President’s adviser to get salary below government cap

The new chief adviser to President Michael D Higgins is to have a salary just below the Government wage cap following the abrupt departure of his better paid predecessor.

Liam Herrick is to receive €79,401 a year, well down on the €103,000 given to Mary Van Lieshout who walked out of her job half way through a three-year contract.

Mr Herrick moves to the role from the position as head of the Penal Reform Trust which he has occupied since 2007.

Ms Van Lieshout’s sudden departure late last year plunged the office of the presidency into controversy after it was reported that her resignation was due to clashes with another adviser, Kevin McCarthy, over to Mr Higgins.

Sources close to the president denied that Mr McCarthy was controlling who got to see Mr Higgins.

After an initial silence, Ms Van Lieshout, whose salary was well above the €83,000 cap for special advisers, said it had been a “privilege” to work for the president and was leaving to pursue other interests.

Ms Van Lieshout never directly addressed the claims regarding Mr McCarthy’s influence.

Mr McCarthy acted as Mr Higgins’s chauffeur during the presidential campaign in 2011 and was the only one of his election team to be given a job at the Áras. The President sought permission from the Government to redirect funds from other areas of his budget in order to pay Mr McCarthy’s €49,000 salary.

Mr Herrick, 38, a UCC graduate, has an extensive background in the field of human rights.

He previously worked for the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, and the Irish Human Rights Commission.

Taking up a three-year contract, Mr Herrick will assume his position at the Áras in the middle of next month.

Ms Van Lieshout took up a role with Goal on her departure from the Áras.