Clare’s elected councillors received almost €1.2 million in wages and expenses last year.
New figures released by Clare County Council show members collected over €31,000 on average across a 12-month period.
The total amount paid out to Clare’s county councillors in 2024 was €1.18 million.
The amounts received by individual councillors across the 12 months vary considerably as some were re-elected in June’s Local Elections and some didn’t retain their seat while others were elected for the first time.
Each councillor who held a seat on Clare County Council in every month of 2024 received a base salary of €29,755 but members can also receive payments for the likes of foreign travel reimbursements, training and conference expenses and chair allowances.
Current Mayor of Clare, Sixmilebridge Fianna Fáil Councillor Alan O’Callaghan, received the largest amount with his total for the period being €54,267 including a €10,809 mayoral allowance and €4,650 for foreign travel.
This was followed by former Cathaoirleach of Killaloe Municipal District, Fianna Fáil Councillor Tony O’Brien, who was paid €48,845, and current Mayor of Ennis, Fianna Fáil Councillor Clare Colleran-Molloy, who took home €48,571.
The councillors who were paid the least in wages and expenses last year were former Ennis Fine Gael Councillor Johnny Flynn with €13,625, former Sixmilebridge Independent Councillor PJ Ryan with €18,283, and former Shannon Independent Councillor Gerry Flynn with €18,452, all of whom either didn’t seek re-election or failed to be re-elected last June.
When it came to attendance, former Fianna Fáil Councillor Cillian Murphy, sitting Fianna Fáil Councillors Alan O’Callaghan and Tom O’Callaghan, and Fine Gael Councillor Paul Murphy were the only members of the local authority to attend every meeting they were required to be present at last year.
Cross Fine Gael Councillor Gabriel Keating had the worst attendance record of any sitting councillor meanwhile – attending just 27 of the 34 meetings he was supposed to be at.
