COUNTY Limerick TD Niall Collins has called for a referendum to be held on the issue of judges’ salaries.
This follows reports that only 19 of the country’s 148 judges have so far opted to take a reduction in their salaries in lieu of the pension levy imposed on civil servants.
The Chief Justice and the Revenue Commissioners introduced the special initiative to the judiciary to take a voluntary reduction in salary during the present economic downturn.
Speaking about his call for a referendum, Deputy Collins said, “This group of elite untouchables should be subjected to the regular procedures administering the pay of higher civil servants. In the modern day being protected by the Constitution is simply not good enough given that many thousands of people and their families are suffering falling incomes and job losses.”
“I feel with the forthcoming Lisbon 2 Referendum we have an early opportunity to address this issue through a vote of the people. Many of the working practices of the Courts and Judiciary need modernising and this is now an opportune time for that,” Deputy Collins concluded.
Fine Gael also united in calls for judges to take a voluntary pay cut.
Speaking on RTE’s Morning Ireland, Fine Gael justice spokesman Charlie Flanagan said it would be unjust to have an ‘elite’ that was treated differently.
Judges earn between €170,000 and €290,000 per year.
The Courts Service said judges have until the end of the fiscal year to take a pay cut.
