Some salaries have been boosted by €32,535 a year.

The newly formed government has approved a series of controversial salary increases and allowances for junior and super-junior ministers, pushing some earnings to nearly €200,000 annually.

Junior ministers who did not secure cabinet positions will now receive a travel and accommodation allowance, previously unavailable to them. This allowance, combined with other benefits, represents a significant boost for those in these roles.

“A TD’s salary already places a recipient in the top 6pc of income earners,” said Sinn Féin TD Mairead Farrell. “When you add on the ministerial salary of circa €46,000 and super-junior allowance of €16,000, you go higher up. She argued that many Independents entering government campaigned against Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil’s perceived self-interest, making these pay rises particularly hypocritical.

Independent TDs supporting the government, such as Michael Healy-Rae from Kerry, stand to benefit significantly. A junior minister living far from Leinster House could now earn a TD’s base salary of €113,679, a ministerial salary of approximately €46,000, and additional allowances exceeding €60,000, working out at around €200,000 per year.

The changes have been justified by the Regional Independent Group (RIG), which negotiated the increases. A source explained that ministers from remote areas faced financial penalties under previous arrangements due to travel expenses and rising accommodation costs in Dublin. RIG members, including Seán Canney and Noel Grealish, will receive a €16,000 super-junior allowance, pushing their earnings further.

The government’s expansion of junior minister positions to a record 23 and total ministers to 38 has also raised eyebrows. Critics argue this bloats the payroll while further straining public funds. Paul Murphy of People Before Profit called the arrangement a “political trick” that reduces resources for the opposition.

Amid widespread backlash, RIG negotiator Michael Lowry, the richest TD in the Dáil, dismissed the controversy, labeling it a routine issue for the Dáil to address. As debates over salaries and roles continue, the new coalition’s ability to fulfill its election promises remains under scrutiny.

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