Pay awards for TDs come at a difficult time with Bus Eireann on strike

THIS week it has emerged our TDs are to take up a pay restoration award which will be worth a gross €2,700.

TDs took a €5,414 drop in wages, from €92,672 to €87,258, during the recession. As a result, a restoration worth €2,707 kicks in this week, with a similar increase next year.

Ministers would be entitled to even larger amounts but it was agreed that they ‘should not avail on a personal basis of the pay restoration’.

There is never a good time for TDs to get a pay award, there are no votes in it for them and they are likely to get a lot of stick from the electorate for taking this pay restoration.

The majority of TDs seem intent on taking the award and that is their right, Sinn Fein has instructed all 23 of its TDs to sign waiver forms allowing the State to recoup the money and the Social Democrats’ two TDs have said they do not believe now is the time for TDs to get pay restoration.

However a number of TDs have turned the issue into their political capital and are using their salary to fight a number of issues such as to assist campaigns such as Repeal the Eighth

People Before Profit’s Richard Boyd Barrett, Gino Kenny and Bríd Smith intend to do likewise with their first monthly instalment going to support the striking Bus Éireann workers.

The argument is whether TDs should be allowed to use the pay restoration award in such a political manner.

Granted it is their money and they like everyone else are all entitled to spend their own money in whatever way they choose after paying all relevant taxes, but using a pay award in such an overt political way is something that should be monitored closely.

The news of the awards comes at a difficult time as public employees with Bus Eireann continue their all out strike with no sign of a resolution.

The employees in Bus Eireann are facing substantial pay cuts and are now facing their second week without pay, relying only on the strike pay issued by their trade union.

The relevant Minister refuses to step in and is leaving the dispute to the company, the unions and the WRC to resolve.

Subsiding public transport was a policy decision made at the establishment of the state and provides an important public service, but we seem to be stealthily slipping away from that position with more licences being awarded to private operators undermining Bus Eireann’s revenue base.

Restoring TDs pay at the same time as public employees are taking pay cuts, are on strike and the very future of their employment is under some doubt due to Bus Eireann’s solvency is far from an ideal scenario.

You cannot rob Peter while you pay Paul more.