Former Taoisigh Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen have topped a list of the top ten biggest pensions in politicians, trousering over €150,000 per-year each.
In total, over €100,000 will be paid to a staggering 30 ex ministers this year, with Bertie Ahern leading the pack with an annual pension of €152,331 – despite being 14 years younger than the regular pension age. Cowen is just behind with yearly payouts of €151,061.
Sinn Fein have already hit out at the eye-watering figures, with party spokesman Pearse Doherty stating last night: “The fact that this level of payment is being paid to former ministers when we are facing into one of the harshest budgets in history is a scandal.
“Many of the people on this list are the architects of our economic downfall and of the hardships being faced by hundreds of thousands of Irish people today,”
The top ten pensions being paid out each year are as follows:
1. Bertie Ahern (152,331)
2. Brian Cowen (€151,061)
3. Albert Reynolds (€149,740)
4. John Bruton (€141,849)
5. Liam Cosgrave (€133,025)
6. Mary Harney (€129,805)
7. Michael O’Kennedy (€122,803)
8. Michael Woods (€122,695)
9. Dermot Ahern (€119,965)
10. Charlie McCreevy, Joe Walsh, John O’Donoghue, Martin Cullen, Michael Smith, Noel Dempsey, Sean Treacy (All on €119,177)
