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TD salary in Ireland

Unlike almost every other public service job, a TD's pay is not a scale you climb. It is one flat figure, and everything else depends on what else you hold.

The short answer

A TD is paid a basic salary of €119,467 a year with effect from 1 June 2026. There is no incremental scale, so a TD in their first week is paid the same as one in their twentieth year. Extra money comes from holding something else: chairing a committee adds €11,442, being a Minister adds €97,669, and the Ceann Comhairle adds €149,055. Separately, most TDs receive the Parliamentary Standard Allowance, which is expenses rather than salary.

Basic TD salary
€119,467
about €6,010 a month take-home
Still the basic salary, there is no scale
€119,467
about €6,010 a month take-home

Take-home is for a single person with standard credits, after income tax, USC, PRSI and ASC, and before any allowance or overtime.

What is not published, and why this page stops where it does

One figure on this page is ours rather than the Oireachtas's: the take-home estimate. The Oireachtas states that salaries are subject to income tax, PRSI, USC, the pension levy and a pension contribution, but does not publish which pension scheme applies to which member. Our monthly figure applies the Single Public Service Pension Scheme rates of ASC, the arrangement for public servants who started from 2013. Members elected before then are on older and generally more expensive arrangements, so their take-home is lower than shown. Every gross figure on this page is exactly as published.

What makes up the pay

It helps to separate three things that often get reported as one number: salary, salary for holding an office, and expenses. Only the first two are pay.

ElementWhat the employer states
Basic salary€119,467 a year from 1 June 2026. Flat: there are no increments and no long service increases.
When it startsFrom the date of the election, provided the TD signs the Roll of Members of Dáil Éireann within 30 days.
Office allowancePaid on top of the basic salary for holding an office, from €11,442 for chairing a committee to €149,055 for the Ceann Comhairle. A TD holds at most one of these.
Travel and Accommodation AllowanceFrom €9,000 for a Dublin TD to €34,065 for one living over 360km from Leinster House. This is expenses, not salary, and Ministers, Ministers of State and the Ceann Comhairle cannot claim it.
Public Representation AllowanceUp to €20,350 a year for a TD, for office rent, printing, web hosting and similar. It must be vouched, meaning receipts are required.
DeductionsSalaries are subject to income tax, PRSI, USC, the pension levy and a pension contribution, the same as other public servants.

What each office adds to a TD's salary

Every one of these people is a TD first, on the same €119,467, and the office allowance is paid on top. This is why the total for a Minister looks so different from a backbencher's.

OfficeBasic salaryOffice allowanceTotal
Ceann Comhairle€119,467€149,055€268,522
Taoiseach€119,467€136,844€256,311
Tánaiste€119,467€116,960€236,427
Minister€119,467€97,669€217,136
Leas-Cheann Comhairle€119,467€65,043€184,510
Minister of State at Cabinet€119,467€48,292 plus €13,814€181,573
Minister of State€119,467€48,292€167,759
Assistant Government Whip€119,467€18,066€137,533
Committee chair€119,467€11,442€130,909
Backbench TD€119,467none€119,467

The Ceann Comhairle is paid more than the Taoiseach, which surprises most people. The role chairs the Dáil, is expected to be impartial, and is by convention returned automatically at the following election without contesting a seat.

Party whips and other Dáil positions

Whips are paid an allowance that varies by party, reflecting the size of the parliamentary party rather than the work.

PositionAdditional salaried allowance
Assistant Government Whip€18,066
Sinn Féin Party Whip€22,881
Fianna Fáil Party Whip€12,041
Fine Gael Party Whip€12,041
Labour, Social Democrats, PBP-Solidarity, Aontú, Independent Ireland Whip€7,226
Sinn Féin Assistant Whip€11,442
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Assistant Whip€6,023
Labour and Social Democrats Assistant Whip€3,614
Chair of a committee, or member of the Oireachtas Commission€11,442

The travel allowance, band by band

The Travel and Accommodation Allowance is set by how far a member lives from Leinster House by the shortest practicable route, not by what they actually spend. It is paid monthly in arrears.

