Wicklow Sinn Féin TD John Brady has described as ‘obscene’ the decision to increase the pay of three ‘super junior’ ministers who will now be entitled to an allowance of €16,288 for sitting at Cabinet, on top of their €124,000 salary for serving as Minister of State.
Deputy Brady said “Its obscene that at a time when the Covid Welfare payment is being cut and many businesses are struggling to keep their doors open the government pushes through pay hikes for three ‘super junior’ ministers. This means they will now be entitled to an allowance of €16,288 for sitting at Cabinet, on top of their €124,000 salary for serving as Minister of State.”
“It certainly didn’t take the Green Party long to jump on the Gravy Train with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. The pay of TDs of Senators, of office holders should be cut, not increased. If ever there was a time, in the middle of a pandemic, this is the time to be taking decreases not increases in pay.”
“Over the last few months our frontline workers literally put their lives on the line to keep us safe during the Covid crisis, they were privileged to get little more than a round of applause. However, the decision to give a pay hike to these must make them some kind of ‘Super-Dee-Duper’ Junior Ministers.”
Brady concluded “I think that Wicklow TD’s, Steven Matthews, Stephen Donnelly and Simon Harris who voted in support of the pay hikes owe an explanation to the people of Wicklow as to why they believe the hikes are justifiable.”
