“Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe is urging high paid university staff to take a voluntary 10pc pay cut in the interests of the public purse. Mr O’Keeffe’s appeal came after the Irish Independent revealed that the 50 best paid third level academics and administrators earned €10m between them in pay, allowances and other benefits last year. The minister is seeking the voluntary cuts across the board for university staff earning over €150,000 a year. However, Mr O’Keeffe has no power to compel any of the staff involved to take the cuts suggested. The minister said pay for top level university professors was, generally speaking, in line with the remuneration of the secretary generals of government departments, who have already agreed to a 10pc 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 RTE. …” (more)
[Shane Phelan, Independent, 20 March]