We asked some local TDs if they would be accepting the salary increase

By Mary Dennehy and Maurice Garvey

THIS week we asked your local TDs if they are accepting a wage increase of €2,700, which is being ushered in this month as restoration to pay cuts imposed during the recession under the Lansdowne Road agreement.

Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe has asked TDs to voluntarily sign a waiver gifting the money back to the State, with most political parties opting to allow TDs to personally decide whether to take the cash or not.

If accepted, the pay hike will see TDs’ pay restored to the pre-crash level of €92,672 per annum.

Sinn Féin has instructed all of its 23 TDs to sign waiver forms that would allow the State to recoup the money while Solidarity has announced that its TDs will take the money but divert it to assist campaigns such as Repeal the Eighth.

Two weeks ago, Sinn Féin’s Clondalkin TD Eoin Ó Broin publicly called on his constituency colleagues to reject a pay increase of €5,400 – which is being paid in two instalments of €2,700, one this month and the other half in January 2018.

TDs came under fire after the 2016 Budget when plans were made to restore pay cuts, and increase a TD’s basic salary of €87,258 back up to €92,672.

Deputy Ó Broin signed an official Oireachtas waiver gifting the salary increase back to the State, stating that there was “no justification” for it with regard to the economic struggles for many residents in his constituency.

In Dublin South West, the question was put to the five sitting TDs. However, Independent Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone TD, Fine Gael’s Colm Brophy and Fianna Fáil deputy John Lahart did not respond.

Sinn Féin deputy Sean Crowe and Solidarity TD Paul Murphy both told The Echo that they would not benefit financially from the pay increase while Dublin Mid-West TD and Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald said she and her cabinet colleagues agreed to “forego any pay restoration increase.”

What they said…

Sean Crowe TD (Sinn Féin, Dublin South West): 

“I will not be taking the €5,000 salary increase for TDs and have signed forms to return the money to the taxpayer. I believe TDs should lead by example.

“This increase will be an additional cost to the State at a time of significant hardship and industrial unrest. It is time for all TDs in the Dáil to show real leadership.”

John Lahart TD (Fianna Fáil, Dublin South West): 

Did not respond.

Paul Murphy TD (Solidarity, Dublin South West):

“Solidarity TDs will not benefit by a single Euro from the proposed increase in TDs’ salaries. However Solidarity TDs are not going to return the increase to Finance Minister Noonan to further facilitate more tax breaks for landlords, developers and big business or to pay back bondholders to meet their private gambling debts.

“Instead the funds will be used to assist campaigns such as repealing the 8th Amendment, workers on strike, the right to decent housing, the battle against water charges and many more.”

John Curran, TD (Fianna Fáil, Dublin Mid-West):

“In response to real anger about TDs setting their own pay levels in Leinster House, Fianna Fáil removed that power in 2001 and instead linked the role of TD to that of a mid-ranking civil servant, with levels decided by an independent review process.

“We believe this is the right way to deal with pay and that moving back towards a situation where politicians decide on their own pay would not be a good thing.

“However, some TDs, including within our own party, have decided not to accept the partial restoration of pay due in April and return it to the state and they are free to do so.”

Brid Smith TD (PBP  Dublin South Central):

People Before Profit TD Brid Smith said: “I will donate the first two months of the salary increase to the Bus Eireann workers strike fund.

PBP TDs will not see any increase in our salaries as all of it will go to similar workers and community campaigns. We will not return the pay increase to Minister Noonan to misuse as bail-out money for bankers and developers.

Minister Katherine Zappone (Independent, Dublin South West):

Did not respond.

Gino Kenny TD (PBP, Dub Mid-West):

“People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny promised to use the increase to help specific causes, starting with the striking Bus Éireann workers.”

Minister Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael Dublin Mid-West):

“I have, along with my colleagues in Cabinet, agreed to forego any pay restoration increase granted to me this year.”

Colm Brophy TD (Fine Gael, Dublin South West):

Did not respond.