Organisations are top heavy with high earners
However, the less-looked-at reality is that city and county councils are top heavy with senior public servants who are earning huge amounts with increments built in every year until they get to the top of their hefty pay packets.
In Dec 2009, “emergency financial measures in the public interest” were implemented to cut the pay of all civil servants — including local authority workers — around the country.
They ranged from 5% on the first €30,000 to 10% on the next 55% resulting in reductions from 5% to 8% on salaries up to €125,000.
Less than a year later, the Croke Park deal was signed preventing any further pay cuts.
With householders now being forced to pay €100 towards local government, there will no doubt be anger to see how the top brass within each county is paid, and just how many of them there are.
An analysis of wages reveals most local authorities have at least five people earning over €90,000 and by the time workers reach the top of their pay grade, many councils will have, or already have, several earning over €100,000.
In Dublin City Council and Cork City Council, all of the top 10 posts receive over €100,000. In Cork County Council, 15 personnel will earn €100,000 when they reach the top of their pay grades.
Indeed a report on local government reform, by the local government efficiency review group, commissioned by John Gormley two years ago stated: “A separate independent exercise is needed to review overall staffing levels, and numbers at management level, in both Dublin and Cork city councils. Both local authorities have high levels of staffing per capita, as well as large numbers of staff at senior management level.”
Astonishingly, the Dublin city librarian earns more than the prime minister of Spain at €106,900 (the top of pay scale). Spain’s prime minister receives an annual salary of about €92,000, so in fact it’s not just the head librarian who earns more than him, but many of those working in top local authority positions.
Discussions on local government reform have been bandied about for more than 20 years. In the lifetime of the previous government, there was a green paper, discussions on directly elected mayors, an OECD report, the McCarthy report, a Commission on Taxation review, and the local government efficiency review group.
The review group found staffing levels within local government have declined by 13% between mid-2008 and the end of 2009.
Despite this, there is still scope to reduce further the number of staff at senior and middle management levels within the local government sector, the group concluded.
It recommended the current number of staff at director of service level be further reduced by at least 20%. It also recommended a 15% reduction in the number of staff at senior executive officer, administrative officer, senior staff officer, and staff officer levels, as well as a 15% reduction in the numbers at senior engineer, senior executive engineer, executive engineer, and assistant engineer (and equivalent grades).
It also called for several county and city council areas to be paired as joint administrative areas to facilitate greater economies of scale in the provision of local services, such as Carlow and Kilkenny; Cavan and Monaghan; Galway city and county; Laois and Offaly; Leitrim and Sligo; Longford and Westmeath; Mayo and Roscommon; North Tipperary and South Tipperary; Waterford city and county.
The group also said there was a case for joint administration in respect of Limerick city and county.
Planning expert Diarmuid O’Grada goes even further and maintains the country only needs four county councils: One for Dublin, Munster, Leinster with Portlaoise as a base, and Connacht/Ulster with Sligo as a hub.
Mr O’Grada said then each area could bring in in-house planning and environmental expertise and build the infrastructure we need to get us out of the economic morass.
Environment Minister Phil Hogan faced — and still faces — a mammoth battle to try and convince householders to pay the €100 charge. Perhaps if significant reforms were under way, it would be easier to convince people that real change was afoot.
At a Seanad debate on local government reform earlier this year, all Mr Hogan offered was more platitudes and the promise of yet another report.
“The operational element of local government is being addressed, particularly through the implementation of the local government efficiency review recommendations,” he said.
“This is proceeding under the aegis of an implementation group, with the focus initially on prioritised implementation by the local government sector in areas which offer significant potential for early savings, such as procurement, ICT, HR and shared services.
“The implementation group’s interim report will be completed shortly, with the incorporation of specific information on savings and delivery times.”
Householders are being forced to pay a €100 charge for local services — and that’s just for starters. With threats of local services being slashed in areas with low compliance, an Irish Examiner investigation into the pay of those at the top of each council reveals where large sums of taxpayers’ money is really going.
