Lenihan defends ministerial cuts

Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan has rejected an Opposition suggestion that ministerial pay cuts announced in today’s Budget…

Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan has rejected an Opposition suggestion that ministerial pay cuts announced in today’s Budget represented a sleight of hand.

In the Dáil this afternoon, Mr Lenihan announced that Ministers will take a 15 per cent pay cut, while the Taoiseach's pay will be reduced by 20 per cent.

Fine Gael finance spokesman Richard Bruton claimed the cuts were deceptive, as they factored in a the 10 per cent cut in ministerial pay already announced in last year's Budget.

Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore claimed the pay cuts were a scam designed to mislead the public. "This 5 per cent is exactly the same reduction in pay that the Government plans to impose on a county council worker or a cleaner earning €30,000 or less per year - less than one-sixth of their own inflated salaries," Mr Gilmore said.

At a press conference in Government Buildings tonight, Mr Lenihan rejected the Opposition criticisms.

"A transient voluntary cut is being replaced by a permanent reduction of salary of 15 per cent for ministers and 20 per cent for the Taoiseach,", he said.

This was "one of the largest cuts in the public service".