£14,000 pay rise for NI politicians 'excessive', says O'Neill

A proposed £14,000 pay rise for politicians in the Northern Ireland Assembly is excessive, First Minister Michelle O'Neill has said.

She was speaking ahead of a consultation closing on Thursday, after the independent remuneration board, which sets salaries for MLAs, proposed the uplift.

MLAs currently earn £53,000 a year, which is less than their counterparts in the UK's other devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales.

The increase of almost 27% from this April would mean MLAs will earn £67,200. Ministers in the executive, who earn more, are set to benefit from the rise as well.

Unions including the Royal College of Nursing and the Police Federation of Northern Ireland have already expressed concerns about the plan.

The independent board announced the proposals last month and said it would seek views and feedback on its draft determination from MLAs, the Assembly Commission and the Assembly Members' Pension Trustees until 5 March.

Many parties have remained tight-lipped about the proposals but the TUV (Traditional Unionist Voice) and People Before Profit both said the increase should not go ahead, when many workers are not getting similar rises.

On Thursday, O'Neill was asked about her party's response to the consultation.

"I absolutely understand people's concerns, even this week those tensions and fears have been heightened even further when we've seen oil companies moving to increase prices and people are worried about prices," she told BBC News NI.

"I think the hike of 27% just seems so excessive, and we should be benchmarked against public sector pay."

Health workers in Northern Ireland are due a pay lift for 2026/27 of 3.3%, but Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has not yet been able to confirm the funding is available.

Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said her party was considering the consultation "very carefully" and that they had listened to the concerns of the public.

Once the consultation closes it will be up to the independent remuneration board to make a final determination.

The board is due to make two other determinations in the second half of this year - one on MLA salaries in respect of the 2027-32 mandate and separately on MLA pensions.

MLAs currently earn £53,000 a year, which is less than their counterparts in the UK's other devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales.

Members of the Scottish Parliament receive £74,507 while members of the Welsh Parliament earn £76,380.

At Westminster, MPs earn £93,904 a year but this is set to increase to £98,599 from next month.

Members of the Dáil (lower house of the Irish parliament) earn €118,284 (£103,416).