Consumer Corner: Councillors get a salary of €28,145 — but guess who earns €120k a year?
Taoiseach-elect Simon Harris TD, and his predecessor, Leo Varadkar TD. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins
- This article was first published on March 27, 2024.
When the Taoiseach announced his shock resignation he used his departure speech to encourage people to consider becoming politicians. Despite the prestige that comes with the role, political parties are struggling to encourage people to run for election. Pay is of course a major element of any job so what can a politician expect to earn these days in Ireland?
Like any job the role of a politician has entry level roles rising up to the CEO or as we like to refer to them, An Taoiseach. Most politicians in Ireland however will start their careers as City or County Councillors.
Councillors get an annual salary of €28,145, which is taxable and an additional allowance of €3,162.36 a year. Both are paid monthly. If someone becomes Lord Mayor then they will get an annual salary of around €50,000 plus expenses and this is a full-time role. This level of pay however means that many people will be double-jobbing when they get elected to the local Council.
TDs then earn an annual salary of €108,987. If they get promoted to a Senior Minister role they will get an additional €89,102 onto that while a Minister of State will earn an extra €43,772. A Senator earns €76,329 a year, while MEPs, who represent us in Europe earn around €120,000 a year and this is paid from the European Parliament budget.
Dr Aodh Quinlivan, a senior lecturer at the Department of Government and Politics in UCC says that there is no pension scheme in place for local Councillors but there is a retirement gratuity scheme. This is more like a one-off payment rather than a pension scheme and worth around €70,000 to a local politician after 20 years of service. This pales in comparison to the pensions enjoyed by TDs and Ministers, which can be very lucrative. Figures showed last year that there were 13 former politicians getting an annual pension payment of more than €75,000. Dr Quinlivan says that back in 2016, TD salaries ranked seventh highest out of the then 28 EU countries.
Cllr Shane O’Callaghan is one of the many local representatives who works a ‘day-job’ in addition to their role as a public representative. He is a self employed barrister.
“I have always had a huge interest in current affairs and I really enjoy working for the community, solving problems on behalf of people and raising issues that are important for them. In my experience, you can really make a positive contribution to people’s lives as a public representative, which is very fulfilling.” He says however that Councillors who don’t have an additional job in addition to their role as a politician could find it difficult to support a family on a councillor’s salary. Despite this he does recommend a career in politics.
“It can be tough and demanding and is certainly not for everyone. However, if you have a genuine interest and grá for working for your community and a thick skin, it can be extremely rewarding.” Emmet O’Halloran is a former politician and now a career advisor in secondary school. He says that not many of his students show an interest in politics.
“They are certainly more interested in social and political issues but it is rare that someone will tell you that they want to be a politician. I think as a society this is something that we need to keep a close eye on. I admire anyone from any party that goes before the people.” When recommending a career choice Emmet says that he advises students to pick something that they are both genuinely interested in and likely to be good at.
“A career in politics is no different in this regard. If you have a genuine passion for working for your community and you are a good listener, I would absolutely recommend a career in politics.” “Salaries of TDs and Ministers are usually what make the headlines; however, the vast majority of people who work in politics in Ireland are local Councillors. The basic salary for a councillor does not come anywhere near the level of work and commitment that goes into the job.” Dr Quinlivan says that also believes people should consider a job as a politician.
“We need politicians as they provide a vital public service. It is easy to be a hurler on the ditch and it takes bravery to put yourself before the public and on a ballot paper. Politics can be defined as the activity through which people make, preserve and amend the rules under which they live. So, it boils down to whether you want to be an active or passive member of society?”
Dr Quinlivan also makes the point that it was a “retrograde step” to abolish the Town Councils in 2014 as he says more women and young people were elected to that level of government than any other level.
“We have now made it harder and more expensive for people to take a first step into the world of politics.”
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