Kenny: Advisor had more lucrative post before Govt job
Opposition parties have rounded on the Taoiseach Enda Kenny over revelations that he intervened to sanction a €35,000 pay increase for a Government advisor.
Mr Kenny approved the pay hike, which is in breach of the Government's own salary cap, for a former Fine Gael press officer now working for Minister Richard Bruton.
In the Dáil, the Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said it proved that there was one rule for the Government, and another rule for everyone else.
But the Taoiseach said he approved the pay rise because the advisor in question has specialist skills and commanded a much higher salary in his last job.
Mr Kenny said: "The person that you mentioned, that you named and who cannot defend himself in here, worked for the party which I lead for eight, nine or 10 years and was in a salary well in excess of the limit that was set in these guidelines.
"In fact he received no pay, he was in a job for five months before he received any payment."
