Mayo councillors paid average of €42k in 2023

More than €1.2 million was paid to elected members of Mayo County Council last year.

Figures released by the local authority reveal that each councillor cost the taxpayer an average of €42,000.

Cllr Seamus Weir was the biggest recipient last year, drawing down €56,064.84. The Knockmore councillor served as Cathaoirleach during the first six months of 2023.

Independent councillor Michael Kilcoyne was next on €49,721.42. He received €6,500 as the chair of a strategic policy committee and €6,170 for serving as Cathaoirleach of Castlebar Municipal District. He was followed by Fine Gael’s Michael Burke with the Ballinrobe-based councillor receiving €48,390.64. This figure included €6,500 for chairing a strategic policy committee and €4,969 for attending nine training conferences.

Party colleague Cllr Neil Cruise had the next highest claim at €48,368.64. The Foxford councillor was followed by the recently retired former Fianna Fáil councillor Micheal Smyth who received €48,124.92. Of this, €34,005.21 was a gratuity following his retirement.

Fianna Fáil’s Martin McLoughlin was next on €47,893 with Ballina Independent Mark Duffy receiving €46,060.36. Cllr Duffy received €3,598.63 for his role as Cathaoirleach of Ballina Municipal District.

The lowest payment was received by Cllr Adrian Forkan who was co-opted in place of Cllr Smyth in May last year. The Kiltimagh-based councillor claimed €18,177.36 in 2023.

Also at the lower end of the scale were Castlebar councillors Ger Deere (€32,097.24), Al McDonnell (€33,375.70), and Blackie Gavin (€34,111.80). Killala councillor Jarlath Munnelly also came in under the €35,000 mark on €34,552.88.

Approximately €26,296 of a councillor’s wage is taxable with the remaining earnings free of tax.

The operation of the authority’s six strategic policy committees cost €39,000 while five chair and vice-chair allowances came to €30,237.

Travel abroad for 13 councillors totalled €14,083. The highest claims for overseas expenses came from Cllrs Michael Loftus (€2,182.21), Donna Sheridan (€1,880.92) and Cyril Burke (€1,579.78). Conference expenses came to €78,136 but this figure does not include the conference fees.

Cllr Neil Cruise received the highest amount of money related to conferences in 2023 on €8,171.06. He was followed by Cllrs Martin McLoughlin (€6,661.10), Tom Connolly (€6,153), and John Caulfield (€5,309.88).

Ten elected members declined the option of attending conferences last year. They were Ger Deere, Peter Flynn, Blackie Gavin, Adrian Forkan, Michael Kilcoyne, Al McDonnell, Paul McNamara, Brendan Mulroy, Jarlath Munnelly, Donna Sheridan and Michael Smyth.

As well as Mr Smyth, gratuity payments were also paid in respect of four other former elected representatives in Mayo. They were Michelle Mulherin (€28,224), Mark Winters (€9,609), Myles Staunton (€9,258) and Peter Clarke (€9,356).

The full list of expenses is published below.