THE CONTINUING refusal of the seven university presidents to take a voluntary pay cut – six months after a request from Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe – has led to increased tensions between college heads and the Minister.
Yesterday, Mr O’Keeffe expressed disappointment at the stance taken by the presidents who earn up to €273,000 per year.
“I would have exhorted the university presidents to take the appropriate cut . . . one would have expected that people in such senior positions would do the right thing.”
The Minister said that while he had made no formal written request to the presidents, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) was aware of his views and had, no doubt, conveyed them to the college heads.
Last night, a spokesman for the presidents in the Irish Universities Association said the forthcoming Review Body in Higher Remuneration in the Public Service would determine salary levels for senior public servants, including college heads.
Privately, some university presidents are said to be furious about the Minister’s comments, arguing that they have already accepted real cuts in take-home pay because of the pension levy and other budget changes.
In March, the Minister exhorted university presidents and other highly-paid university staff to take a voluntary 10 per cent pay cut in the interests of the public purse.
In all, the seven presidents receive over €1.6 million in pay. The highest earner is Dr Michael Murphy of UCC with a salary of over €270,000.
UCD president Dr Hugh Brady’s salary was €220,000 last year.
All of the other university presidents receive salaries in excess of over €200,000 including Trinity College provost Dr John Hegarty; DCU president Prof Ferdinand von Prondzynski; UL president Prof Don Barry and NUI Maynooth president Prof John Hughes and NUI Galway president Dr Jim Browne.
In recent months, a series of allowances and special payments to senior staff at UCD have been abolished. Dr Brady, the college president, will lose an additional annual allowance of €12,271 per annum.
Last month, UCD confirmed the college had recently concluded discussions with the HEA which would see the abolition of special allowances for 60 staff.
Under the agreement, some college vice-presidents and college principals will forfeit up to €25,000 in allowances.
In March, the Minister sought a voluntary cut from all university staff earning over €150,000 a year.
He pointed out that pay for top level university professors was broadly in line with the remuneration of the secretary generals of government departments, who have already agreed to a 10 per cent cut.
“I obviously feel that those on that kind of salary should take the appropriate action, just like Secretary Generals have,” Mr O’Keeffe told RTÉ. “We would exhort them in these circumstances to take such a pay cut.”
Most of the universities are in debt. Both UCD and UCC have accumulated debts of over €10 million.
UCD, which has embarked on a vigorous cost-cutting programme, has an accumulated debt of about €13 million. Unions, representing staff across the university sector, have raised concerns about the salary packages and other perks awarded to senior academics and administrators.