Fretful Paschal stopped Noone’s extra perk
FINE Gael’s Senator Catherine Noone took on the task of chairing the Oireachtas committee on repealing the Eighth, but she didn’t get a cent of the extra money she was entitled to because Paschal Donohoe feared a public backlash.
That’s because she already gets paid an extra €9,500 as Seanad deputy leader and new legislation would be needed to pay her both, on top of her €66,277 Seanad salary.
Records obtained under Freedom of Information rules reveal that a memo from the Finance Minister warned that paying more than one allowance required changing legislation ‘which we do not favour’. He added: ‘It would almost certainly draw unfavourable comment in the media and could lead to other members pressing for legislative change to accommodate their case.’
The memo said it could re-open the debate over extra payments for super junior ministers. Although there are four such ministers, the law only allows for two to be paid the extra €16,000-a-year.
And last year, the Government was forced to seek a refund from Minister Regina Doherty after it was discovered she was illegally receiving such an allowance.
Senator Noone said she has not been involved in the discussion on her allowance. She said: ‘I was actually told I was getting the payment by someone who was mistaken.’ She added: ‘I didn’t mind either way.’