TDs’ pay has risen to €107,376, surpassing the peak of  €106,582 reached in 2008. 

The 2% pay rise is in line with that given to civil servants but not all political parties think it is appropriate. 

Sinn Féin TDs have agreed to forgo the increase and People Before Profit said its elected representatives would continue to take the average industrial wage. 

 Callers to Lunchtime Live had mixed opinions on the appropriateness of the pay rise. 

“My personal view on this is, TDs are overpaid,” Thomas told the programme. 

“How is a TD supposed to represent the ordinary person? How are they supposed to represent them when they’re on 100 grand a year when the average industrial wage is probably €40,000 or €45,000? 

“The gap there is way too much.

“They’re not worried about a big ESB bill coming in or big mortgage repayments that is happening with people at the moment.” 

He believes TDs should “definitely” forgo the pay rise in solidarity with those whose wages will not go up. 

“How many people have got pay rises this year?” he asked. 

2B3XXF1 The rear of Leinster House, once the family home of The Duke of Leinster,it is now the seat of the Oireachtas, the parliament of ireland.

However, Brian strongly disagreed.  

“I think it’s kind of corrosive to our democracy to constantly be going on about TDs’ pay,” he said. 

“I think it’s in our national interest to have our politicians appropriately paid, so that they can afford to be politicians.” 

He is concerned that if TDs are poorly paid, only the rich will stand for election. 

“What you will end up with is, only the people who can afford will stand to be TDs,” he said. 

“So, you’ll get [multimillionaire] Dennis O’Brien… and people like him will be the only people who can afford to stand.”

Main image: A joint committee sitting of Dáil and Seanad Éireann.