FG accused of cronyism after sanctioning pay-cap breach

FINE GAEL has been accused of Fianna Fáil-style political cronyism after details emerged of how Taoiseach Enda Kenny sanctioned a €35,000 pay rise for a key party handler in breach of the Government’s own self-imposed limits on salaries for special advisers.

The Taoiseach personally overruled two key ministers responsible for the state’s finances, Michael Noonan and Brendan Howlin, to secure a €127,000 salary for former Fine Gael strategist Ciarán Conlon.

Sinn Féin public expenditure spokesperson Mary Lou McDonald said details about Mr Kenny’s efforts to sanction the rise were further evidence of scandalously high public sector pay and pension entitlements.