Cowen defends €214k salary

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen has defended his salary amid criticism of Government proposals to slash the national minimum wage.

Mr Cowen also attacked the opposition’s budgetary policies as he embarked on a pre-election offensive in the Dáil yesterday.

He was responding to Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and his Labour counterpart Eamon Gilmore, who claimed the budget was deeply inequitable.