TDs called on to refuse pay increase of €5,000 per year

By Maurice Garvey

CLONDALKIN TD Eoin Ó Broin has called on his constituency colleagues to reject a pay increase – worth an extra €5,000 per year.

TDs came under fire after the 2016 Budget when plans were made to restore pay cuts over the last number of years, and increase a TDs basic salary of €87,258 to €92,672.

Sinn Féin TD Ó Broin signed an official Oireachtas waiver gifting the salary increase back to the State, and encourages constituency colleagues Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald, Fianna Fáil TD John Curran and People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny to refuse their pay increase, which is due this month.

Deputy Ó Broin said: “There is simply no justification for any TD or Minister to take this pay rise. We are already paid too much.

“At a time when many families are struggling to get by on low wages or with rising prices and high levels of household debt, the right thing for all TDs to do is to gift this substantial pay increase back to the State.

“This week I have signed the official Oireachtas waiver form gifting the first part of the pay rise back to the State. I will do the same when the second phase of the pay increase comes into effect in January 2018.”

He continued: “As a Sinn Féin TD I only take home an average wage and invest the remainder of my salary into the local community and my constituency service.

“However I think it is important for TDs to make it clear that we do not deserve or need this €5,000 increase. I am calling on my constituency colleagues to refuse this unjustified and unwarranted pay increase.”