Ministerial pension payments total almost £1.4 million

Almost £1.4 million is paid out every year to the 111 people who currently receive ministerial pensions

Almost £1.4 million is paid out every year to the 111 people who currently receive ministerial pensions. The former Taoiseach, Mr Charles Haughey, has the highest pension at £42,300.60.

There are six former Taoisigh on the ministerial pension list and five of them receive the highest amounts. Mr Albert Reynolds, still a TD, receives just over £500 a year less than Mr Haughey - £41,729.64. The former Fine Gael Taoiseach, Dr Garret FitzGerald, is next on the list with a pension of £39,656.88, while Mr Jack Lynch and Mr Liam Cosgrave each receive £31,725.48.

The sixth former Taoiseach is the Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton, who receives £29,166.36, as well as his TD's salary of approximately £36,000.

His pension is less than that of the former Fianna Fail Tanaiste Mr John Wilson, who receives £30,180.92, and the former Ceann Comhairle of the Dail, Mr Sean Treacy, who receives £29,318.40.

READ MORE

In a written reply to a question by Mr Sean Power (FF, Kildare South), the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, listed the names and amounts of the 111 ministerial pension recipients.

The former President, Mr Patrick Hillery, receives a ministerial pension of £17,131.80, while the former Minister and sitting TD, Mr Desmond O'Malley, has a pension of £21,988.80.

A number of other former Ministers who are still TDs or MEPs also receive a pension. They include the MEP and former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Gerry Collins, who has a pension of £21,988.80; Mr Pat The Cope Gallagher MEP, who has a pension of £8,987.40, and the former Minister for Defence, Mr Sean Barrett, who receives £10,056.09.

The Labour party leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn, has a ministerial pension of £13,398.30, while the former leader, Mr Dick Spring, receives £17,096.16. Another former Labour leader, Mr Michael O'Leary, now a Circuit Court judge, receives a pension of £18,322.56.

The former Minister Mr Ray Burke, who resigned last September, receives a pension of £22,536.12, while the EU Commissioner, Mr Padraig Flynn, has a ministerial pension worth £19,975.68.

The former Minister Mr Conor Cruise O'Brien receives £14,786.28, while the former Labour MEP Mr Barry Desmond, now a member of the European Court of auditors, receives £15,055.08. The former Fianna Fail Minister, Ms Maire Geoghegan-Quinn, has a ministerial pension of £18,743.19.

Those named include the widows of former Ministers. Among them is Ms Rita Childers, widow of the late President and former Minister Mr Erskine Childers, who receives £12,485.04. Ms Ann Lenihan, widow of the former Tanaiste and presidential candidate, Mr Brian Lenihan, receives a pension of £16,646.76.

The ministerial pensions are listed below:

Rita Childers £12,485.04; Liam Cosgrave £31,725.48; Joan Davern £2,072.28; C.J. Haughey £42,300.60; Eva Blaney £14,659.20; Caoimhin O Beolain £21,988.80; Patrick Hillery £17,131.80; Jack Lynch £31,725.48; Desmond O'Malley £21,988.80; Patrick Lalor £21,382.92; Padraig Faulkner £21,988.80; Gerard Collins £21,988.80; Teresa Blowick £9,162; Brenda Haugh £6,108; Barbara Geoghegan £2,255.88; Brigid Kitt £2,072.28; Ethna Kenny £2,072.28; Eileen Lemass £2,255.88; Richard Burke £13,633.08; Declan Costello £14,537.04; Patrick Donegan £14,786.28; Conor Cruise O'Brien £14,786.28; Justin Keating £14,786.28; Mark Clinton £14,786.28; Tom O'Donnell £14,786.28; Richie Ryan £14,786.28; Michael Pat Murphy £4,915.80; Richard Barry £4,915.80; Michael O'Kennedy £14,444.28; Gene Fitzgerald £15,646.32; Sheila Browne £3,072.60; Thomas Hussey £7,014.36; Anthony Hederman £14,146.20; Jackie Fahy £7,429.08; Sylvester Barrett £14,864.52; Michael O'Leary £18,322.56; Michael Begley £8,045.88; Martin O'Donoghue £12,250.20; Mary Colley £12,485.04; Mary Cowen £3,072.60; Michael D'Arcy £6,913.32; Donal Creed £6,913.32; Edward Collins £7,536.60; John Ryan £7,139.40; Dick Spring £17,096.16; Paul Connaughton; £7,282.08 Paddy Cooney £21,988.80; Paddy Hegarty £7,282.08; John Bruton £29,166.36; Peter Barry £24,970.08; Fergus O'Brien £8,041.44; Jim Mitchell £15,998.16; Gemma Hussey £14,639.76; Alan Dukes £15,998.16; Ted Nealon £8,041.44; George Bermingham £7,282.08; Michael Noonan (FG) £14,639.76; Michael Noonan (FF) £12,709.43; Austin Deasy £14,639.76; M Moynihan £7,134.96; Nuala Fennell £7,282.08; Garret FitzGerald; £39,656.88 John Donnellan £7,282.08 Liam Kavanagh £15,734.28 Ruairi Quinn £13,398.60 Barry Desmond £15,055.08 Paddy O'Toole £15,998.16; John Boland £15,998.16; Tom Fitzpatrick £21,988.60; Patrick Reynolds £7,032.72; Jim O'Keefe £8,041.44; Mrs S Flanagan £10,295.64; Ray MacSharry £16,134.96; T. Honan £9,674.52; Phyll Corish £12,485.04; Delphine Kelly £4,062.48; John Murray £15,890.64; Padraig Flynn £19,975.68; Albert Reynolds £41,729.64; Seamus Kirk £8,039.28; Ger Connolly £10,328.28; Denis Lyons £8,039.28; Sean Callery £9,755.52; Terry Leyden £8,785.44; James Tunney £13,168.20; B Daly £18,084.60; Pat The Cope Gallagher £8,987.40; Bina O'Sullivan £2,743.44; Gary O'Sullivan £1,483.08; Breda Fallon £2,732.04; Niamh Fallon £1,483.08; Ann Lenihan £16,646.76; Phyllis Browne £6,254.64; Ray Burke £22,536.12; Margaret Gibbons £10,994.40; Sean Treacy £29,318.40; John Wilson £30,180.92; Maire Geoghegan-Quinn £18,743.19; C. McDonald £4,756.46; D. Gallagher £14,172.55; Vincent Brady £8,532.72; Sean Doherty £8,599.78; Mai Flanagan £3,278.10; Mary Naughton £3,047.13; William Naughton £1,483.08; Joseph Naughton £1,483.08; Seamus Naughton £1,483.08; Dermot Naughton £1,483.08; Marion Naughton £1,483.08; Aine Naughton £1,483.08; Sean Barrett £10,056.09.

TOTAL: £1,385,652.77