The Dáil has heard that large pay rises for the chief executives of four commercial State bodies – Uisce Éireann, ESB, Bord na Móna and Dublin Bus – are “outrageous” and “immoral.”
Speaking during today’s Leaders Questions, Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins TD challenged the Taoiseach to explain the Government’s role in approving substantial pay hikes.
Collins hit out at the pay increase of €118,000 a year for the CEO of Uisce Éireann along with others.
He said large increases came despite the fact that people were still dealing with inadequate public services.
Niall Gleeson, Uisce Éireann CEO, received a total remuneration of €391,953 in 2026, up from €274,000 in 2025.
“That is more than €2,270 extra every week,”said Deputy Michael Collins. “That is a 43% increase.”
It contrasts sharply with the agreed public-service pay deal providing general increases of 2% in March 2025 and 1% in August 2025, followed by 1% in February 2026 and 1% in June 2026.
The CEO of ESB also received a pay increase of almost €92,000, up 29% to €410,000 a year, whilst Bord na Móna’s CEO’s received a rise of up to €75,000, pushing his salary to €300,000.
The Dáil was also told that Dublin Bus’s CEO’s pay was boosted by €60,000, bringing it to €260,000 annually.
“The people of this country are looking on with disbelief,” remarked Collins.
“Meanwhile what did the nurse, special needs assistant, teacher, garda and firefighter get? The people on the front line of the country received a pay increase measured on around 1% while semi-State executives receive increases worth tens of thousands of taxpayers’ money.
“The firefighter who runs into every burning building when everyone else is running out, the nurse working throughout the night in an overcrowded emergency department, the special needs assistant helping a child with additional needs and the garda answering an emergency call are the people who keep Ireland functioning yet this Government tells them there are limits, that affordability matters and that the books have to balance but somehow there is always money available at the top.”
“This is no longer a country for the hard-working man and woman,” said Collins.
“What does the Taoiseach think these immoral increases to the CEOs of Uisce Éireann, ESB, Bord na Móna and Dublin Bus mean to every hard-working taxpayer in Ireland?” he asked.
“Was it the Taoiseach, the Tanaiste and the Independents supporting the Government who signed off on this shocking deal for those at the top?” pressed the Cork TD, as he sough answers on who had the final say over the increases.
Mr Martin defended the changes by arguing that executive pay had not been systematically reviewed “since 2011” and that the Government had acted on recommendations from an independent remuneration committee.
He claimed: “The Government did not come up with these increases itself and it did not decide on them.”
He said that the government had accepted the recommendations only in part.
“The work was done independently of the Government and independently of the relevant Ministers,” hhe replied.
“The easiest, populist political position would be to do nothing, but that in itself would not serve the State either,” said Martin.
“The Taoiseach is saying that the other side here is saying we should do nothing. I do not agree with that. Everybody deserves an increase, but an increase of €118,000 a year is outrageous,” said Collins.
“What does the Taosieach think these immoral increases to the CEOs of Uisce Éireann, ESB, Bord na Móna and Dublin Bus mean to every hard-working taxpayer in Ireland, to every person on a pension who cannot afford to put home heating oil in the tank, to all those who have disabilities, to those 350,000 who cannot pay their electricity bills and to the highest number of people ever in this country who cannot pay their mortgages?
“I will tell him what it means. It was simply put to me by a tax-paying woman last night:
“If you’re not at the top in this country, the only way it pays to exist is to stay in bed,” replied Collins.
“The Deputy said there should be increases. This had not been looked at since 2011. In my view, that should not happen again,” responded Mr Martin.
“It should be looked at far more regularly than it has been. We have reduced. By the way, people on higher incomes will pay far more in higher tax, and that is right,” added the Taoiseach.
Mr Martin defended Ireland’s tax system as “progressive,” whilst claiming the Government had acted to deal with the cost of living crisis.
“We have a very progressive tax system in this country, which is one of the most progressive in Europe, where those on higher incomes get taxed far more than those on middle and low incomes. That is the way it should be, and it will continue that way,” he claimed.