Pressure mounts on Perry after wife's appointment to €38,000 job

Pressure is mounting on Fine Gael backbencher John Perry, after it emerged he hired his wife for a €38,000-per-year job as a parliamentary assistant.

Former junior minister Perry gave the job of parliamentary assistant to Marie Mulvey, after he lost his position as minister for small business in a Government reshuffle.

Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe said that while the appointment was not against the rules, it sent out the wrong message.

"Family members should not be apoonted to roles within the Oireachtas or within Government," he said.

"These are all important roles, and while I recognise and respect the right of Deputy Perry to choose people to work for him, I believe it is more appropriate that family members are not appointed to those roles."