Plans to slash ministerial pensions paid to sitting TDs will be unveiled by the Government in the coming days, it was revealed tonight.
Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan will put the radical reforms before the Dáil by the end of this week or next week after a number of former Cabinet members did not offer to give up their pensions.
The minister wrote six weeks ago to 31 politicians receiving ministerial pensions to discuss cuts to the payments, and at least four have yet to reply.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Finance said legislation revising pension rules for sitting deputies will be brought forward this week or next.
In April, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said plans to scrap ministerial pensions, as outlined in the Budget, would come into effect after the next General Election as there were legal issues around binning them now.
Although the cut is likely to involve many Fianna Fáil members, the party declined to reveal how many of its TDs were backing the move or had replied to Mr Lenihan’s letter.
A spokeswoman said: “It’s a matter for the TDs individually, between them and the Department. We wouldn’t be commenting on it.”
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny replied to the minister on behalf of all the party’s TDs.
A spokesman said: “Fine Gael proposed that the entitlement to ministerial pensions for serving members of the Oireachtas should be removed.
“This proposal was contained in the Party’s pre-Budget proposals in April. Enda Kenny wrote to the Minister for Finance on behalf of all serving members in receipt of ministerial pensions, calling for the entitlement to be ended.”
He has also asked for details of the legal advice the Government stated prevented it from scrapping the pension.
The Labour Party declined to comment on individual TDs but said party leader Eamon Gilmore, finance spokesperson and deputy leader Joan Burton and Wicklow TD Liz McManus had already given up their pensions.
High profile TDs eligible for ministerial pensions include former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Fianna Fáil’s Frank Fahey and Labour’s Ruairí Quinn.