Sinn Féin spokesperson on Public Expenditure and Reform, Mairéad Farrell TD, has called for senior civil servants’ pay to be published to ensure accountability and transparency.

Her comments follow media reports that Secretary General salaries may not be made public by the government.

Speaking today, Teachta Farrell said:

“Senior Civil Servants’ pay should be published, as has always been the case. This is about accountability and transparency with public money and it is quite astonishing to see a potential change in this practice suggested.

“At the time that the pay of the Secretary General of the Department of Health was increased by €81,000 we warned that, not only did that decision in itself lack transparency, but that there was a real risk of a knock-on effect of similar claims being lodged by other secretary generals.

“Without transparency in relation to this we won’t know if this has happened. In order for the public to have confidence in how tax payers’ money is spent, it is crucial that there is full transparency. These salaries must be made public without any further delay.

“If the Department of Public Expenditure does not publish these salaries due to legal advice, then this legal advice must be made public so that it can be considered.”