The latest Exchequer figures show that those politicians who chose to retire from office now enjoy a rather generous pension pot that amounts to about €4m and some loose change between them all.
This generosity is in stark contrast with the HSE’s refusal to fund a mere 100k for cancer patient in dire need of life-saving drugs, as published here in TheLiberal this week.
We have, for instance, former president Mary McAleese receiving €137,749, while her predecessor Mary Robinson received €121,158.
Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen, whose terms in office were dogged by controversy after controversy, were paid €83,918 each. This does not include their TD’s pension of €53,291 each.
Other assorted wastage includes €27,069 given to Mary Coughlan, €51,178 to Mary Hanafin, €54,738 to Mary O’Rourke, €47,219 to Alan Dukes and €15,451 to Ivor Callely.
And the merry-go-round continues.