Soaring pay packets

Councillors defend soaring pay packets

Anna-Marie Flynn

MAYO councillors have defended the fact that part-time politicians are now taking home more than the average industrial wage.
In a report issued yesterday (Monday), it emerged that councillors are now said to be earning an average of €33,347 per year in wages, expenses and other allowances. At €730 more than the average industrial worker’s take-home pay packet, across the country the pay increase has seen county and city councillors raking in over €83 million in the last three years.
Of the average, which is surpassed by many with some even netting up to €75,000 annually, a total of €16,000 is taxable.
With details of the individual wages of Mayo councillors expected to be published later this week, Cathaoirleach of the County Council, Cllr Joe Mellett, who commands over twice the basic pay of a councillor, told The Mayo News he ‘refused to make any apology’ for the income pulled in by local representatives.
“The work of a councillor is now seven days a week, with most of my representations now being made on a Sunday. It is becoming more and more of a full-time job and in the future I can see councillors working around the clock. We deserve to get paid for the hours we put in. You wouldn’t have these hours in any other job,” said the Swinford-based councillor.
“Any councillor worth his salt is deserving of the mileage allowances, which are negotiated and agreed, and the other expenses. Councillors are chosen by the people to do the work of the people and if a councillor is not doing his or her work, it’s up to the public to change that at re-election time,” he added.
The newly-elected Cathaoirleach, who took the chain of office last month, said the ‘sheer time demand’ meant that he had to give up his day-job as auctioneer and publican for the duration of his year-long term. “It just would not be possible to do both; that’s the type of demand we have to face and I will make no apology for it,” he said.
Former Cathoirleach, Cllr Seamus Weir, also defended his position. “While I enjoyed the work of Cathoirleach, there is a lot of expense involved. While we do get expenses and other allowances, the money is lying in my pocket. The Chairperson is billed with the inauguration day costs, which were over €3,000, and the Christmas party. There are some expenses to meet these but, overall, the bill lies at the door of the Cathaoirleach.”
Recent reports suggest that councillors’ earnings have grown rapidly each year since 2005, when €26m was paid out. This jumped to €27.8m in 2006 and to €29.4m in 2007.