Call for mayors’ remuneration to be increased

A former mayor of Clare said yesterday that remuneration of mayors should be increased to fund proper research and back-up for holders of the office during their one-year term.

Councillor Christy Curtin (Ind) finished his term as Clare mayor last June and new figures from the county council show he was one of the highest earners in the €900,000 shared out by the authority’s 32 councillors last year.

The local authority has placed on its website details of the payments to each councillor, including payments for meetings, conferences and summer schools attended by each councillor.

In total, the councillors claimed €907,000 in payments last year and the figures show Mr Curtin scooped €36,172. He received one of the highest amounts by virtue of the €13,500 mayoral allowance he received for six months of the period under review — the annual mayoral allowance totals €27,000.

The Miltown Malbay -based councillor said mayors should receive an increase in remuneration “to fund proper research and back-up during their time as mayor. I am not asking for more money directly into the mayor’s pocket, but the role of mayor is an iconic one and it should be properly funded”.

Mr Curtin said that after his term as mayor last year “I wasn’t any richer”.

As a result of his mayoral duties, he clocked up 60,000km in his car and attended 270 functions during the year, in addition to 67 council-related meetings.

He said: “I performed my duties as mayor to the best of my ability.”

In his returns, Mr Curtin pointed out that his council income is subject to tax, confirming that last year he paid €11,515 in taxation, made up of PAYE, PRSI, the pension levy and universal social charge, in common with other councillors.

Clare County Council is one of a few local authorities to publish the expenses of their councillors online.

The top earner is current mayor Pat Hayes (FF), who received €41,038 last year.

Other councillors high on the list include special policy committee chairs Joe Arkins, who claimed €37,082, Joe Cooney (€30,896), Patricia McCarthy (€34,7721) and Richard Nagle, who claimed €32,892.