Ministers’ pay to be cut by 40% and TDs’ pay by 20% in Sinn Féin Budget plan

TDs, ministers and senators need to really share the cuts

MINISTERS' PAY will be cut by 40% and TDs' salaries by 20% in Sinn Féin's Budget plan, Mary Lou McDonald has announced.

The Sinn Féin deputy leader said in Dublin:

It is simply unacceptable for the Government – or indeed the ‘government in waiting’ – to advocate massive cuts and a scaling down of public services to meet their 2014 Budget deficit reduction deadline without themselves leading by example.

That is why Sinn Féin’s Budget proposals will include significant cuts to senators’, TDs’ and ministerial salaries.

In our Budget proposals we are calling for a cap on ministerial salaries at €100,000; TDs’ salaries at €75,000; and senators’ salaries at €60,000.

Each salary cap remains a multiple of what the majority of employees earn across the sectors.

Whilst this measure would save the Exchequer just €6million it is a critically important signal to struggling families, the low-paid and unemployed that Sinn Féin is serious in its commitment to fair play.

This commitment is what sets us apart from the cosy consensus that has emerged between the government parties, Fine Gael and Labour.

Mary Lou said that Sinn Féin will launch its Budget submission in the coming weeks.

It is a comprehensive progressive economic alternative that focuses on job creation, taxation justice, an end to wasteful expenditure and a sensible deficit reduction timeline.

The people and economy deserve better than a reshuffling of bums on Dáil seats. Sinn Féin’s way is better for the economy and for our people.