Sir, – Sarah Bardon reports that Sinn Féin has announced a pay rise for their elected representatives and that Pearse Doherty defends the move ("Sinn Féin to give pay rise to all of its elected representatives", January 19th).
It is reported that the maximum salary a TD will receive is €39,500. That is a transfer of over 50 per cent of Mr Doherty’s own salary as a donation to a political party. What type of person gives up over 50 per cent of his salary to a political party? That is not the behaviour of a person in touch with reality. The public have the right to know how this bizarre transfer of salary works.
Does the Sinn Féin party pay for any expenses or bills for any of their TDs or elected representatives out of central party funds? Who in Sinn Féin decides how this money is spent? What happens to a TD or elected representative refusing to hand over a significant part of their salary? – Yours, etc,
JOHN KENNY,
Monkstown, Co Dublin.
Sir, – Now that Sinn Féin has granted its elected representatives a pay increase, can we dare to hope for a decrease in its sanctimony? – Yours, etc,
BRIAN AHERN,
Clonsilla,
Dublin 15.