Overview
- The draft recommends raising MLA salaries from £53,000 to £67,200 from 1 April 2026.
- Pay would be cut by 10% after six, 12 and 18 weeks if no Executive is formed after an election or if the first and deputy first minister posts fall vacant.
- The board says MLA pay has lagged since 2016 compared with Westminster, the Scottish Parliament, the Senedd and the Dáil.
- First Minister Michelle O’Neill called public reactions understandable and noted the cost-of-living pressures, while Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said the Executive will review the proposals and respond.
- This is the first draft determination by the new Independent Remuneration Board, with the consultation due to close on 5 March before a final decision is published.