On This Day: Frustrated farmers and political pay rises dominate the headlines

Farmers blockade the entrance to the Tesco Distribution Plant at Donabate in protest at beef prices.Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

Frustrated farmers and political pay rises were on the front page of the Irish Examiner 12 months ago. The more things change...

Taoiseach Micheál Martin was hitting headlines last August though, at the time, he was in opposition. The leader of Fianna Fáil had received a €30,000 pay bump through an allowance claimed by his party, bringing his salary to almost €125,000. This had drawn some criticism.