior executive salary. But sure go ahead, getting the pitchforks out makes some people feel better about themselves
@SkepticalHippoEyes: they’re paid far too much for the work they do.
@SkepticalHippoEyes: executives can also be held accountable when they mess up and oh ya when they really make a dogs dinner, they get sacked not pay offs or resign with a cushy pension, kicked out the door…..so I’d not go comparing it too much
@Michael Patrick Newell: TDs do lose their seat.
@Bain triail aisti: being voted out is different to say standing over a billion euro hole of a children’s hospital or a cervical cancer scandal…..amazing nobody got sacked then hmm
Our local Sinn Fein TD gets an extra 26,000 euro travelling expenses for travelling into the Dail from Sketries. This on top of 94,000 euro salary. It’s keeps getting better no Mater what party is in.
@Tim Quigley: 50 properties and a hefty bank account. Not bad for a republican party who are paid by Westminister for representing their electorate and who dont turn up because they dont recognise that establishment. Tbey took the sovereigns when Assembly was closed down for a few years. Now they want to rule in Dublin!
USC? that was a temp move 2010 permanent now . This paycut will be a real temp move as soon as super-duper junior spoofer minister 16k increase is forgotten. I give it 6 months an reinstated nothing said in media.
Lies.
I said it before and I’ll say it again only the voter’s to blame
How in the name of our lord can someone who is not elected by the people of Ireland become a super junior minister in the Dail
@Paul Dolan: my thoughts exactly. What qualifications do they have to warrant such a salary and then get a pay rise and tmare not in the jobs a wet day.
Credit where credit is due, at least Micheál is trying
@Alex Nevin: More like lying they will give themselves a 30% raise then give the 10% cut and claim they are doing their part when in fact it’s them that should have massive salary cuts and leave the poorer working people allow with the cuts.
As I said before. The minister don’t have an argument anymore if the union’s ask for equality payment.
They did NOT take a 10% pay cut…The just reinstated a cut already in existence. When the three ring circus formed the government the cut the privious government took was Billy and void. In the meantime an 8% increase was sanctioned. This was before the three ring circus took power. If people remember Sinn Fein T.Ds refused this increase .The spin this three ring circus is now spinning are lies.
A positive and welcome move.
Tip of the iceberg for TD income when considering the lavish expense allowances and pensions they’re entitled to but the small cut was more of a concession than Varadkar was willing to make just a few months ago.
Oh so they will only get €112/3k … poor them … absolute joke
Keep them on the run .,don’t let this go ,sick of this extra €16,000 should never have agreed to give this pay rise
Too little too late 10% is only chicken feed what about all politicans right across the board together with all the political pensioners with double / treble pensions
Restore the rightful pensions to the 80,000 + contributory pensioners and cut out this penny pinching when there is 5 euro increase that all state pensioners get the full increase
This could have been handled by the Government better,Michael you only decided to do a U-TURN on this because of the back LASH,From the Citizens of this Country
Damage limitations! Decrease that will be supplemented by covid means?
The biggest racket of all is their unvouched expenses and allowances lets start with 250 euro per month mobile phone allowance, 8k for setting up an office and the insane Parlimentary standard allowance which is up to 32.5k PA for doing their jobs all on top of their over inflated salaries. This by the way is on top of the unvouched expenses they all claim……..
Why dont we have a nationwide round of applause for the crooks that are in the Dail
50% cut and they’ed still be on too much.
AH SURE LET’S GIVE THEM A CLAP,AIN’T THEY JUST GREAT….MUPPETS
After the next General Election
1 SF
2 FG
And the smaller parties led by SD, Lab & FF
And no Greens Elected
SF need an extra 10 to make an overall majority and FF oblige with their 15 TD’s
Our politicians are grossly overpaid even with this 10% pay cut. Why not pay them a similar amount to the British politicians?.
have your say