Irish Universities Granted Approval For Bigger Salaries Over €335,000

Irish universities have received government approval to hire world-leading researchers and top academics on salaries of up to €335,000 a year. Under public sector pay rules, salaries for public sector employees are capped and can’t be more than the Prime Minister’s annual €190,000 salary.

The Government last year provided a unique derogation from public sector pay restrictions to help universities hire world-leading researchers on salaries of up to €250,000.

The best-paid academic is University College Dublin’s Prof Boris Kholodenko, deputy director of the university’s systems biology center, who earns €336,927 per year. He is SFI Stokes Professor of Systems Biology at Systems Biology Ireland and UCD Conway Institute.

Universities say they are facing significant difficulties attracting top academics under public sector pay rates and have argued for the limits to be increased.

Irish universities: Who are the top earners?

These are among the top earners in higher education, based on records released by third-level institutions and the Higher Education Authority.

1. Prof Boris Kholodenko, Deputy Director of the Systems Biology Centre, University College Dublin: €336,927

2. William Wijns, academic clinician established professor, NUI Galway: €250,000

3. Prof David Meagher, medical consultant, University of Limerick: €222,735

4. Michael Larvin, medical consultant, University of Limerick: €213,837-€222,735

5. Prof Deirdre McGrath, medical consultant, University of Limerick: €213,837-€222,735

6. Prof Clodagh O’Gorman, medical consultant, University of Limerick: €213,837-€222,735

7. Prof Joe Eustace, director of Cork clinical research facility, UCC: €219,716

8. Peter Cantillon, consultant professor, NUI Galway: €203,019

9. Andrew Murphy, consultant professor, NUI Galway: €203,019

10. John Calvin Coffey, medical consultant, University of Limerick: €200,345-€208,121

11. Amanda Cotter, medical consultant, University of Limerick: €200,345-€208,121

12. Austin Stack, medical consultant, University of Limerick: €200,345-€208,121

13. Andrew Deeks, president, UCD: €190,233

14. Prof Mark O’Malley, professor of electrical engineering, UCD: €188,381

15. James Browne, president, NUI Galway: €187,255

16. Patrick Prendergast, provost, TCD: €186,693

17. Kieran Thomas, associate professor and medical consultant, University of Limerick: €185,095-€192,870

18. John Boland, Dean of research, TCD: €185,000

19. Oliver Daniels, chief executive officer of research centre, TCD: €185,000

20. Aljosa Smolic, SFI research professor of creative technologies, TCD: €185,000

21. Oliver Daniels, CEO Insight, NUI Galway: €185,000

22. Prof Fengzhou Fang, professor of precision manufacturing, UCD: €185,000