Referendum to be held on judges’s pay

Judges’s pay a constitutional matter


Áine Ryan

JUDGES’ pay may be dramatically reduced if a proposed constitutional amendment is passed. Irish judges are amongst the highest paid throughout the world. Despite opposition from the judiciary, Minister for Justice Alan Shatter intends to go ahead with  a referendum to amend the Constitution to allow a reduction in the salaries and pensions of the country’s 147 judges. 
The referendum will most likely be held on the same day as the Presidential Election.
A proposed amendment would allow government to cut the salaries of serving judges by 16 per cent in the lower courts and up to 23 per cent for judges in the upper courts. Newly appointed judges would face more swingeing cuts.    
In a memorandum sent to the government last week, fears for the independence of the judiciary were expressed by the judiciary. It states: “The principles of judicial independence require that any decision regarding judicial remuneration and the reduction in judicial pay must be taken by an independent body.”
It further states that its observations were not made to oppose an amendment to the Constitution with regard to judges bearing a fair share of the burden of pay reductions.
Judges’pay costs in the region of €27 million annually, with their expenses bill about €2m, while millions more is paid out for pension entitlements.
Due to the economic crash and after sustained pressure, some judges opted to take voluntary reductions in their salaries over the last two years. The 37 Circuit Court judges receive €177.554 each while the 63 judges of the District Court receive an annual salary of €147,961.