Each TD to cost taxpayer €276k next year

EVERY single TD will cost the taxpayer more than €276,000 to fund next year, official figures have revealed.

On average, each of the 166 TDs will receive €110,000 in basic salary in 2009, an increase of €2,400 on this year’s figure.

This is because the TDs received two separate salary hikes this year, despite the country’s slide into recession and the Government urging pay restraint.

In addition to basic salary, TDs will qualify for an average of €23,800 apiece in travel expenses next year.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/irishexaminer/pages/story.aspx-qqqg=ireland-qqqm=ireland-qqqa=ireland-qqqid=77856-qqqx=1.asp

No recession for TD's as they get pay rise

ALL of our TDs will earn a basic take-home salary of at least €100,000 for the first time from today.

The boost to their earnings comes as Taoiseach Brian Cowen this week attempts to kickstart the collapsed pay talks.

The job of every TD is now officially in the six-figure bracket as the terms of a national wage increase kick in for workers across the country.

The 2.5pc increase is the final tranche of a pay rise agreed under the national partnership agreement, which has yet to be replaced by a new wage deal.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/tds-smash-the-8364100000-barrier-with-wages-hike-1466705.html