The four Dail seats in Longford-Westmeath earned those occupying them a total of €1,937,797 over the past four years – or an average of €484,450 for each person, which averaged out at €121,000 p.a. before tax – but the Westmeath Dáil representatives, like all of the other 160 plus members, took a major salary cut in 2014.
The payments for all Oireachtas members between 2011 (year of the last general election) and 2014 are featured on the RTE website – and it seems that although they are generously reimbursed when compared to many other employment sectors, the Westmeath/Longford public representatives cost the nation less than a majority of the other Dáil members. This can be gleaned from the salary figures for some of the others in adjoining counties, for the same four year period.
TOP EARNER
In real terms, the actual top earner in the constituency was Robert Troy (FF), whose total for the four year period came to €509,726.34. In second spot is James Bannon, with €499,254.06; Willie Penrose with €476,748.54 and the late Nicki McFadden, on €452,333.80. Her sister, Gabrielle McFadden, who only became a TD in 2014, earned €40,743.72 for the short period she has been in office (salary €31,197 and expenses €9,546).
All the TDs were hit by major cuts in both salary and expenses figures in 2014, when compared with 2013, as follows:
Troy down from €138,980 to €94,035; Bannon from €139,984 to €94,621 and Penrose from €131,714 to €94,035.
