Micheál defends ‘appropriate’ Watt pay rise
TAOISEACH Micheál Martin has defended Robert Watt’s controversial €292,000 salary – and said he believes future secretaries general at the Department of Health should continue to be paid more than their counterparts in other departments.
Last week, Mr Watt was appointed secretary general at the Department of Health, with his salary eclipsing every other department secretary general, as well as prominent politicians such as the Taoiseach and Tánaiste.
His proposed salary was the subject of heavy criticised for months. Upon his permanent appointment, Mr Watt said he would be waiving €81,000 of his pay temporarily, given the country’s difficult economic circumstances.
Speaking yesterday before the Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, the Taoiseach said: ‘My position is, being a former minister for health, I think the increase is appropriate to the position.
‘Long after the present incumbent leaves the position, I think the secretary general of Health should get a higher remuneration than other government departments’ secretaries general.’
Mr Martin said the Health Department is responsible for handling the pandemic, Sláintecare and the National Children’s Hospital.
‘The succession of issues that Health has to deal with, in any one year outside of even a pandemic, is on a scale, in my view, that is higher than other government departments,’ he said.
The Taoiseach made these remarks in response to questions from Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín.
On Mr Watt’s pay increase, Deputy Tóibín said: ‘I think it’s an extraordinary pay increase given the fact that the economy is under potentially unprecedented pressure at the moment and given the fact that other members of the health service are operating under enormous pressures. Very difficult jobs are not being remunerated properly.’
Mr Watt’s pension will be based on his higher pay, factoring in the rise, according to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.