Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
“Last October I brought a Bill before the Northern Ireland Assembly which would have reduced the number of Special Advisers at Stormont – it currently has more that either devolved governments of Wales and Scotland. The Bill would also have reduced the upper limit for SpAd pay. However, the Bill was killed off when the DUP and Sinn Fein/IRA joined forces to vote it down.
“I find it exceedingly striking therefore that Sinn Fein is calling for a cap on Special Advisers pay in the Republic but opposed such in Northern Ireland!
“Sinn Fein/IRA are calling for an upper limit of €75,000 when it comes to a SpAds in the Republic yet they voted against capping Special Adviser pay at around €100,000 in Northern Ireland!
“The hypocrisy of Republicans knows no bounds.
“They protect SpAd pay in Northern Ireland and continue to rip the public off yet in the Republic they try to portray themselves as out for the interests of the taxpayer.
“As I noted last year when my Bill was killed off:
“In the past they [Sinn Fein] have claimed that they are opposed to the handsome salaries paid to Special Advisers. Indeed, they have regularly berated the Dublin government about the matter. Yet when legislation is brought to cut the SpAd pay bill in Northern Ireland they vote it down at the first opportunity.
“So much for the champions of the working class!”