How much should the President be paid ?

anymore

Article 11.3 of the Constitution states that the emoluments and allowances of the President shall not be diminished during his term of office.
Therefore the run up to the election is an appropriate time to discuss the salary and benefits which should be paid to the Office holder.
The remuneration of the Office holder is composed of the direct salary payable to the President, and after leaving office, the pension which shall be payable for life. Then there are the benefits accruing to the office holder such as living in the Presidential Residence in the Park, being provided with staff, car and driveretc.
In addition there is one perk that is rarely acknowledged in discussions of Presidential remuneration and that is the enormous prestige which accrues to the holder of the office. Should we attribute some monetary value to this ' presige' for the purposes of the discussion ?
My feeling is that we need to tie the salary of the President into the fact that this country is a small one of less than 5 million people, the actual office itself is mainly ceremonial with little scope or responsibility for the running of this country or of being held to account for the running of this country. The level of salary should also bear some relationship to the average wage/salary in this country.
So my question us how much do Boards.ie members think the President of Ireland should be paid ?

Magic Beans

Since its seems to be only a symbolic office why not just pay a symbolic salary? Say €1?

Then let's see how many want to rush up to the Áras.

careca11

considering they do feck all ,
I would say they should get paid feck all

its not just the salary that pisses me off , all the other charges that are racked up and paid by the taxpayer
€3,000 a week on flower's WTF

doubleglaze

You'd get someone of very good calibre for €40,000 (gross). With the free accomodation in the Aras thrown in, they'd be laughing.

expectationlost

anymore said in the previous thread 5 times the average industrial wage, http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0228/1224291014815.html

33,000 in feb x 5 = 165K - accommodation and perks = > 100K

i would have said 100k

then you have the question of political pensions a lot candidates would have

does the gov have the opportunity between presidents to change it to that figure?

rounding tattenham Corner

average wage + €10 lunch voucher - benefit in kind from living in the big house

The_Minister

careca11 wrote: »

considering they do feck all ,
I would say they should get paid feck all

its not just the salary that pisses me off , all the other charges that are racked up and paid by the taxpayer
€3,000 a week on flower's WTF

Except, in practice, the Presidency is a full time job.

It has become a social role, with the President travelling around the country visiting various social projects and disadvantaged areas, trying to retie people into the Irish state.
It's a quiet, and yet very influencial and important role.

View

The_Minister wrote: »

It has become a social role, with the President travelling around the country visiting various social projects and disadvantaged areas, trying to retie people into the Irish state.

A social role? So, the President is basically an overpaid social worker? How many social workers could we employ for the cost of the President's salary?

View

Magic Beans wrote: »

Since its seems to be only a symbolic office why not just pay a symbolic salary? Say €1?

Then let's see how many want to rush up to the Áras.

A symbolic salary (+ expenses) would be about right. The role is essentially that of "the elder stateman" suited to a former politician. Former politicians tend to be in receipt of one or more pensions so it is not as if they tend to be on the bread line. When did you ever hear of a starving former TD?

Manach

As mentioned by expectationlost, some reasonable factor of the average industrial wage, with an expense budget to allow modest improvements to the Aras (in contrast to former occupiers of the Elysée Palace, who increase budget by 105% http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89lys%C3%A9e_Palace)

InigoMontoya

Magic Beans wrote: »

Since its seems to be only a symbolic office why not just pay a symbolic salary? Say €1?

Then let's see how many want to rush up to the Áras.

Effectively excluding anyone who doesn't have considerable means already?

InigoMontoya

I don't see any problem with paying a very good salary for the role of President. €80,000 maybe.

anymore

InigoMontoya wrote: »

Effectively excluding anyone who doesn't have considerable means already?

Clearly a salary that reflects the actual position must be paid - we are looking for a ' fair days work for a fair day's pay'. Given the amount of energy that been put into condemning extravagant salaries, perks and expenses, it is a little surprising the lack of debate in society about what we think positions should be worth to us. It is we who are employing the President to do a job on our behalf.
Can we really as a society be willing to debate the merits or demerits of reducing the minimum wage but be silent on how much we think the President be paid. What about those who so eagerly rush to say they want to represent us, politicans at all levels; should they not be leading the lead on the debate on this matter ?
And what of the candidates themselves ? It is not unusual where senior positions are being filled for the pplicants to give an indicator of the salary level they themselves would expect ? Given the complete change about in our fortunes. it is not enough merely to look at the present salary.

InigoMontoya

anymore wrote: »

Clearly a salary that reflects the actual position must be paid - we are looking for a ' fair days work for a fair day's pay'. Given the amount of energy that been put into condemning extravagant salaries, perks and expenses, it is a little surprising the lack of debate in society about what we think positions should be worth to us. It is we who are employing the President to do a job on our behalf.
Can we really as a society be willing to debate the merits or demerits of reducing the minimum wage but be silent on how much we think the President be paid. What about those who so eagerly rush to say they want to represent us, politicans at all levels; should they not be leading the lead on the debate on this matter ?
And what of the candidates themselves ? It is not unusual where senior positions are being filled for the pplicants to give an indicator of the salary level they themselves would expect ? Given the complete change about in our fortunes. it is not enough merely to look at the present salary.

