€25m paid to councillors last year

Ireland's local councillors earned a total of more than €25m last year, according to reports today.

The Irish Farmers Journal said 229 councillors collected more than €40,000 each in expenses and allowances, while 54 collected more than €50,000.

The highest earner was Fianna Fáil's Jimmy Maloney, a councillor in Mayo, who picked up more than €75,000 in 2002.

The Labour Party's Paula Desmond, from Cork, received more than €74,600, while Fianna Fáil's Francis Conaghan, a Donegal councillor, collected €69,255.

Kerry councillor Paul O'Donoghue (FF), a brother of Tourism Minister John O'Donoghue, also received more than €68,600.

The figures relate to 26 local authorities and were gathered by means of requests under the Freedom of Information Act.