A member of the Cabinet has warned that politicians need to be paid enough or people will be elected who are “beholden to others”.

Ministers and Ministers of State yesterday agreed not to take pay rises of thousands of euro due over the next three years.

However, a pay rise of €300 a month to TDs will go ahead from next April, though they can volunteer not to take it.

Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe said politicians needed to be paid appropriately.

He said: “If we do not pay our parliamentarians a wage to reflect the responsibilities they have, we confine our pool of potential politicians to those either of independent means or, in a worse-case scenario, to those who may be beholden to others.

“I think we’re all aware of the risks that can pose to the proper practice of politics.”