I don't get it... you're acting as if I was opposed to even discussing the matter, when in fact I merely questioned Majic Beans' €1 suggestion, and then suggested a salary level that represents an approximately 75% cut on the current salary for the position?

anymore

InigoMontoya wrote: »

I don't get it... you're acting as if I was opposed to even discussing the matter, when in fact I merely questioned Majic Beans' €1 suggestion, and then suggested a salary level that represents an approximately 75% cut on the current salary for the position?

Sorry didnt mean to give that impression ! The more views on the subject the better - I will refrain from more posts for a few hours to avoid being bossy !

the groutch

like with TDs, too many are in it for the wrong reason (ie. the money).
if should be about the privilege of getting to represent the people, and pay should be incidental

anymore

expectationlost wrote: »

anymore said in the previous thread 5 times the average industrial wage, http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0228/1224291014815.html

33,000 in feb x 5 = 165K - accommodation and perks = > 100K

i would have said 100k

thne you have the question of political pensions a lot candidates would have

does the gov have the opportunity between presidents to change it to that figure?

Article 12.11.3 states that " The emoluments and allowances of the president shall not be diminished during his term of office" . Which makes it important the the issue is debated and decided now. Howver the it doesnt seem to be an issue which has attracted that much interst, so does that mean people are quite happy with the present salary ?

Sir Oxman

anymore wrote: »

Article 12.11.3 states that " The emoluments and allowances of the president shall not be diminished during his term of office" . Which makes it important the the issue is debated and decided now. Howver the it doesnt seem to be an issue which has attracted that much interst, so does that mean people are quite happy with the present salary ?

I think it's more to do with the fact most people are trying to keep tehir own heads above water these days and it is not being pushed by any media.
By the time the election is held it will be too late and all the moaning in the world will be of no use as the above will be quoted.

I'd say ~100k salary considering the benefits and perks.
The prestige and that pay packet and pension for life should be enough for any Irishman/woman worth the title.

Myrddin

The_Minister wrote: »

Except, in practice, the Presidency is a full time job.

It has become a social role, with the President travelling around the country visiting various social projects and disadvantaged areas, trying to retie people into the Irish state.
It's a quiet, and yet very influencial and important role.

Sounds pretty much like a lot of freeloading & having the crack. Then again, that is more or less the ethos of Irish politics.

Magic Beans

InigoMontoya wrote: »

Effectively excluding anyone who doesn't have considerable means already?

While that sounds all nice and egalitarian and all don't be deluding yourself.
Nobody without considerable means is ever going to be elected as President.

Lapin

Just a shade over €3.2 million.

By using the budget methods of our nearst neighbour.

It costs each person in the UK 62p a year to fund the royal houshold there. (About 70 cent).

So using that comparison, and based on this years census figures, the cost of the Presidency at 70 cent each per annum to the people of Ireland would be €3,206,888.

Not much eh ?

InigoMontoya

Magic Beans wrote: »

While that sounds all nice and egalitarian and all don't be deluding yourself.
Nobody without considerable means is ever going to be elected as President.

Not with that attitude! :pac:

expectationlost

anymore wrote: »

Clearly a salary that reflects the actual position must be paid - we are looking for a ' fair days work for a fair day's pay'. Given the amount of energy that been put into condemning extravagant salaries, perks and expenses, it is a little surprising the lack of debate in society about what we think positions should be worth to us. It is we who are employing the President to do a job on our behalf.
.

theres been debate for the past year about how much the president should be paid, look in any thread about the president and you'll see the issue come up and when michael d higgins was on rte the other day he was asked twice about payments and he said something very similar to answer to norris, that the salary should be reduced by the government but that it shouldn't be expected to done for free by anyone as that would be unfair, separately he said he would give his pensions to charity while paid as president, I don't think its possible not to accept pensions.

anymore

expectationlost wrote: »

theres been debate for the past year about how much the president should be paid, look in any thread about the president and you'll see the issue come up and when michael d higgins was on rte the other day he was asked twice about payments and he said something very similar to answer to norris, that the salary should be reduced by the government but that it shouldn't be expected to done for free by anyone as that would be unfair, separately he said he would give his pensions to charity while paid as president, I don't think its possible not to accept pensions.

He and Norris are both long term professional politicians, they are the applying to be First Citizen. If they dint have the backbone to say what the job should pay, they dont deserve the position -

expectationlost

anymore wrote: »

He and Norris are both long term professional politicians, they are the applying to be First Citizen. If they dint have the backbone to say what the job should pay, they dont deserve the position -

its the governments job to do that.

anymore

expectationlost wrote: »

its the governments job to do that.

Pretty much most of what the candidates say they will do if elected President can described as the Government's job as well !