Ah but this isn’t a decent country EM.

And Conlon even emailed the HR department complaining that he didt get his €35k rise….Fker hadt even started his job and he looked for the money…good to see he got his priorities right…..look forward to seeing alll these great initiatives he going to advise the government on….want to bet he advise them to get more advisors to help him…..

…Moaning on their bar stools and on sofa’s watching Eastenders and Corrie’.

@UPI Is your moniker ironic?

Dead

They’ve all taken cuts at this stage, reformed expenses and got rid of costly Garda drivers. Enda Kenny reduced his pay rate by 7% when elected. Unless on a substantial salary who would do 12 to 14 hour days, face consistent scrutiny from the media, face a job interview every few years from the fickle electorate, do media interviews late at night and weekends, travel for work around Europe, listen intently in constituency office to Joe Public harp on about how he can’t afford his 11 children (RTE One News today), etc.

It is however the best country in the world to be on social welfare with a hugely generous weekly allowance, accommodation provided, free medical treatment, free dental treatment, single mother’s allowance, back to school allowance, single mother’s allowance, fuel allowance, etc. Not only is the State expected supported your basic needs, but also your cable tv subscription, nights out, cigarettes and so on.

How about a crony tax?

Id take the job Sean, because it carries a hefty salary, you get ridiculous allowances actually both are near top of the scale in terms of the entire EU. You get a golden pension for the rest of your life and you can retire early to get it.

On top of all this by making friends and shaking hands behind closed doors you come out the other side ‘of retirement’ with a back pocket full of contacts and youll end up making comparable if not more money than you did during your public office for the rest of your life.

Dont cod yourself Sean. you have your head in the clouds if you think its a bad number to have. Oh you have to face the cameras every so often. means nothing ,you get to blame other departments for decisions or accept no responsibility at all. ‘I never received that correspondence’ case closed.

Have you lost the plot? Its clearly a gift job . Facts are facts Sean

Id rather earn a decent wage in peace rather than go out every day and try to be all things to all men. The money wouldn’t incentivise me, life’s too short for all that a$$ licking and posturing But maybe that’s just me.

I wouldn’t do the job either Sean.
But I would expect that when I’m cajoled into voting for any political party on the basis of promises and undertakings to the electorate that these promises would be honoured by those elected. That they would stand by the principals of the democratic wish of the people and not engage in the nest-feathering and cronyism that has typified Irish politics.
This is just blatant cronyism similar to the Kevin Cardiff nonsense.

Yes Sean, that’s why Enda is still paid more than the Prime Minister of England, and our ceremonial President is paid more than the President of America. As I said, best country in the world to be a politician, they can do what they want, when they want. They can bail out banks, target the poor, lie and give each other salary increases whilst their electorate confine their indifference to the Internet or the pub.

E90,000 minimum + E20,000 expenses and you are telling me they have a difficult job? Share your wisdom with the mother of a handicapped child, better still you try and survive on E180 a week and all your imaginary allowances. People like you give me a pain in the hole, I so hope you loose your job.

MIchael D Higgins salary – $336,755
Barack Obama’s salary- $400000

Do you usually just lie when the facts dont suit you?

I wont lose my job because unlike some people I didnt run off to a building site when I was 18 to make a quick buck laying bricks and building shoebox apartments. Glad that my tax contributions look after the likes of you and your child though.

You have a pain in your hole? Maybe get off your ar$e and do something with your life.

MIchael D Higgins salary – $336,755: Ceremonial president of Ireland, an island of 4 million people
Barack Obama’s salary- $400,000: The President of America and of 312,725,000 people

The Logic of Sean: That is a relative comparison and acceptable to use as a counter argument

To be honest Sean, your ignorance, apparent stupidity and tabloid sound bites are irritating more than anything else. Then again the confidence of ignorance will always overcome the indecision of knowledge.

P.S I am not unemployed, I do not have a child, I have never claimed welfare

Like Obama would say “Sean got owned!”

” and our ceremonial President is paid more than the President of America. ”

You do realise know that $400,000 is more than $336,755?( It’s a bigger number) I despair for your stupidity. Continue on with your inane comments about how “hilarious” things are in Ireland.

“The Logic of Sean: That is a relative comparison and acceptable to use as a counter argument”

Sean where do you read in that sentence that one doesn’t understand the numerical difference between the two salaries, that you rightly pointed out? You seriously don’t understand that I was attempting to demonstrate how ridiculous your counter argument was. I.E. Not exactly comparing like with like, thus the geographical and population comparisons Genius…Ah here, this is like reading a bedtime story to a 4yr old. Sean Ill give you the benefit of the doubt and put your stupidity and ignorance down to some insecure craving for attention on a screen from strangers…I genuinely can’t believe I just had to explain myself, again to this idiot…He actually thought I was an unemployed mother of a child also, because apparently he can not read or interpret very basic English and grammar, funny guy :)

Sean, have some rest. Take it easy, good man yourself:)

Sean stop, please, I am embarrass for you now. It’s like watching someone after whiskey trying to talk to someone sober

Once again Magic MIchael D Higgins salary – $336,755
Barack Obama’s salary- $400000.

