'They want to have their cake and eat it' - outrage as top-ups push pay for new super-juniors close to 200k

"A TD's salary already places a recipient in the top 6pc of income earners. When you add on the ministerial salary of circa €46,000 and super-junior allowance of €16,000, you go higher up. We don't need more waste of public funds. This is just them looking after themselves. Many of the so-called Independents entering government were elected on the back of anger at Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil self-interest."

"The reason for negotiating the extra money is that people were reluctant to take jobs as ministers of state because they were penalised financially when driving from Kerry or Donegal. They also had to pay for their own hotel stays, with Dublin prices rocketing in recent years."

Read at Irish Independent