Fine Gael TD to replace wife as assistant after controversy

The wife of embattled Fine Gael TD, John Perry, is to be replaced as his assistant following an uproar when it emerged he had appointed her to the taxpayer-funded role.

After mounting criticism of his behaviour, the former minister broke his silence to say that his wife, Maria, was only intended to fill the post on a temporary basis.

The move came after Taoiseach Enda Kenny made clear his displeasure at the appointment after he branded it “unwise”.

Mr Perry drew fire from across the political spectrum after it was revealed he appointed his wife to the role, which pays between €38,760 and €49,035 a year, with overtime payments of a further 20%. The appointment was made last January – just months after he lost a ministerial position.

Losing his post as small business minister saw Mr Perry’s income drop from €121,639 to a backbench salary of €87,258.

Mr Perry said his wife filled in as his parliamentary assistant after the previous occupant of the role left after he stopped being a minister.

The TD said his wife worked in the post on a voluntary basis for six months with no cost to the State, before being put on the payroll in January.

“Having been an integral part of my political career for the past 18 years, Maria was eminently qualified to fulfil the position of parliamentary assistant.

“In light of the growing work load in my office from January 2015 and the volume of work she was doing, I decided to appoint her to the parliamentary assistant position to bridge the gap until my preferred candidate for the position became available,” Mr Perry said.

The Sligo-North Leitrim TD said his wife would be replaced by a new assistant next month.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin criticised the practice of Oireachtas members hiring family members for tax payer funded positions.

Mr Martin stopped short of calling for new regulations in the area, but said it was something the Oireachtas needed to be conscious of.

“It is not practice which I would support. Politicians need to face up to those issues and in terms of public perceptions,” Mr Martin said.

Mr Kenny made it clear he was unhappy with Mr Perry’s appointment of his wife.

“I’ve given my opinion on this before and for many years. I don’t think it’s a wise thing for politicians to employ family members. In the vast majority of cases, and for very many years, wives or spouses, as the case may be, have given endless hours of work for nothing of course. So, that’s my opinion and I stand by it. But I believe a member of family should not be working for any TD,” the Taoiseach said.

While an Enterprise Department minister between March 2011 and July last year, Mr Perry was paid €95,722 for domestic mileage.

As a backbencher, Mr Perry is now paid an allowance of €4,225 a month to cover travel, accommodation and other expenses.

Mr Perry is no stranger to controversy as there were demands for his ministerial resignation in 2013 when the TD and his wife became embroiled in a court action over a €2.47m debt.

Mr Perry and his wife consented to a judgment in the Commercial Court for the amount and agreed a debt repayment schedule with Danske Bank.

Read more of today’s news here