Rural county councillors were paid more than €25 million in expenses and allowances in 2002, it has emerged.
This represents a 212 per cent increase on 2001 when the bill to the taxpayer was €8 million.
The figures, obtained by the Farmers Journalunder the Freedom of Information Act, show 229 councillors collected more than €40,000, while 54 collected more than €50,000.
Top of the list was Mayo county councillor Mr Jimmy Maloney for Fianna Fáil who claimed €75,056 and Cork county councillor Ms Paula Desmond for Labour who was paid €74,000.
ISME, the small firms lobby group, described the figures as a "disgrace" and called on the Minister for Local Government to initiate "a value for money audit" of local authorities.
ISME chief executive Mr Mark Fielding told ireland.comcouncils were "squandering taxpayers money" on pointless committees and wasteful junkets. He accused some councils of creating committees to increase their income.
The figures show that, on the whole, councillors do not make their money from expenses.
Instead, the money is made from a combination representational allowances, allowances for chairing the council, and allowances for chairing various committees and boards inside and outside the council.
Part of the reason for the huge increase in cost may be explained by the fact that 2002 was first year that councillors received an annual representational allowance of about €12,500.
They also received a once-off back payment of up to €15,420. Although the figures account for membership of council committees and health boards, information from certain bodies, such Vocational Education Committees (VECs), was not obtained - making the €25 million an underestimate.
