Mayo councillors paid over €1.3 million in 2025

Mayo County Council paid out more than €1.3 million to its elected members last year, with foreign travel expenses including trips to the United States, Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands among the costs disclosed in official figures.

The payments breakdown, published by the local authority, shows a total of €1,347,567.90 was paid to councillors in 2025 across remuneration, allowances, expenses and other payments.

The single largest payment went to Bonniconlon-based councillor John O'Hara, who received €72,342.22 in total.

That figure included €15,000 in cathaoirleach/leas allowances as he served as chair of the local authority for half of 2025, €1,710.48 in foreign travel expenses, covering trips to Milwaukee and New York and €13,289.78 in conference and training expenses in Ireland.

Fine Gael’s Michael Burke received €65,942.37, which included €9,972.11 in security allowance, €8,783.33 in SPC payments and €5,417.75 in conference expenses.

Current Cathaoirleach Sean Carey was paid €64,428.61, with €18,000 in cathaoirleach/leas allowance accounting for the bulk of the figure above his base remuneration.

The foreign travel bill for the year came to €15,407.47 across 23 individual trips.

The most-travelled councillor was Michael Loftus, who claimed €3,030.54 in overseas expenses, covering visits to Pittsburgh, Chicago and Trento in Italy.

Donna Sheridan was close behind at €3,035.98, with three separate trips to Peekskill, New York, and one to Hochstadt in Germany.

Blackie Gavin claimed €1,645.60 in foreign travel, including two trips to Milwaukee, one in 2024 and one in 2025 and a study trip to the Netherlands funded by the National Transport Authority.

Three councillors travelled to New York in March 2025, with John O'Hara (€985.50), Brendan Mulroy (€654) and Gerry Coyle (€654) all recording expenses for that trip.

Chris Maxwell claimed €741 for an official visit to Moelan Sur Mur in France in August 2025, organised by Westport Municipal District.

The base remuneration of €32,108.26 was paid to the majority of full-year councillors. Members' allowances totalled €156,188.51 across the council, while local representation allowances, vouched and unvouched came to €46,623.09.

Conference and training expenses in Ireland amounted to €48,444.95.

SPC payments totalling €52,699.98 were shared among five councillors: Michael Burke, Peter Flynn, Al McDonnell, Gerry Murray and Annie May Reape, each receiving €8,783.33 for chairing their respective strategic policy committees.

An audit committee payment of €855 was made to Peter Flynn, and €570 to Al McDonnell.

Former councillor Peter Sweeney received a gratuity of €19,352.39 in respect of his previous membership.

Paul Lawless, who resigned from the council following his election to the Dáil as an Aontú TD, received €1,306.53 for the short period he held his seat at the start of the year.

While Fine Gael senator Mark Duffy also received payment of €6,746 before he departed the Aras for the Oireachtas.

Their respective co-options, Marie Therese Duffy, who joined the council on March 10, and Deirdre Lawless, who took her seat on January 8, received pro-rata payments of €29,309.60 and €35,981.02 respectively.