County manager (Tom Barry): €132,511
5 directors of services: €90,453 to €106,900
Vet inspector: €94,392
3 senior engineers: €73,223 to €87,117
Chief fire officer: €81,232
* What the top 10 earn: €1,103,986
County manager (Jack Keyes): €132,511
4 directors of services: €90,453 to €106,900
5 senior engineers: €73,223 to €87,117
* What the top 10 earn: €995,696
County manager (Tom Coughlan): €142,469
Chief veterinary inspector: €93,436 to €109,927
4 directors of services: €90,453 to €106,900
2 senior engineers: €73,223 to €87,117
Chief fire officer: €73,223 to €87,117
Senior executive officer: €64,426 to €84,036
* What the top 10 earn: €1,025,383
City manager (Tim Lucey): €153,260
Assistant city manager: €90,453 to €106,900
5 directors of services: €90,453 to €106,900
3 heads of function: €90,453 to €106,900
* What the top 10 earn: €1,115,360
County manager (Martin Riordan): €162,062
3 divisional managers: €125,885
Chief vet officer: €93,436 to €111,177
10 directors of services: €90,453 to €106,900
1 county engineer: €81,077 to €98,379
4 vet inspectors: €60,555 to €94,392
19 senior professionals (engineer/architect/planner/solicitor/scientist): €73,223 to €87,117
* What the top 10 earn: €1,185,394
County manager (Seamus Neely): €142,469
5 directors of services: €90,453 to €106,900
4 senior engineers: €74,223 to €87,117
* What the top 10 earn: €1,025,437
City manager (John Tierney): €189,301
City engineer/director of traffic: €142,469
Assistant city manager: €132,511
Head of finance: €132,511
Personnel officer: €132,511
Executive manager: €90,453 to €106,900
Dublin city librarian: €90,453 to €106,900
Financial accountant: €90,453 to €106,900
ICT manager: €90,453 to €106,900
* What the top 10 earn: €1,263,803
County manager (Owen Keegan): €153,260
8 directors of services: €106,900
County law agent: €95,540
County architect: €95,540
* What the top 10 earn: €1,104,000
County manager (David O’Connor): €162,062
6 directors of services: €106,900
County architect: €95,540
Law agent: €95,540
5 senior engineers (five of them on the top point of the scale): €73,223 to €87,117
3 senior planners: €87,117
* What the top 10 earn: €1,081,714
City manager (Joe O’Neill, acting): €132,511
3 directors of services: €90,453 to €106,900
Head of finance and ICT: €90,453 to €106,900
3 senior engineers: €73,223 to €87,117
Senior planner: €73,223 to €87,117
2 management accountants: €64,426 to €84,036
* What the top 10 earn: €992,615
County manager (Martina Moloney): €142,469
5 directors of service: €90,453 to €106,900
2 veterinary inspectors:€60,555 to €94,392
Chief fire officer €76,884 to €91,472
6 senior engineers: €73,223 to €87,117
* What the top 10 earn: €1,044,342
County manager (Tom Curran): €142,469
6 directors of services: €106,900 (one not in place; seconded to Limerick Regeneration Agency)
Law agent: €95,540
Veterinary inspector: €94,392
Head of finance: €90,453
* What the top 10 earn: €1,064,254
County manger (Michael Malone): €153,260
6 directors of service: €86,408 to €106,900
6 senior engineers: €73,223 to €87,117
* What the top 10 earn: €1,056,011
County manager (Joe Crockett): €142,469
3 directors of service: €90,453 to €106,900
Head of finance €90,453 to €106,900
Veterinary officer: €60,555 to €94,392
3 senior engineers: €73,223 to €87,117
Senior planner: €73,223 to €87,117
Chief fire officer: €73,223 to €87,117
* What the top 10 earn: €1,012,989
County manager (Peter Carey): €132,511
2 director of services: €90,453 to €106,900
Head of finance: €90,453 to €106,900
Chief fire officer: €73,223 to €87,117
Senior planner: €73,223 to €87,117
3 senior engineers: €73,223 to €87,117
Financial management accountant: €64,426 to €84,036
* What the top 10 earn: €888,796
County manager (Jackie Maguire): €132,511
4 director of services: €90,453 to €106,900 Head of finance: €90,453 to €106,900
3 senior engineers: €73,223 to €87,117
Veterinary officer: €60,555 to €94,392
* What the top 10 earn: €1,022,754
City manager (Tom Mackey): €142,469
4 directors of service: €98,677 to €106,900
3 senior engineers: €81,886 to €87,117
Senior executive officer: €84,036
* What the top 10 earn: €1,006, 258
County manager (Gerry Behan, acting): €142,469
5 directors of services: €90,453 to €106,900
Head of finance: €90,453 to €106,900
Veterinary officer: €60,555 to €94,393
5 senior engineers: €73,223 to €87,117
Chief fire officer: €73,223 to €87,117
Regional waste co-ordinator: €73,223 to €84,036
* What the top 10 earn: €1,052,496
County manager (Tim Caffrey): €132,511
2 directors of services (plus one acting director of services): €90,453 to €106,900
Head of finance: €90,453 to €106,900
Senior resident engineer: €80,076
2 senior engineers: €73,223 to €87,117
4 senior executive officer: €64,426 to €84,036
8 senior executive engineers: €62,276 to €78,501
