€795,631 paid in pensions to currently serving TD’s and MEP’s in 2008

THE audited Financial Accounts for the Exchequer for the year ended 31 December 2008 have been published by the Department of Finance.

Our judiciary was paid €27,748,576 ~ 8 justices of the Supreme Court, 37 justices of the High Court, 37 judges of the Circuit Court and 59 district justices.

One of the bugbears of citizens is the payment of pensions to former Ministers and other office holders while they continue to hold elected office.  A total of €4,467,657 was paid in respect of politicians’ pensions last year, including those currently in office and those no longer active in politics. 

The list includes former Attorney General and subsequently AIB Chairman Dermot Gleeson SC (€49,841) and tribunal witnesses Liam T Cosgrave (€18,736) and Ray Burke (€56,260).

Current office holders paid severance payments include Bertie Ahern (€68,337) and Tom Kitt (€23,641).  Kitt is Chairman of the Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

Four MEP’s, 25 TD’s and one senator are among the following current office holders received pension payments in 2008:

Recipient	Current Office	Party	€
Bertie Ahern	TD	FF	14,923
Bernard Allen	TD and Chair PAC	FG	6,021
Liam Aylward	MEP	FF	13,348
Sean Barrett	TD and Chair	FG	54,033
Richard Bruton	TD	FG	14,534
Paul Connaughton	TD	FG	17,662
Joan Burton	TD	Lab	8,475
Jimmy Deenihan	TD	FG	6,020
Proinsias de Rossa	MEP	Lab	13,833
Bernard Durkan	TD and Chair	FG	6,020
Frank Fahey	TD and Chair	FF	47,874
Pat the Cope Gallagher	MEP	FF	16,372
Eamonn Gilmore	TD	Lab	6,016
Jim Higgins	MEP	FG	5,829
Michael D Higgins	TD	Lab	19,469
Enda Kenny	TD	FG	15,468
Seamus Kirk	TD	FF	19,499
Terry Leyden	Senator	FF	21,309
Jim McDaid	TD	FF	24,681
Liz McManus	TD	Lab	6,020
Gay Mitchell	MEP	FG	6,021
Michael J. Noonan	TD	FG	43,842
Rory O’Hanlon	TD	FF	44,136
Jim O’Keeffe	TD	FG	19,504
Ned O’Keeffe	TD	FF	7,475
Mary O’Rourke	TD and Chair	FF	55,504
Brian O’Shea	TD	Lab	8,469
Ruari Quinn	TD	Lab	50,449
Pat Rabbitte	TD	Lab	6,036
Emmet Stagg	TD	Lab	8,469
Noel Tracey	TD and Chair	FF	40,212
Michael Woods	TD and Chair	FF	109,190
			€795,631