GALWAY TDS TO LOSE OUT ON MINISTERIAL PENSION FUND

Date Published: 09-Apr-2009

31 Senators and Tds, including some in Galway, will lose out on a 750 thousand euro pension fund following the axing of Ministerial pensions for sitting politicians.According to today's Irish Independent, until Tuesday's budget, former Ministers were receiving a pension, despite still holding an Oireachtas seat and not being 65.However the pension will not now be paid to them until they retire from politics.Some TDs losing their ministerial pension have also had their 20 thousand euro payment as chairman of a committee halved, including Deputy Frank Fahey.Deputy Paul Connaughton will no longer receive payment for working as a vice-chair of an Oireachtas Committee.He would previously have received about 10 thousand euro.Last year Deputy Paul Connaughton received a pension payment of 18 thousand euro, while Frank Fahey received over 41 thousand euro.Labour's Michael D Higgins received a pension payment of almost 20 thousand euro and Fianna Fáil's, Noel Treacy received 27 thousand euro.