Taoiseach defends €120k salaries for new directly elected mayors
The Government has defended the proposed salaries for new directly elected mayors.
People in Cork, Limerick and Waterford will have the chance to vote to have those mayors later this month.
They would be paid around €120,000 a year, roughly in line with the salary of a junior minister.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar explained why that is the amount they decided on.
Mr Varadkar said: "Nobody likes the idea of politicians being paid, certainly not being paid more, and I understand why that is but if this is a real job with real power and real influence then it should come with a salary that matches that.
"That is why we decided to pitch it somewhere around the level of a Minister of State."
