Pay rise for Ahern sparks anger

Bertie Ahern earns more than Gordon Brown

Ireland's prime minister Bertie Ahern has come under pressure to forsake a £26,500 pay rise from opposition parties in the Republic.

The raise, which will bring his salary to £216,700, comes at a time of cuts to the Republic's health service.

Most public sector workers in the country are expected to get a 3% pay rise this year.

Ireland's taoiseach earns more than the UK's prime minister, Gordon Brown.

However, the PM received a salary hike this year when he swapped the keys for Number 11 to Number 10 Downing Street.

The move from Chancellor to Prime Minister saw his salary rise from £136,000 to £187,000 - an instant pay hike of £51k.

He also has the use of two homes - Downing Street and Chequers - rent-free.

Fine Gael's Leo Varadkar told the Irish Independent government pay rises - which will see cabinet members get an £18,200 rise - showed the administration was "drunk on power and detached from reality".

By comparison the salary of Northern Ireland's First Minister is about £85,000, made up of £71,000 for the post and one third of an MLA's salary. This is abated because Ian Paisley is also in receipt of pay for being the MP for North Antrim.