Bertie, Brian and Mary.
The austerity years.
In 2014 for instance, Mr Ahern was paid a ministerial pension of €81,140, on top of which he received an additional €53,291 from Leinster House, totalling €134,431. In 2011, he received significant farewell payments including a ‘termination lump sum’ of €16,404 and another ‘lump sum’ payment of €159,873.
Following Mr Ahern on the list is another former Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil’s Brian Cowen who has been paid €726,367 according to the figures. His payments mirror almost exactly those of Mr Ahern and his pension – both ministerial and Oireachtas combined – is worth €134,379 annually.
Next on the list is the former Tanaiste Mary Harney, who according to the figures was paid €647,406. Her annual pension is currently worth €116,987, which is almost €13,000 less than she was being paid in 2012 due to a series of budgetary cuts, which have seen payments for all retired politicians reduced.