TDs Minimum Wage To Crack €100,000

The minimum wage for TD’s is set to break the €100,000 mark when pay rises under the ‘Towards 2016’ agreement comes into effect.

The average salary for TDs now stands at €122,000 while new TDs can enjoy a basic starting salary of €95,363. This minimum figure is now set to break the €100,000 barrier when the new proposals go ahead. The average industrial wage currently stands at around €33,000.

The plans have sparked criticism with claims that the 100 days per year members of the Dail are only expected to sit, and the fact that the average TD’s wages are more than treble the average Irish person’s wage bringing the issue under increased scrutiny.

These wage figures also don’t include the hefty expense allowances Irish politicians can claim.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, who is presently on a salary in excess of a quarter of a million euro, is presently being taken to task at the Mahon Inquiry over other payments into his bank account, which Mr Ahern allegedly cannot account for.

The Taoiseach is the only politician in the Dail that hasn’t been able to prove he is entirely tax compliant.

Mr Ahern told the Tribunal he cannot prove the source of the two cheques for €5,000 each. He claims one came from his brother, but concedes there is no documentary evidence to back it up.

See: Taoiseach censured over comments in trial

(DW)