'Utterly disgraceful' to discuss salary top-ups in National Children's Hospital
Sinn Féin have criticised proposed salary top-ups for some staff posts at the new National Children's Hospital.
The pay increases have been sanctioned for five specialist staff involved in areas such as engineering and architecture.
According to the Irish Independent, the highest reported case was the schedule director being paid €139,000, compared to the public service rate of €97,000 for the same job.
Sinn Féin's Health Spokesperson Louise O'Reilly says the existing staff should be utilised.
"Any talks of salary top-ups at this stage I think is utterly disgraceful," she said.
"I think what they should be doing at this stage is looking to see what people are there.
"We're being told that this hospital is going to be a centre of excellence. It's my belief that people will want to come and work in the hospital and yet before it's even started the CEO is talking about salary top-ups.
"I think that's the wrong way to start it."
