Dail's top ten clear £100,000 in cash payments |
TDs overall packages are far in excess of most managers in the private sector |
|
Irish Independent Saturday July 7th 2001 TEN ordinary backbenchers are clearing more than £100,000 a year in combined salary, allowances and expenses. Our top TD earners are revealed today, just as they settle down to almost three months of Dail holidays. A total of one-third of Deputies, 55, are now averaging more in expenses and allowances than they receive in Dail salary. More than 15 receive in excess of £50,000 in expenses and allowances - on top of a backbencher's salary of £46,500. The figures prove that despite regular complaints from TDs on pay, their overall packages are far in excess of most managers in the private sector. Records released to the Irish Independent under the Freedom of Information Act, give details of all allowances and expenses claimed by every TD and Senator over the 12 months to the beginning of June. The top earner is Liam Aylward, Fianna Fail TD for Carlow-Kilkenny. He took home £59,588 and 15 pence in the last year, on top of his salary. Next highest recipient of expenses and allowances was Brendan Kenneally, who collected over £58,308, followed by John Browne on £57,576. Last year's number top claimant, Sean Doherty (FF Longford-Roscommon), dropped to fourth place on 'only' £56,972. Kerry Deputy Breda Moynihan-Cronin pulled in £55,984 in expenses and allowances, followed in sixth place by Batt O'Keeffe on £55,902. Enda Kenny, Fine Gael TD for Mayo, was next on over £55,864. Padraig McCormack is the second person to figure in the top ten earners year-on-year. Last year he came in eighth place, and held this position to benefit by £54,562. Ninth on the list was Austin Deasy on £53,743, followed by Michael Ring, who was second-top earner in the 1999/2000 stakes. This time out Mr Ring was paid £53,566 in expenses and allowances. The top 15 recipients were: 1. Liam Aylward £59,588.15 2. Brendan Kenneally £58,308.26 3. John Browne £57,576.40 4. Sean Doherty £56,972.02 5. Breda Moynihan-Cronin £55,984.36 6. Batt O'Keeffe £55,902.27 7. Enda Kenny £55,864.26 8. Padraig McCormack £54,562.75 9. Austin Deasy £53,743.16 10. Michael Ring £53,566.39 11. John McGuinness 52,592.23 12. Jim Higgins £52,182.84 13. Ulick Burke £51,548.61 14. Louis Belton £50,584.07 15. Beverley Cooper Flynn £50,437.67 Dropping out of last year's top ten were Billy Kelleher (FF Cork North Central), Dinny McGinley (FG Donegal South West), Liam Burke (FG Cork North Central), Gerry Reynolds (FG, Sligo Leitrim), and Mary Coughlan (FF Donegal South West). Financially troubled Beverly Cooper Flynn dropped from sixth place last year to fifteenth in today's standings, while Ulick Burke (FG Galway East) slipped from ninth to fifteenth. In the Seanad, more than one third of the 60 senator claimed expenses averaging over £30,000. That was some £7,000 each above their £23,000 a year salary, which covers even fewer sitting days than the 100-plus Dail. Roscommon based Fine Gael Senator John Connor was easily the biggest claimant. His £47,743, double his salary, not only covered his routine expenses and allowances for attending the upper house, but a large number of trips abroad as a member of interparliamentary delegations. Senator Connor also went on 11 foreign visits in six months last year, to Strasbourg (three times), Paris (three), Canada, Romania, Italy, and London. Ministers were on the bottom of the list for expenses and allowances for the simple reason that they are supplied with State cars and drivers. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern claimed only £11,500 in expenses. Tanaiste Mary Harney was bottom of the rung, claiming only £7,500 in expenses and no allowances whatever. Wealthiest senator has lowest total of expenses THE wealthiest man in the Oireachtas, Senator Edward Haughey, is the most modest when claiming expenses, writes Chris Glennon. Millionaire many times over and owner of Northbrook Laboratories, Senator Haughey, claimed only £8,625. Former TD John Connor, a Fine Gael senator from Roscommon, by comparison claimed more than five times that, £47,743. Part of the reason lies in the comparative number of times the two Senators attended sessions of the Upper House. Senator Haughey, business entrepreneur and part-time politician, claimed in respect of five months last year and two this year. Senator Connor, full-time politician and regular attender at Leinster House, had claims for all months out of the last 12 except for September and November, 2000 and every month so far this year except May. Some of Senator Connor's expenses related to travel abroad as a member of inter-parliamentary delegations. He was in Paris a number of times and also went to Strasbourg, Croatia, Istanbul and London. A total of 24 senators got expenses in the year that topped £30,000, ensuring that, on average, they topped up their £23,000 salary with £10,000 in expenses and allowances. Senan Molony and Chris Glennon Copyright © Irish Independent 2001 |