€292K salary 'plucked out of the air' for top health official

Robert Watt was appointed as Secretary-General on the higher salary level but has “waived” the €81,000 increase. Photo: Gareth Chaney Collins

The €292,000 salary for the new top official in the Department of Health was “plucked out of the air” and the whole process “looks rigged”, two powerful Dáil committees have heard.

Robert Watt was appointed as Secretary-General on the higher salary level but has “waived” the €81,000 increase and a joint session of the Finance and Public Accounts Committees heard that the waiver was at Mr Watt’s discretion and can be ended at a time of his choosing.