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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Ken Foxe

Ceann Comhairle now paid more than Taoiseach as astonishing salary revealed


The Ceann Comhairle is now better paid than the Taoiseach after salary cuts imposed during the economic crash were reversed.

The Department of Public Expenditure confirmed the wage is €227,000, more than €10,000 higher than the top job and the second only to the President.

It also exceeds the Tanaiste’s pay packet by over €27,000 and the wages of a minister by more than €43,000.

READ MORE: Former Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy returns to politics in new position abroad

The Oireachtas said salaries were set by the Department of Public Expenditure and the Ceann Comhairle had no role in the setting remuneration.

However, it would not comment on how much of the €227,000 was being paid to the current officeholder Fianna Fail’s Sean O Fearghail.

A spokesman said: “Members of the Oireachtas may choose to waive receipt of some salary or allowances. Therefore, it should not be presumed the amounts outlined [in government publications] are received.”

The Department of Public Expenditure said officeholders — including the Taoiseach, Tanaiste, ministers and the Ceann Comhairle – were paid their salary as a TD plus an additional salary in respect of the office held.

A spokeswoman said: “Since 2009, substantial reductions were applied to the pay.

“The last of these measures under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2013 implemented a further reduction from July 2013.

“The pay of the Ceann Comhairle was fully restored on 1 July 2021 to the rate that applied in September 2008.

“During the same period however, members of Cabinet — including the Taoiseach and Tanaiste — voluntarily surrendered 10 per cent of their pay keeping their salary levels below rates that had previously applied.”

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