University heads in this State are at the bottom of the pay league in a survey of over 110 third-level colleges in the Republic, Northern Ireland and Britain.
The university heads in the Republic remain - in almost all cases - the worst paid in these islands, despite receiving a 17 per cent increase as a result of the Buckley recommendations earlier this year.
The figures are given in an unpublished report commissioned by the university heads which has been recently submitted to the Minister for Education, the Minister for Finance and the Higher Education Authority.
The relatively low level of pay make it more difficult for Irish colleges to recruit top-level staff. Already, some Irish colleges have struggled to fill prestigious chairs because of the high living costs in the Republic and the relatively low pay. In recent years, one US-based academic who was nominated for a college presidency withdrew at the eleventh hour because of the high housing costs and low pay.
The annual salary of €130,000 for the heads of NUI Galway, DCU, NUI Maynooth and the University of Limerick still trails behind all of their counterparts in Britain and Northern Ireland. The new rate of €142,000 for the Provost of TCD and the presidents of UCD and UCC is below all but two British colleges.
By contrast, vice-chancellors in British colleges receive an average of around €200,000 per annum, with some of the more prestigious posts attracting salaries of up to €260,000. The vice-chancellor of London Business School receives an annual salary of €429,000 .
In recommending the pay award last year, the Buckley Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector pointed to the importance of keeping pay for university heads in line with international standards. It said; "The recruitment market for the heads of universities is in general an international one. . .we consider that it is desirable that the widest range of candidates should be attracted to posts of head of Irish universities in order to maintain and enhance the standing of these institutions. . .their salaries should be set at a level which will attract suitable candidates from abroad".
The Buckley report calls for a system of "performance-related awards" for those in senior third-level posts, but only when the "conditions are in place".
The comparative study of Irish and British university pay was prepared by consultants Saxton Bampfylde Hever plc. It was commissioned by the Conference of Heads of Irish Universities (CHIU). The CHIU group - comprising the heads of all seven Irish universities - acts as a lobby group and reviews developments at third level but it does not have negotiating rights.
Under the Buckley recommendations, which took effect in April, the presidents of Trinity and UCD received an 11 per cent increase and the president of UCC secured a 17.5 per cent increase. The heads of DCU, NUI Maynooth and UL received a 23 per cent increase. The president of NUI Galway received a 7 per cent increase.