Louth TD slams cost of expanded junior minister roles

Louth TD and Labour’s Finance & Public Expenditure Ged Nash has said the creation of 23 Minister of State posts "would make even Bertie Ahern blush."

Labour have claimed that figures compiled by them show each Minister of State costs at least €500,000. They claim that the starting costs to the public of this government will be over €1.5m a year adding in the new overnight allowance for Ministers of State along with a further Super Junior. This amounts to €7.5m over five years, they claim.

Deputy Nash said:

“When I spoke during the election campaign on the need to focus on creating well-paid indigenous jobs in Ireland, this isn’t what I had in mind.

“The boom-time ‘baby Minister’ bonanza is back, and it would make even Bertie Ahern blush. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are prepared to spend at least an extra €1.5m a year of public money to keep Independents and their own TDs happy with new perks and positions.

“This stroke by the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and their partner in government Michael Lowry have absolutely smashed the pre-crash record of 20 Ministers of State.

“By the time the Committee Chair gigs are doled out, we will have in excess of 50 TDs with government sponsored jobs.

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“It is as clear as day that there is no objective justification for the creation of these new roles. It is not as if the business-as-usual Programme for Government requires a shed-load of newly minted junior Ministers to deliver on its modest, conservative ambitions.

“This is a self-serving move designed to keep as many government TDs as possible, sweet.

“Since the general election, we have seen the unwelcome return of the arrogance and hubris the country had come to associate with Fianna Fail. This is writ large today and it never ends well.

“While this is undoubtedly a proud day for those who have been elevated, there is simply no justification for an expansion of 15 junior Ministers in early 2016 to 23 today.”