Ahern and Cowen paid €80,810 each in pensions, Dáil told

Former Fianna Fáil taoisigh Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen are receiving the highest State pensions for politicians, according to figures revealed to the Dáil.

Mr Ahern and Mr Cowen are each paid €80,810 per annum, while former Fine Gael taoiseach John Bruton receives €72,908.

Michael McDowell, a former minister with the now defunct Progressive Democrats, receives €64,958, while former party colleagues Mary Harney is paid €63,478 and Des O'Malley, €56,059.

Others former ministers receiving pensions are: Peter Barry, Fine Gael, €57,576; Dick Spring, Labour, €56,386, while former Fianna Fáil ministers John O'Donoghue and Martin Cullen each receive €54,812 per annum.

Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald, who had sought the figures from Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin, said a small number of people were "overpaid and over-pensioned'', while there were others employed by the State on "poverty wages''.

Mr Howlin said people had legal entitlements to pensions and reductions had been introduced as far as could be done on the Attorney General’s advice.

“I do not believe we should exclusively look at people who are in politics and exclude senior administrators, judges, senior gardaí and senior academics.”

Name Pension 2014 (Euro per annum)

Bertie Ahern (FF) 80,810.86

Brian Cowen (FF) 80,810.86

John Bruton (FG) 72,908.94

Michael McDowell (PDs) 64,958.14

Mary Harney (PDs) 63,478.22

Peter Barry (FG) 57,576.82

Dick Spring (Lab) 56,386.20

Desmond O’Malley (PDs) 56,059.64

John O’Donoghue (FF) 54,812.94

Martin Cullen (FF) 54,812.94

Sean Treacy (Ind) 54,812.68

Michael Smith (FF) 54,812.68

Charles McCreevy (FF) 54,812.68

Name Pension 2014 (Euro per annum)

Dermot Ahern (FF) 54,570.62

Michael Woods (FF) 53,733.42

Michael L. O’Kennedy (FF) 53,268.54

Rory O’Hanlon (FF) 53,018.94

Mary O’Rourke (FF) 52,710.84

Jim McDaid (FF) 50,411.14

Robert Molloy (PDs) 50,327.94

Máire Geoghegan-Quinn (FF) 49,508.68

Mary Hanafin (FF) 49,283.00

Séamus Pattison (Lab) 49,241.40

Noel Dempsey (FF) 49,026.64

Liam Cosgrave (FG) 47,299.98

Brendan Daly (FF) 46,106.06

David Andrews (FF) 46,049.12

Alan Dukes (FG) 45,470.62

Frank Fahey ()FF) 43,444.44

Ray Burke (FF) 42,262.84

Sile de Valera (FF) 42,212.30

Patrick Cooney (FG) 41,358.20

Ray Mac Sharry (FF) 41,135.38

Patrick Lalor (FF) 40,245.92

Mervyn Taylor (Lab) 39,764.92

Batt O’Keeffe (FF) 38,883.52

Barry Desmond (Lab) 38,383.28

Richie Ryan (FG) 37,697.14

Tom O’Donnell (FG) 37,697.14

Austin Deasy (FG) 37,323.26

Michael D Higgins (Lab) 36,906.48

Gerard Collins (FF) 35,781.20

John Gormley (Green Party) 34,966.88

Gemma Hussey (FG) 34,757.84

Noel Treacy (FF) 33,704.58

Niamh Bhreathnach (Lab) 33,413.90

Pádraig Flynn (FF) 33,292.74

Tom Kitt (FF) 32,619.26

Martin O’Donoghue (FF) 31,231.46

Joe Jacob (FF) 30,390.88

Richard Burke (FG) 28,523.30

Nora Owen (FG) 28,254.20

Ivan Yates (FG) 28,243.28

Paddy O’Toole (FG) 27,563.90

Mary Wallace (FF) 27,374.88

Proinsias De Rossa (Lab) 27,278.36

Tony Killeen (FF) 26,071.50

Pat the Cope Gallagher (FF) 25,751.06

Ger Connolly (FF) 25,582.96

Sean Calleary (FF) 24,164.14

Tras Honan (FF) 23,674.30

Pat Carey (FF) 23,639.20

Noel Ahern (FF) 23,107.76

Brian Mullooly (FF) 22,472.06

Dan Wallace (FF) 21,298.16

Vincent Brady (FF) 21,200.40

Jim O’Keeffe (FG) 19,918.34

Fergus O’Brien (FG) 19,918.34

Liz O’Donnell (PDs) 19,167.20

Liam T. Cosgrave jnr (FG) 19,132.92

Tom Moffatt (FF) 18,803.46

Hugh Byrne (FF) 18,803.46

Edward Collins (FG) 18,668.00

Tim O’Malley (PDs) 18,585.06

Tom Parlon (PDs) 18,585.06

Jackie Fahy (FF) 18,401.76

Eamon Ryan (Green Party) 18,350.28

Paul Connaughton (FG) 18,037.50

George Birmingham (FG) 18,037.50

Liam Aylward (FG) 17,706.02

Chris Flood (FF) 17,645.94

Thomas Hussy (FF) 17,374.24

Brian O’Shea *(Lab) 17,298.06

Rory Kiely (FF) 17,193.80

Michael D’Arcy (FG) 17,124.12

Donal Creed (FG) 17,124.12

Eithne Fitzgerald (Lab) 16,982.94

Sean Haughey (FF) 16,934.32

Conor Lenihan (FF) 15,415.92

Ned O’Keeffe (FF) 15,273.70

Avril Doyle (FG) 14,916.20

Ivor Callely (FF) 14,879.02

Toddy O’Sullivan (Lab) 14,835.60

John Curran (FF) 14,757.34

Pat Moylan (FF) 13,986.18

Martin Mansergh (FF) 13,113.88

Michael Finneran (FF) 13,113.88

Trevor Sargent (Green Party) 12,687.74

Austin Currie (FG) 12,291.24

Liz McManus (Lab) 12,287.34

Bernard Allen (FG) 12,287.34

Donal Carey (FG) 12,008.62

Sean McCarthy (FF) 11,803.22

Liam Hyland (FF) 11,796.72

Charles McDonald (FG) 11,770.46

Lorcan Allen (FF) 11,644.36

Donie Cassidy (FF) 11,466.52

Thomas Fitzpatrick (FG) 10,953.80

John Donnellon (FG) 9,018.62

Jim Higgins (FG) 8,730.38

Seán Power (FF) 8,535.54

Gay Mitchell (FG) 8,187.18

Eoin Ryan (FF) 5,909.28