Sinn Féin brands breach of €92k pay cap of three of Taoiseach's staff as 'brazen'

By Elaine Loughlin, political reporter

Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald has criticised payments above the cap to the Taoiseach’s background staff as “brazen”.

It has been revealed that three of Mr Kenny’s background staff are on salaries over the €92,672 public pay cap.

Speaking this morning Ms McDonald said: “It reminds you of the L’Oréal approach – because I’m worth it – it seems in the minds of the current government some are more equal and some are more worthy than others.”

However, she said it was unsurprising that the Taoiseach was breaking the pay cap as other senior ministers, including the Tánaiste Joan Burton, have done so in the past.

“We know that government having set their pay cap went off then to breach their pay cap repeatedly,” she said.

“It raises a whole question around the commitment to political reform much less the democratic revolution of which they spoke.

“I think it’s brazen, I don’t believe we have ever gotten a convincing explanation from any member of government as to why the pay cap was breached time and time again."

Ms McDonald added that Sinn Féin are willing to go into government after the next general election, but would not hold up a Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael government as a minority party.