Veterinary inspector: €60,555 to €94,392
2 resident engineers: €59,680 to €68,030
Site technician: €48,147 to €52,363
* What the top 10 earn: €1,066,529
County manager (Conn Murray) €142,469
5 directors of services: €90,453 to €106,900
Head of finance: €90,453 to €106,900
6 senior engineers: €73,223 to €87,117
Chief fire officer: €73,223 to €87,117
11 in senior executive officer/financial management accountant/senior social worker/county librarian/head of IT posts: €64,426 to €84,036
* What the top 10 earn: €1,025,437
County manager (Peter Hynes): €142,469
County engineer: €90,453 to €106,900
4 directors of services: €90,453 to €106,900
Head of finance: €90,453 to €106,900
Chief fire officer: €73,223 to €87,117
Project resident engineer: €88,698
Vet inspector: €60,555 to €94,392
* What the top 10 earn: €1,054,076
County Manager (Tom Dowling) €153,260
4 directors of services: €90,453 to €106,900
Head of finance: €90,453 €106,900
County Vet: €88,898 to €98,945
Project resident engineer: €88,698
Chief fire officer: €73,223 to €87,117
Senior planner: €73,223 to €87,117
4 senior engineers: €73,223 to €87,117
* What the top 10 earn: €1,049,637
County manager (David Fallon): €132,511
2 directors of services: €90,453 to €106,900
Acting director of services: €90,453 to €106,900
Head of finance: €90,453 to €106,900
3 senior engineers: €73,223 to €87,117
Veterinary inspector: €60,555 to €94,392
Senior executive officer: €64,426 to €84,036
* What the top 10 earn: €999,890
County manager (Joe MacGrath): €132,511
3 directors of service: €90,453 to €106,900
Head of finance: €90,453 to €106,900
Veterinary inspector: €60,555 to €94,392
4 senior engineers: €73,223 to €87,117
* What the top 10 earn: €1,002,971
County manager (Pat Gallagher): €132,511
4 directors of services: €90,453 to €106,900
Head of finance: €90,453 to €106,900
3 senior engineers: €73,223 to €87,117
Chief fire officer: €73,223 to €87,117
Senior planner: €73,223 to €87,117
* What the top 10 earn: €995,696
County manager (Frank Dawson): €132,511
3 directors of services: €90,453 to €106,900
Head of finance: €90,453 to €106,900
Veterinary inspector: €60,555 to €94,392
Chief fire officer: €73,223 to €87,117
3 senior engineers: €73,223 to €87,117
* What the top 10 earn: €1,002,971
County manager (Hubert Kearns): €136,509
3 directors of services: €99,970 to €109,268
Senior executive officer: €104,885
Project engineer: €96,167
2 senior engineers: €86,818 to €92,919
Veterinary inspector: €91,336
Chief librarian: €86,573
* What the top 10 earn: €1,012,872
Acting director of services: €102,787
Senior executive officer: €81,234
4 senior executive engineers: €71,824 to €76,118
Executive engineer and acting senior executive engineers: €64,373
Executive engineer: €62,374
3 administrative officers: €59,324 to €61,420
* What the top 10 earn: €653,182
County manager (Philomena Poole, acting): €162,062
8 directors of services: €90,453 to €106,900
Project engineer (construction): €87,117
County architect: €78,368 to €95,540
Law agent: €78,368 to €95,540
15 in senior engineer/senior architect/senior planner/parks superintendent/solicitor/health and safety adviser posts: €73,223 to €87,117
* What the top 10 earn: €1,104,379
County manager (Billy McEvoy): €142,469
5 directors of services: €90,453 to €106,900
4 veterinary inspectors: €60,555 to €94,393
* What the top 10 earn: €1,054,541
City manager (Michael Walsh): €132,511
3 directors of services: €90,453 to €106,900
Head of finance: €90,453 to €106,900
Senior engineer: €73,223 to €87,117
Senior architect: €73,223 to €87,117
Chief fire officer: €73,223 to €87,117
City librarian: €64,426 to €84,036
Head of information systems: €64,426 to €84,036
* What the top 10 earn: €989,534
County manager (Denis McCarthy): €132,511
4 directors of services: €90,453 to €106,900
3 senior engineers: €73,223 to €87,117
County librarian: €68,496
4 senior executive officer: €64,426 to €84,036
* What the top 10 earn: €973,994
County manager (Danny McLoughlin) €142,469
2 directors of services: €90,453 to €106,900
Head of finance: €90,453 to €106,900
Veterinary officer: €60,555 to €94,392
Chief fire officer: €73,223 to €87,117
3 senior engineers: €73,223 to €87,117
County librarian: €64,426 to €84,036
* What the top 10 earn: €990,065
County manager (Eddie Breen): €142,469
3 directors of services: €102,787 to €106,900
Head of finance: €94,565
County veterinary officer: €94,392
2 senior engineers: €87,117
Chief fire officer: €84,500
Senior engineer: €84,500
* What the top 10 earn: €991,247
County manager (Eddie Sheehy): €142,469
6 directors of services: €90,453 to €106,900
Head of finance: €90,453 to €106,900
Law agent: €78,368 to €95,540
Veterinary inspector: €60,555 to €94,392
* What the top 10 earn: €1,080,701
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