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Pensions spotlight on
Donegal
29.04.10
SPECULATION was
mounting yesterday that two Donegal politicians
would eventually cave in under pressure to give up
their ministerial pensions.
The controversy continued for a third day yesterday
as the spotlight moved to Donegal representatives Dr
Jim McDaid and Pat 'the Cope' Gallagher MEP.
Fianna Fáil senators Terry Leyden and Ivor Callely
joined a growing list yesterday morning and
surrendered their ministerial pensions.
However, while rebel Donegal North East T.D., McDaid
and 'the Cope' were holding firm, pundits suggested
it was only a matter of time before they would toe
the 'unofficial' party line.
Mr Gallagher yesterday admitted while he was feeling
the public and media pressure on the issue he would
not be railroaded into a quick decision.
"I don't want to be mercenary, I don't want to be
vindictive. I want time, I want space to decide what
is the right thing to do," he told Highland Radio.
He said he would make his decision in a "cool, calm"
atmosphere and would not be pressurised into a
knee-jerk reaction.
The MEP said he was already saving the country a
salary by opting to be paid by the EU instead of the
State. His MEP's salary is €91,984 while his
ministerial pension is worth €23,634. He also has a
Dáil pension worth more than €40,000. |
Meanwhile, Deputy
McDaid, who is not in the FF parliamentary party,
hit out at the ‘mob-type’ frenzy surrounding the
pensions issue.
He said if everyone caved in, public representatives
would be left with "very basic level" earnings that
would leave politics the preserve only of the very
wealthy.
A GP, Deputy McDaid's Dáil salary is €98,424 and he
retains a ministerial pension |
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worth another €22,487 a
year.
He said his pension was worth only €425 a fortnight:
"Thankfully I’m not in a situation where I’m
dependant on the money but at the end of the day
it’s a matter of principle," he told reporters. He
said pensions were awarded for genuine reasons,
including to keep former ministers from being
"head-hunted" by the private sector.
The roll-call of public representatives bowing to
public pressure continued to grow this week
following the decision of EU Commissioner Máire
Geoghegan-Quinn and former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to
relinquish their pensions. |
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