Do they deserve it?
A provision in the Landsdowne Agreement on public sector pay has allowed for several thousand euros to be added to the pensions of our former Taoisigh.
Cowen and Ahern, who already earn €134,000 a year, will see their generous pensions bumped by €2,000 every year until 2017.
This increase comes at a sensitive time in the Irish economy, as just last week the Lone Parent grant was cut in a way that could effect some families to the tune of €86 a week.
Until now, single parents with children up to the age of eighteen could claim this grant – now it only applies to single parents with children younger than seven.
As such, it is galling for some to think that Cowen, who last week refused to accept any responsibility for Ireland’s banking crisis, will be getting richer while single-parent families in Ireland get poorer.
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