A salary increase for TDs linked to re-election success is to be proposed to the Oireachtas in the autumn.
The Fianna Fail chairman of the Members' Services SubCommittee, Mr Tony Killeen, said yesterday his proposal would, for the first time, place TDs on an incremental scale linked to the Civil Service pay structure. It would also mean that not all TDs would be paid the same.
A spokesman for the Government said yesterday it would welcome the debate on TDs' remuneration. The spokesman added that discussions on pay tended to incur the wrath of the media, though he did not believe it was a matter of any great concern to the public.
The spokesman said there was widespread dissatisfaction among TDs and Ministers that their pay did not reflect their workload.
TDs earn £36,015 a year after a 3 per cent increase which was agreed by the Oireachtas last March. They also have allowances, such as £2,000 for telephone calls from a constituency office and £2,722 to cover secretarial expenses. A Dail secretary's salary is paid by the State.
Mr Killeen said yesterday his proposal was intended to make TDs' pay fairer. Some TDs have complained that being in full-time politics leaves them out of pocket. Mr Killeen said TDs elected for the first time would enter a pay scale linked to a point in the current Civil Service pay structure.
Each time they were re-elected, they would move up some incremental points on the scale.
Mr Killeen said he will make his proposal at a meeting of the sub-committee in the autumn.
The Members' Services SubCommittee is part of the Dail Committee on Privilege and Procedures.