Former Govt ministers got €4.7m in pensions last year

on 28/09/2012 19:16:28

New figures released this evening by the Department of Finance show that pensions paid to former Government ministers totalled €4.7m last year.

The Finance Accounts for 2011 show that former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern earned a gross pension of €83,000 last year, Brian Cowen earned €79,000, John Bruton €91,000 and Albert Reynolds almost €100,000.

The figures also show that severance payments to former ministers in 2011 totalled €1.1m.

Allowances to political parties fell to €7.2m last year from €8m in 2010.