FF defend Taoiseach's salary
An escalating controversy over Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s massive salary took a bizarre twist today as his governing party pointed out that the country has many higher earners.
The Taoiseach has been rigorously defending his 14% pay rise over the past month, bringing his annual salary to €310,000 - and making him one of the world’s highest paid political leaders.
But today Fianna Fáil launched an unusual rebuke, insisting that 0.6% of the Republic’s working population were better paid.
Martin Mansergh TD, a prominent ally of Mr Ahern and key player in the peace process, highlighted that people working in the media, as well as business and the creaking health service, were among those better-paid than the Taoiseach.
“A vast majority, though not all, would be in more secure employment,” Mr Mansergh said of the wealthy elite, in a statement.
“Either a lot of the most successful people are overpaid, or it must be accepted in the context of this society that the Taoiseach’s salary is commensurate with his responsibilities, which ultimately are greater than anyone else’s.”
The Tipperary South TD made the declaration after requesting official figures from his Finance Minister and Tánaiste Brian Cowen.
It is unclear if Mr Ahern had prior knowledge of the novel defence mounted by his party just a week after he claimed he was poverty-stricken compared to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Mr Mansergh said: “It is clear that at least 12-13,000 Irish citizens on the basis of 2006 figures will be better paid in 2009 than the Taoiseach and other political office-holders, which puts into perspective some of the recent controversy.
“They include, of course, a number of persons working at senior levels in the media, business people, professionals, and some higher paid GPs.”
There are 2.1 million people working and paying tax in the Republic as of May of this year, according to official figures from the Central Statistics Office.
Mr Ahern has already come under fire for claiming EU leaders like Gordon Brown and Nicolas Sarkozy enjoy extravagant lifestyles compared to his self-proclaimed modest existence.
Pay increases announced for senior Government officials have caused almost daily Opposition anger and public outrage since they were revealed on October 25.
Earlier this month, Mr Ahern said Irish politicians deserve higher salaries because they do not have access to weekend homes like Chequers for Mr Brown or luxury yachts which Mr Sarkozy enjoys.
“Most of the people mentioned would not pay for a cup of tea from one end of the year to the other because they have catering staff in their homes and can use jets for social and other occasions,” he said of his counterparts.
He added Mr Sarkozy has fewer living expenses because he collects more generous allowances.
Mr Ahern is also facing questions at the long-running Mahon Tribunal, investigating corrupt payments to politicians for planning decisions, about cash he received as Finance Minister in the 1990s.
