Over €1.6m paid to Mayo councillors in 2024
Mayo County Council has revealed the annual payments made to elected members.
More than €1.6m was paid to Mayo County councillors in 2024.
The local authority has released the payments made to elected members last year.
The biggest earner was now retired Independent councillor Seamus Weir.
The former Knockmore councillor received a gratuity payment more than €90,000 which took his overall payment to €119, 282. Cllr Weir also received a Cathaorleach/leas Cathaoirleach allowance of more than €5,900.
Fellow retiree, Fine Gael’s John Cribbin received the same gratuity payment as Cllr Weir with his 2024 earnings coming to €114,897.
Fine Gael councillor Tom Connolly, who lost his seat in the last local election, was given a gratuity of over €89,000 and the overall payment to the Claremorris councillor was €111,765.
Fianna Fail’s Michael Loftus, who received an additional payment of more than €32,000 for serving as Cathaoirleach during 2024, was the next highest earner at €80,207.
He was followed by two more councillors who lost their seats. Independent Christy Lofus was paid out €73,147 in 2024 and Fianna Fail’s Martin McLoughlin also received a gratuity payment which took his earnings to €70,545.
The lowest payments were received by newly elected councillors who did not complete a full term.
Independent Joe Faughan, who won Cllr Weir’s vacant seat in the local elections, received the lowest payment at €15,100.
Aontu’s Paul Lawless, since elected as a TD, was next on €15,705.
Councillors received close to €71,000 in expenses to attend conferences and training in Ireland.
Expenses for travel abroad amounted to €9,818 last year.
Councillors travelled to New York, Chicago, Washington, London, Belgium, and the Nethelands last year.
