Eva Osborne
Sinn Féin TD Mairéad Farrell has called on the government to clarify the issue of allowances for junior ministers and the speculation around the creation of more junior ministries.
On top of their TD’s salary (€113,679), they are set to get an additional ministerial salary of circa €46,000 and an allowance of €16,000.
Current legislation allows for three ‘super junior’ ministers who receive pay and allowances for the position. However, the government is reported to be planning to appoint four ‘super junior ministers’.
These are junior ministers (Ministers for State) who are given permission to attend Cabinet meetings, unlike ‘ordinary’ Junior Ministers who cannot.
Farrell said there have been "conflicting reports" when it comes to the 'super junior' roles.
"Some are indicating that legislative changes will be made with others indicating that this is not a requirement. We need to hear what is going to happen, and who will be receiving these allowances.
“A TD’s salary already places a recipient in the top 6% of income earners. When you add on the ministerial salary of circa €46,000 and Super Junior allowance of €16,000, you go higher up the income distribution again.
“We don’t need more wastage of public funds arising from negotiations with parties and individuals who have no significant policy or ideological differences. This is just them looking after themselves."
Farrell said many of the "so-called independents" who are entering government were elected on the back of anger at Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.
“Now they are going into government with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil and, already, whatever supposed ‘independence’ they claimed to have had seems to have disappeared.
“The government needs to clarify how many ‘super junior ministers’ will be receiving a special allowance, whether any changes will be made to the rate of the allowance, and whether they are planning to change the current legislation in this respect.
“This seems like an obscene waste of money.”
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