The Sinn Féin leader says she is "astounded and gobsmacked" that ten junior ministers will be getting special advisors.
Cabinet today approved the plan, which will see seven other Ministers of State have no advisor.
The ten new jobs will be on the assistant principal payscale, which starts at around €67,000.
Cabinet has approved advisors for 10 junior ministers. Under last Dáil they were set at assistant principal pay scale which starts at €67k
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) September 22, 2020
Speaking in the Dáil, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said there's no need for the number of advisors this government has hired.
She said: "I'm absolutely astounded and gobsmacked at media reports that your Government this morning has approved the hiring of ten special advisors for junior ministers.
"This [is] being done at a time when you're cutting payments to people in real difficulties who have lost their jobs."
She called for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment to be restored to €350 for sectors and regions hit by coronavirus restrictions - suggesting the Government's new advisors "will be paid an awful lot more than €350 per week".
However, Taoiseach Micheál Martin rejected the criticism from Deputy McDonald about the number of advisors hired by the Government.
He said: "The special advisors that you employ - that you employ in the North, in your Executive - they're earning much more than that as well.
"You've been one of the original enthusiasts for special advisors - always have been. You've been a long-term advocate for special advisors in politics.
"You've never shown any disdain for that to date, and your party hasn't either - so stop the hypocrisy."