Barack Obama’s salary is a bigger number so that means he gets paid more. Now you said “” our ceremonial President is paid more than the President of America. ”

I hope you understand that Barack Obama actually gets paid more in every sense of the word.

@Magic Ignore him, I suspect he might be very young. How someone can compare the president of a small island to the United States of America, with such a small difference in salary is comical. Don’t feed the troll

I didnt initiate the comparison. I simply corrected the lie that Barack Obama earns less than Michael D Higgins.

You’ll notice that according to the article Mr Kenny evades answering the question. The answer he gives here is to the question ‘is xxx qualified for the job’, not why did you give him extra pay that NO other civil servant deserves? ‘He has a master’s degree and political experience which makes him suitable for the position.’ Two logical possibilities arise here: 1. Mr. Kenny did not understand the question or 2. He is a cronyist liar

10 red thumbs so far for calling Kenny a hypocrite. What would you call it?

The blindness of some people (and I say that as someone who voted FG)

Indeed :(

* his appointment.

And I am assuming Paul you would refuse the large pay packet if you were offered it ;-)) get over yourself ..

What is wrong with you Nialllateshow? Do you not find this reprehensible? Do you condone such cronyism and corruption? I’ve just returned to Ireland from living in what is perceived to be one of the world’s most corrupt countries and I can assure you that even there Kenny’s level of cynicism wouldn’t fly. Makes me absolutely sick to my core that this level of corruption is tolerated by anyone…especially at a time when the ordinary citizens of this country are being force fed a bitter tonic. Disgusting.

Niall FFS. It’s not Mr Conlon’s fault that he took the rise. It’s Mr Kenny’s fault for canvassing for it on his behalf, thereby over-ruling his senior cabinet colleagues, and breeching the salary cap imposed and supposedly championed by the Government.

Added to which, I hear on the news today that 14 further advisors have surpassed the salary cap. It’s incredible, and in equal measure despicable.

If the cap fits, or not.

*breAching* – obviously

He cannot put the issue to bed soon, or anytime. The issue is that the man has shown himself to lack integrity. Meet the new boss……

£106,000 fir staff in a parliament he never attended – ha!

The Dáil is virtually empty most of the time, as is any parliament. Bums on seats does not equal work done.

€95,000 is hardly peanuts for what the job entails. He’s not heading up an MNC or charged with ensuring the smooth and prudent running of a bank. He’s simply an advisor.. And that’s all beside the point anyway.

Unfortunately Gordon, we are already over paying a minister and thousands of civil servants to do this job and last time I looked, unemployment was increasing. They are failing and getting cash bonuses, where do I apply?

……and pay loadsa peanuts, get fat monkeys!

Pay peanuts, get monkeys. Yes please they would do a better job.

Seem to remember during the boom times people when questioning the salaries of ministers, advisors, senior civil servants, bankers etc were told if you didn’t pay well you wouldn’t get the best for the job. Well we all know were that policy got us.

Kenny can defend it all he likes but we all know it’s a job for one of his cronies. I mean how does he know he is the best suited for the job? It wasn’t advertised for god sake.

I suppose that’s how we ended up with twats like Cardiff. Pay more peanuts u get fatter monkeys. Kenny is a disgrace. Sean Macc. If u think that a job u can get for about 8 years and end up with a fat pension for life is not attractive I’d like to know what your job is. It must be some number!

Yeah im sure the PDs said that when they first hired him… now what ever did happen to the PDs now….Great money for advising people on a subject that he doesnt have any experience in,,ie job creation….but if it means having a masters degree and political experience with fine gael will see the dole queues are going to be reduced then we can look forward to jobs appearing again…..somehow i reckon that be like a minister brining forward a bill reducing tds salaries to €60k a year 4 weeks holidays and vouched expenses and no advisors

Its nothing?

KOP-ON! that raise alone is a full years wage for a single person!

Gordan Gordan , What makes you think this man is worth it?

Do you think he would obtain these rates in the private sector? or simply be put out to pasture for his lack of actual real industry knowledge, id gather the latter is more true.

95,000 is a fortune for advising and effectively taking no responsibility for decisions. These lads hang around for years ‘advising’ and taking no responsibility. When does it stop?

Just one Gordon James, and you could at least spell it correctly.