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ALL TDS WHO unsuccessfully stood in the general election but were elected to the Seanad have returned the ‘parachute’ payments they received when they lost their seats.
A termination payment is paid to departing TDs and senators who lose their seats to help them while they look for a new job, and is usually worth approximately two months’ salary.
In previous years, there has been controversy over the delay in politicians returning the payment.
In 2017, TheJournal.ie revealed a former Fine Gael senator had not fully repaid the large allowance amounting to over €30,904. The full amount was later repaid.
In order to keep the payment, the TD or senator must not become a member of the following Oireachtas or immediately become an MEP or be appointed by the government to a full-time position.
In addition to a termination lump sum, a maximum of 12 monthly termination payments
are also payable.
For example, a TD with 14 years’ service or more would get a parachute payment of €16,031.50 (2 months’ salary). They would also be entitled to six monthly payments of €6,011.83 (75% of salary) and six further monthly payments of €4,007.87 (50% of salary).
Under the Freedom of Information Act, information released shows that 64 politicians were in receipt of termination payments amounting to €2,080,795.94.
The Oireachtas states that “no termination payments that were required to be repaid have not been repaid”.
Former TDs who lost their seat in February’s election are Fianna Fáil’s Malcolm Byrne, Pat Casey, Shane Cassels, Lisa Chambers, Timmy Dooley, Eugene Murphy and Fine Gael’s Michael D’Arcy, Regina Doherty, and Sean Kyne.
In previous years, the sum of the payment paid out to politicians has been released to the media under FOI. However, it was refused on this occasion, citing a recent decision of the Office of the Information Commission.
In the case, which was related to the pension payments made to politicians, the commission essentially said that while work committed during the course of a minister’s duties can be made available via a Freedom of Information request, that must be separated out from that individual’s financial affairs.
The Information Commissioner said: “Essentially when considering the exclusion, a distinction must be drawn between the role of a public servant or officeholder and the privacy rights of that same individual regarding his or her private employment and financial affairs.
In my view, the plain language of the FOI Act strikes this balance by excluding work and role related functions from the definition of personal information but including details relating to matters such as personnel files and financial affairs.
Furthermore, it was determined that details of payments to government ministers and ex-Taoisigh “cannot reasonably be described as information relating either to the terms upon and subject to which they held office”.
In its decision letter, refusing to disclose the level of termination payments made to each senator and TD, the Oireachtas said: “It is clear from the OIC decision that it considers details of precise payments to former Members to be personal information… termination payments/lump sum payments to former members relate to the financial affairs of individuals, and, therefore, meet the definition of personal information…”.
A great deal of information about the inner workings of government and other public bodies comes into the public domain through such FOI requests such as here, here and here.
There should be some sort of payment but the level of payments is ridiculous. TD with 14 years gets 76k? They’ve already spent 14 years getting about 3 times the average wage.
In fairness, we need to attract good people to politics, they have to potentially give up their existing job to take up office, and they can lose their seat at any time and have to transition back to other employment. If this were any other job, they’d be getting severance, I don’t see why politicians shouldn’t get something similar, especially considering their security of tenure.
@Fintan O’flaois: will all the people that lost their jobs because of the pandemic get severance. I dont think so. A lot will never work again.
@Fintan O’flaois: Mostly all Politicians come from; other Jobs like ; Solicitor, Teacher, Accountancy, Farmer, etc, and fall back on those resources, or they continue on as; Councilor’s . They have; Friends in high places, you’ll never see them Cleaning the Streets.!!
@Paul Power: yes, they will, its in legislation, at a minimum you will get statutory redundancy from the taxpayer. Whilst one may argue over the figures, and the payments former TDs get are high, the principle is the same.
@Fintan O’flaois: they r given jobs in the senate r elsewhere
Very well paid ones
@D Mems: statutory redundancy payment rate is 2 weeks of pay per year of service, plus one additional week’s pay, capped at 600 EUR per week. Which is equivalent to the figures on the article.
The ‘parachute’ payment seems to be the statutory redundancy payment by law.
The additional monthly payments, however, are ex-gratia lump sum payments not required in law.
@ÓDuibhír Abú:
It’s probably height of lunacy to leave secure job, attempt a Pol career unless the fin resources are there to burn on the quest. H/ever, no guarantees. A few high rollers tried this recently and swiftly got the AHOAP special!
Very successful ones over the years appear to have been immersed since their school/college days, joining a party, working up through the ranks, pressing flesh, making contacts, building a network, grinding daily, getting elected in local elections, and progressing further only if they can win confidence of voters.
Teaching Profession has delivered many stayers. Whether it’s because of day-job-guarantee – or perhaps fear of having to return – that has driven them on, many have excelled
Respect to all triers in Politics. All have good intentions
@Gabriel Chagas: did you read to the end of my comment, I doubt it. The principle is the same, in effect what they are doing for TDs is spreading out the redundancy payment over a 12 month period, hence why I said they were paid too high a redundancy
we can all party once Dara Murphy coughs up
Regina Doherty would have got a ministers salary for 5 months after losing seat ?
@paul kelly: In fairness she was working hard during this period.
@paul kelly: she got a minister’s salary for those 5 months because she was a minister for those 5 months. What’s your point?
@paul kelly: I think in the case of the ministers that lost their seats they ONLY got the ministerial top up salary, they lost their TD salary upon loosing their seat
Election just around the corner..everybody look busy..
Little mafia
Regina Doherty will and has never paid her debts
Had the cheek to draw 5 months ministerial salary after been rejected by the people at the last general election.
Then ushered into head of the Senate on another big salary.
Sickening to read and a disgraceful waste of money paid to a bunch of absolute w/anchors.
I would have kept it just to give two figures to all the wokey wokeys out there who are offended by everything
But civil servants who do f all get big lump sums after years of doing nothing. In fairness most of theses politicians work very hard.
@Patrick Trench: have you worked in the Service or are you just echoeing what other people think?
TDs should be patriot volunteers they shouldn’t take any money from the tax payer.
@Uncle Bobby: I.e., rich people. That does seem fairer than providing a wage so that anyone who is elected can represent their constituency. Like senior politicians in the USA, oligarchy is the way to go!
Absolute nonsense… They get paid way way more than enough when they are elected officials. Its absurd to keep paying them these crazy sums. For those you say fair enough, they have to transition, ok, maybe, then give rhem rhe statutory payment for redunancy for 6 months.
What a joke. An absolute joke.
Your short a FF TD who lost his seat
@trebloc01: Frank?
@trebloc01: Fiona O’Loughlin?
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