220 thousand euro for outgoing North West MEPs

Galway Bay fm newsroom – Two outgoing MEPs for the former North West European constituency are set to receive severance payments totalling over 220 thousand euro. According to today's Irish Independent, Fianna Fáil's Pat ‘the Cope' Gallagher will receive the largest payment of 143 thousand euro having served 18 years as an MEP. Fine Gael's Jim Higgins will receive just under 80 thousand euro. Under current laws, outgoing EU parliamentarians are entitled to a maximum of two years salary, dependent on years served. Nationally, seven MEPs will receive a severence payment, totalling a tax-funded payout of half a million euro.