In relation to a breakdown of TDs’ pension entitlements published in last Saturday’s edition, it should be noted that TDs’ annual pension payments are taxed at the following rates: first €12,000 – 0 per cent; between €12,001 and €24,000 – 6 per cent; between €24,001 and €60,000 – 9 per cent; balance above €60,001 – 12 per cent.
TDs who were first elected after April 1st 2004 cannot receive a pension or pension lump sum until they reach the age of 65 unless they have served in a public service body up to that date or to a date within six months prior to their election.
Pension details listed for Michael W D’Arcy were inadvertently attributed to his father, Michael D’Arcy, who served in both the Dáil and Seanad and left office in 2002. Mr Michael W D’Arcy’s pension details are as follows: Years’ service for pension purposes, three; lump sum entitlement €43,780; annual pension €7,514.
An article in last Wednesday's edition concerning the Guantánamo prison camp said that the US S Colewas sunk by a terrorist attack. While 17 sailors were killed and the ship was badly damaged, it was not sunk.