WEST Cork’s public representatives received a combined €761,000 in payments and expenses last year, figures show.
The six councillors in the Bandon-Kinsale Municipal District received a combined total of €293,393.19, while a total of €467,560.77 was paid to the nine elected members in the West Cork Municipal District.
Figures released by Cork County Council include a representational payment of €32,092.48, paid annually to each councillor, and a local representational allowance, as well as funding for training and development, among other expenses.
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Almost all councillors received payments in excess of €40,000 last year, apart from Skibbereen Cllr Brendan McCarthy (FG, €35,654.53) and the late Patrick Gerard Murphy
(FF, €37,632.85).
The highest amounts were paid out to the late Fianna Fáil Cllr Joe Carroll (€82,828.47) (€82,828.47), who was Cork county mayor until June 2025, and Independent Beara councillor Finbarr Harrington (€60,951.02).
Councillors who received payments in excess of €50,000 were Caroline Cronin (FG, €55,228.13), Deidre Kelly (FF, €54,237.51), Gillian Coughlan (FF, €52,471.39), John Collins (Ind Ire, €50,036.75) and John Michael Foley (FG, €56,483.77).
Independent Ireland councillors Daniel Sexton and Danny Collins received €48,409.58 and €44,692.94 respectively.
Social Democrat councillors Isobel Towse received €47,925.47 last year and her party colleague Ann Bambury €45,984.62.
Independent Alan Coleman appeared on the council’s payment list with €41,928.32 and Fine Gael’s Marie O’Sullivan with
€46,488.34.
The highest amounts for training and development out of all West Cork councillors went to Bandon-Kinsale councillors John Michael Foley (€6,707.46) and John Collins (€6,136.50). Cllr Foley attended training with the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC), a conference of the Irish Planning Institute and training with the Association of Irish Local Government (AILG), the spring seminar of the Local Authorities Members Association (LAMA), among others.
Cllr John Collins also attended those same training events, as well as the Celtic Conference and the ICSH Social Housing Conference, among others.
The lowest amount for training expenses was filed by Cllr Ann Bambury.
Cork County Council released the figures on its website. The total amount paid to all 57 representatives across the County Cork last year was €2,726,195.20. Cork County Council had a total income of €516.5m in
2025.
