The new director general of the IFA is to receive a far slimmer package that the man he replaces.

The organisation announced today that Damian McDonald takes up the role on a salary of €185,350. No bonus was announced in the package. The organisation will make a contribution towards his pension equal to 15% of his salary, or €27,750. The Wexford man will receive health insurance cover and the use of car.

The scaled-down package is not excessive for a representative body or trade union. It compares with the €295,000 basic salary received by former secretary general Pat Smith in 2013, along with the pension contribution he received of €150,000 and bonus and fees of €90,000.

President's salary

The IFA today also made public the salary of its new president Joe Healy and it, too, is well down on that of his predecessors. Healy will receive a total yearly salary of €120,000. A statement from the IFA said that this figure included payment from outside bodies, implying that the full cost does not fall on members. The president will also have the use of a company car. Former president Eddie Downey received yearly remuneration of €147,000.

The new packages were approved at Wednesday’s meeting of the IFA executive council. News of the appointment of Damian McDonald and his and the president’s salaries will now be considered at the ongoing annual general meetings of the IFA’s more than 900 branches.

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