Grotesque pension payments to former Ministers must end

Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen laughing at Irish citizens

Government Ministers – estimated to be costing the Republic nearly €9 million a year – Francis Donohoe reports

Taxpayers’ money is being paid out in pensions to approximately 100 former Ministers, many of whom have lucrative new jobs and positions despite their failings as public administrators.

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern receives the largest state pension of €152,331 for his service as minister and TD. Other former Taoisigh receiving pensions include Brian Cowen on €151,061; Albert Reynolds, who is getting €149,740 and John Bruton on €141,849.

Former Health Minister and Tánaiste Mary Harney, who is six years short of the normal retiring age, is paid an annual pension of €129,805.

Former Fine Gael Minister Alan Dukes, who is believed to be paid €150,000 as chairman of Anglo Irish Bank (now the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation) has a ministerial pension of €94,467.

Former Tánaiste Dick Spring has a ministerial pension of €121,108, on top of his basic salary of €27,375 and €3,000 for every committee meeting he attends as public interest director at the partly state- owned AIB.

A number of prominent members of the Bertie Ahern-led governments, including Charlie McCreevy, Dermot Ahern, Noel Dempsey and John O’Donoghue are all on pensions of over €119,000.

The Workers’ Party National Organiser, Seamus McDonagh, said: “The continued payment of these pensions to former ‘public servants’ while the most vulnerable are having their services cut is obscene. The amount that will be saved if a special levy is introduced to bring these pensions down to the standard state pension will not sort out the economy but will set a moral example.”

He added: “It is our understanding that special legalisation which would tax these pensions at a special high rate can be enacted, however the Government has claimed such a change would necessitate a constitutional referendum. If so, they should let the people vote on this issue.”

LookLeft will be contacting TDs in the coming weeks to ask them to state their position on the introduction of emergency legalisation to curtail these pension payments and will publish their responses.

via Grotesque pension payments to former Ministers must end : Look Left.