Ex-FF ministers get quarter million in combined pensions
OFFICIAL FIGURES REVEAL LEVEL OF PAYMENTS
TWO former Fianna Fail ministers for Louth are getting annual pensions amounting to quarter a million Euro between them. Dermot Ahern, who didn't contest the last election, gets a combined pension of €119,965 while Padraig Faulkner, who retired in 1987 gets €102,564. Their pension entitlements are a combination of ministerial and TD pensions.
While politicians contribute to their TD pension in line with normal public service arrangements, they don't contribute to their ministerial pensions.
At 56, Dermot Ahern would have to wait another nine years to qualify for a state pension. As it is, he is now getting a TD'S pension of €50,722 and a ministerial pension of €69,242.
This is based on his service in the Dail from his election in 1987 until he resigned in January 2011. After ten years as TD, he was first appointed Minister for Social and Family Affairs, moving to Communications, Marine and Natural Resources in 2002. Two years later he was got the high profile Foreign Affairs portfolio and in 2008 he was appointed Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
Padraig Faulkner represented Louth in the Dail for 30 years. A primary school teacher by profession, he was first elected to the Dail in 1957. His first Government appointment was as Minister for Lands and he subsequently served as Minister for the Gaeltacht, Minister for Post and Telegraph, Minister for Post and Telegraphs, and Minister for Defence before taking up the role of Ceann Comhairle.
Serving Ministers are not entitled to draw pensions for previous service.
The latest official figures were supplied by Minister for Finance Michael Noonan yesterday in response to a Dáil question from Sinn Féin president and Louth TD Gerry Adams. Sinn Féin finance spokesman Pearse Doherty described the level of payments to former ministers at a time when the country is facing into one of the harshest budgets in its history as a scandal.
- MARGARET RODDY
