Limerick deputies lock horns over top-up ministerial payment

HOUSING Minister Deputy Jan O’Sullivan has clashed with former Defence Minister Willie O’Dea over the Government’s decision to pay her €17,205 to sit at the Cabinet table.
Limerick East Deputy Willie O’Dea said Taoiseach Enda Kenny could have opted not to make this payment to a so-called Super Junior Minister during a time of austerity or Deputy O’Sullivan could have agreed to waive it.
However, the Clonlara-born deputy hit back stating she couldn’t believe the “hypocrisy” of Deputy O’Dea offering advice on whether she should take the salary that goes with her job in Cabinet. 
“He knows well that this is not a rise but the rate previously paid and taxed for the job and that all ministers, senior and junior are paid at a considerably lower rate than when he and his colleagues were in office and presided over the collapse of the economy and didn’t reduce their pay.
“Not only that but Willie O’Dea, on ceasing to be a minister, was paid €54,000 severance, as well as step-down payments on top of his Dáil salary,” she claimed.
If Fianna Fáil was still in Government and this issue came up Deputy O’Dea said he believed the Labour Party would be critical of this payment.
“The Government could cut allowances for TDs, junior ministers – the whole lot. I think there should a bit of leadership. It should also look at the issue of advisors. People are really peeved to see advisors being paid €130,000 a year.
“Most I know are surviving week to week. Whatever class you put them into to, working class, middle class or social welfare class.
“This country has endured four or five years of austerity. If people felt everyone was shouldering this equally, if not equitably, they would be more prepared to accept it.
“This payment sends out the wrong message and infuriates people who are already struggling on low incomes. The Government should have a rethink on this payment,” he said.
Councillor Cathal Crowe described this payment as “frivolous” and “unnecessary”.
“I was surprised to hear about her top-up payment. I was pleased to hear Taoiseach Enda Kenny say late last year they would be cutting back on payments and it would be a ‘no-frills Cabinet’. This payment is completely different. He talked about no-frills Government but this is a top-up payment. I represent people who are surviving on less than €17,205 a year. People trying to clothe children and put food on a table.
“Minister Jan O’Sullivan would be best advised to forego this payment. It is not in line with what the Taoiseach has said in the past. He needs to be truer to his original mantra. His first day as Taoiseach, he travelled on a mini bus with his ministers. Now if you see them, they are back with State drivers and State cars and are getting good payments. They are staying in top hotels when they travel.
“It is ultimately Jan O’Sullivan’s own decision. Other TDs and ex-ministers in the past have given up pension rights and jobs they would have held otherwise. This is something that Minister O’Sullivan will have to decide for herself. When she reflects on it and bearing in mind that a lot of her constituents are surviving on this amount and less, she will see it is unnecessary and it is frivolous,” he said.
Clare Labour Councillor Pascal Fitzgerald declined to comment on the Fianna Fáil claims.
Clare Deputy Pat Breen recalled the first task the Government saw to when it came in to office was to cut the pay rates of all ministers and junior minister, which had become “grossly inflated” when Deputy O’Dea was in Government.
Deputy Breen explained Deputy O’Sullivan is being paid for sitting at the Cabinet table and this is fully taxed and had been significantly reduced from €20,023 to €17,205, despite “ill-informed claims” from the Opposition.
“Willie O’Dea is in no position to criticise pay rates of Government ministers, considering he received a much higher rate of pay during his time at Cabinet and as far as I am aware, he never complained about it. He, along with his other Fianna Fáil Cabinet colleagues, travelled in a fleet of State cars with garda drivers – another practice that this Fine Gael-led Government has put an end to,” he said.