Distance from Leinster HouseTDSenatorOffice holder
Dublin, under 25km€9,000€5,250€6,300
25km to 60km€25,295€20,795€22,011
60km to 90km€27,315€22,815€24,435
90km to 120km€28,665€24,165€26,055
120km to 150km€29,669€25,169€27,260
150km to 180km€30,015€25,515€27,675
180km to 210km€30,350€25,849€28,076
210km to 240km€30,685€26,184€28,478
240km to 270km€31,365€26,865€29,295
270km to 300km€32,035€27,534€30,098
300km to 330km€32,715€28,215€30,915
330km to 360km€33,395€28,895€31,731
Over 360km€34,065€29,565€32,535

The allowance assumes 150 days at Leinster House. A member must record attendance on at least 120 days to keep it in full, and 1% is deducted for every day short, repayable within two months of year end. Attendance is recorded once a day with a key fob, at any hour the building is open, and the time is not recorded.

Questions people ask most

How much does a TD earn in Ireland?
A TD's basic salary is €119,467 a year with effect from 1 June 2026. That is the figure for a backbench TD who holds no other office. There is no pay scale, so length of service makes no difference to it.
How much does the Taoiseach earn?
€256,311: the TD salary of €119,467 plus an office allowance of €136,844. The Tánaiste receives €236,427 and a Minister €217,136 on the same basis.
Who is the highest paid politician in Ireland?
The Ceann Comhairle, on €268,522, which is more than the Taoiseach's €256,311. The office allowance of €149,055 is the largest attached to any position in the Oireachtas.
Do TDs get expenses on top of their salary?
Yes, through the Parliamentary Standard Allowance, which has two parts. The Travel and Accommodation Allowance runs from €9,000 for a Dublin TD to €34,065 for one over 360km away, and is set by distance rather than by spending. The Public Representation Allowance is up to €20,350 a year and must be vouched with receipts.
Do TDs have to turn up to get their allowance?
For the travel allowance, yes. It is calculated on 150 days at Leinster House, and a member must record attendance on at least 120 days a year to keep it in full. Below that, 1% is deducted for each day short and must be repaid within two months of the end of the year.
How is TD attendance actually recorded?
With a key fob held against a terminal, once a day, at any time the building is open. Members can also sign a paper form. Notably, members are not required to record their hours, only that they attended, so the time of day a member signs in tells you nothing about how long they stayed.
How much can a TD claim in expenses?
The vouched Public Representation Allowance is capped at €20,350 a year for a TD, €16,000 for a Minister or Minister of State, and €12,225 for a Senator. It covers things like office rent and utilities, printing, leaflet distribution, web hosting and hiring rooms for clinics. Travel is paid separately through the Travel and Accommodation Allowance.
Does a TD pay tax on their salary?
Yes. The Oireachtas states that salaries are subject to income tax, PRSI, the Universal Social Charge, the pension levy and a pension contribution. A TD on €119,467 is well into the 40% band, which starts at €44,000 for a single person.
Do TDs get an increment each year like other public servants?
No, and this is the main way TD pay differs from the rest of the public service. There is one flat figure with no scale. A nurse or a civil servant moves up a point each year for years; a TD is on the same salary in year one and year twenty unless they take on an office.
Do committee chairs get paid extra?
Yes, €11,442 a year on top of the basic salary, the same amount paid to members of the Oireachtas Commission. It applies whether the chair is a TD or a Senator.
When did TD salaries last go up?
The current figures took effect on 1 June 2026. Oireachtas pay moves with the general public service pay agreements, so the increase on that date was the same 1% applied across the public service under the Public Service Agreement 2024-2026.
Is a TD paid from the day of the election?
Yes, from the date of the election rather than from when the Dáil first sits, provided the TD signs the Roll of Members of Dáil Éireann within 30 days. Senators are paid from the date of election, or from the date of nomination for those nominated by the Taoiseach.

Where these figures come from

Every euro figure on this page is taken from the sources below. Last checked 2026-08-14.

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