Craughwell calls for wage hike for TDs and senators and restoration of pre-crash allowances

Gerard Craughwell said: 'I know that some members of the public would be pretty pissed off about it, but that's irrelevant to me'

Gerard Craughwell, an independent senator since 2014, emailed TDs and senators on Thursday morning calling for their support. File picture: Mark Stedman/RollingNews.ie

A long-standing senator has called for some TDs' and senators’ salaries to be increased as he suggested pre-crash allowances should be restored.

Gerard Craughwell, an independent senator since 2014, emailed TDs and senators on Thursday morning calling for their support.

The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act, referred to as Fempi, was introduced in 2009 during the financial crash. It provided the basis for a reduction in pay for all public servants, including members of either House of the Oireachtas or of a local authority.

In September 2008, a TD’s basic salary was €100,191. Under Fempi, this was cut to €92,672 in 2009. It was further reduced to €87,258 in 2013. A senator’s salary was €70,134 in 2008. This dropped to €65,621 under Fempi and €65,000 in 2013.

As part of the changes, long-service payments and increments were abolished from March 2011.

In September 2008, a TD on long service increment level one had a salary of €103,389, while those on level two had a salary of €106,582. A senator, meanwhile, could be on a salary of €72,371 or €74,608 rather than €70,134, depending on their length of service.

Currently, a TD’s basic salary is €117,133. A senator is paid €82,018.

In an email to TDs and senators seen by the Irish Examiner, Mr Craughwell said Fempi cuts had not been fully unwound for politicians.

“In recent negotiations with [the Irish Congress of Trade Unions] the Government's new deal commits to the full unwinding of the 2009 Fempi legislation, and has made provisions for unions to negotiate up to an additional 3% of pay costs via local bargaining,” he said.

“As of now, the only workers in the State who have not had a full unwinding of Fempi are members of the Oireachtas.

“I intend to request the minister for public expenditure to restore all outstanding Fempi cuts (such as the long-service increment) imposed on members of the Oireachtas as already agreed with the labour movement.

“I would ask that members support me on this.” 

Public could be 'pissed off'

Mr Craughwell told the Irish Examiner while he accepted  the public might be “pissed off”, matters such as the long-service increments were never restored when Fempi legislation for other public service workers was undone.

“Doctors in hospitals, lecturers in universities, are paid substantially more than a TD or a senator,” he said.

“What's good for the goose is good for the gander. Terms and conditions of employment should never be measured against other people.

“Other than, if you apply something to one group of society, you apply it to all.

I know that some members of the public would be pretty pissed off about it, but that's irrelevant to me.

“I'm the former leader of a trade union, and that's the angle I'm coming at it from, and I'm not afraid of public rebuke.” 

One politician told the Irish Examiner the email from Mr Craughwell was “tone deaf”.