Judiciary allowances go up ahead of reform

Judges and magistrates are already receiving additional allowances, amounting to €24,000 over three years, even before a holistic reform of the judiciary is endorsed by Parliament. Members of the judiciary have received €4,000 this year, over and above their salary and other allowances, The Times has learnt. The figure will increase to €8,000 next year and €12,000 in 2014, according to a spokeswoman for the Justice Ministry, amounting to €24,000 over three years. (See box on page four for a breakdown of the judiciary’s salaries and allowances over the next three years.) The raise was announced in August as part of a reform that was to see the retirement age increased to 68 from 65 years, a change to the pensions system and more accountability and efficiency by the judiciary. The higher allowances were given for “self-development”, the holding of court sessions in the afternoon and the implementation of the new diary system. Other aspects of the reform, namely the change in retirement age and the introduction of pensions for the judiciary, have been suspended until Parliament can debate and approve changes to the law. Labour had backed the proposal to raise the retirement age of...