Dev showed them how to run a republic, but they’ve betrayed it

BY pleading the poor mouth before completing his second term as President in 1973, Eamon de Valera had his pension increased by a fraction over 475%.

It was a massive hike, but only because he had effectively refused any increases in his salary in over 30 years.

He had opportunities to have it raised in the 1960s when, as Minister for Finance, Charlie Haughey accorded a massive salary increase to politicians. But Dev's salary was not touched at his own request. As he approached retirement in 1973, the President's salary was still the same as it was when the office was set up in 1937.