€500,000 in teachers’ pay for politicians

TAXPAYERS have paid almost €500,000 to 20 TDs and senators for being on leave of absence from teaching, on top of their Oireachtas salaries, in the last five years.

The figures have been released under the Freedom of Information Act by the Department of Education, at a time when Education Minister Noel Dempsey has ordered numerous spending reviews.

There are strong fears of cuts next year in teaching posts, particularly for staff helping children with disabilities. Hundreds of schools seek funding for buildings and the Government is being urged to spend millions next year to cut pupil absenteeism.

Mr Dempsey received more than €20,000 from the Department of Education between April, 1998, and the end of last year, while on leave from his job as a school guidance counsellor. The payments were in addition to his ministerial salary since 1997, currently almost €170,000.

A spokesperson for Mr Dempsey said he was examining the issue of residual salaries to TDs and senators, particularly in light of severance arrangements in place for Oireachtas members when they lose their seats.

"The minister doesn’t think there’s any conflict of interest in him receiving a teacher’s salary, there’s a scheme in place for a number of years and it applies to everybody equally.”

Ministers of State Tom Kitt and Frank Fahey also continue to receive part of their teaching salaries, earning €40,000 and over €13,000 since April, 1998, respectively. But their Government colleagues Micheál Martin and Mary Hanafin have declined the money available from their school posts.

More than €20,000 each has been paid to 10 TDs and senators in the same time, on top of their parliamentary salaries, currently around €74,000 and €52,000 respectively.

In total, €498,156.42 has been paid before tax since April, 1998, to 20 teachers who are current Oireachtas members, not including at least five who teach at third level or in VEC colleges.

The highest paid, according to the Department of Education, was Galway Fine Gael Senator Ulick Burke, who received €68,000 from teaching in the past five years.

However, Sen Burke said last night that figure included €11,000 full teacher’s salary for three months after he lost his Dáil seat last year, and he is repaying €14,000 received because of a departmental error between 1997 and 2002.

Teachers elected to the Oireachtas are entitled to paid leave of absence.

The Department deducts salary and pension contributions of a replacement temporary teacher, paying the difference to the TD or senator.