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Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland

Taoiseach reveals €191,000 in severance payments to former Fianna Fail ministers

Enda Kenny said that four ministers are in receipt of payments despite a pledge not to draw them.

THE TAOISEACH HAS released a list of six former Fianna Fail ministers who received severance payments amounting to over €171,000.

At a press conference in Dublin today, Enda Kenny said that the former ministers had done so despite a pre-election pledge from the Fianna Fail leadership that former ministers re-elected to the Dail would forego severance.

The five ministers who were re-elected and the amounts read out by the Taoiseach are:

  • John McGuinness: €61,918
  • Dara Calleary: €53,708
  • Michael Kitt: €27,174
  • Billy Kelleher: €20,172
  • Willie O’Dea: €8,064

In addition to these five, former Minister Mary Hanafin, who is contesting a seat in the local elections under controversial circumstances, recieved a payout of €88,000.

Speaking this morning, the Taoiseach said: “I know that the Fianna Fail leader said any former Minister who was re-elected to the Dail would not accept severance payments.”

He continued:

That was a firm commitment given by FF that people who were Ministers would not accept severance payments, but all these people have done so.

Speaking on Newstalk this lunchtime, Fianna Fail justice spokesman Niall Collins said that the Taoiseach was acting like a ‘gombeen’.

He said:

He’s supposed to be the Taoiseach and he’s going around the place like a latter-day gombeen…he needs to start acting like a statesman.

When presenter Jonathan Healy said that he was showing a lack of respect for the office, Collins responded:

“Of course I respect the office but I don’t respect the way Enda Kenny is acting. He’s the office holder and he needs to grow up.”

Shatter expected to ‘do the right thing’

The Taoiseach was responding to questions over whether former Justice Minister Alan Shatter will accept a  €70,000 severance payment he is due after resigning in advance of the publication of the Guerin report into Garda whistleblower claims earlier this month.

He said: “I would expect that Alan Shatter would do the right thing, and the right thing is to comply with the wishes and the intent of what the Government decided.”

SME loan package

The Taoiseach was speaking at the publication of the first progress report on the Government’s action plan for jobs 2014, where details of a new bank with a war chest €500 million were discussed.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan said the Strategic Banking Corporation, which has an initial budget of €500 million, is projected to have a balance sheet of €4 billion after five years.

He said that the SIBC will be funded by cash injections from the European Investment Bank and the German-government owned lender KfW.

The first loans are expected to be sanctioned by the bank before the end of the year, with legislation to establish it passed by the Oireachtas before the summer break.

The Taoiseach said that the original idea had come from discussions between him and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

When asked if the Government has front-loaded positive news in advance of polling in the local and European elections, the Taoiseach exclaimed: “Oh God, no!”.

Updated 13.42

Alan Shatter to reveal if he will accept €70k severance payments>

Ireland is getting a new bank, just for small businesses>

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116 Comments
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    Mute John Roche
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    Aug 2nd 2014, 9:57 AM

    Dr Hadden was elected to Wexford Corporation where he served for many years. He also founded the Wexford Male Voice Choir which is still going strong. I , like many of my generation, knew Dr Hadden as he was extremely well known in town. Summer or Winter he never wore an overcoat or socks and only wore very lightweight shoes. He was indeed a great walker and walked miles every day , for many years with his little dog at his side. When his dog was killed by a car it made the newspapers.As far as I can remember he was made a Freeman of the Borough.It was an honour to have known such a man.

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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
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    Aug 2nd 2014, 10:19 AM

    Thanks for that great info, John!

    92
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    Mute L-Plate
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    Aug 2nd 2014, 12:53 PM

    Was he actually 7ft?

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    Mute Anne Marie O'Connor
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    Aug 2nd 2014, 4:25 PM

    No he wasn’t. He was tall, 6ft six maybe.

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    Mute Adam Murphy
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    Aug 2nd 2014, 9:19 AM

    The Pretenders don’t look so impressive now huh?

    168
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    Mute Conor Dunne
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    Aug 2nd 2014, 9:56 AM

    Classic Adam. I tip my hat to you sir

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    Mute Hipster Enda
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    Aug 2nd 2014, 10:06 AM

    The Proclaimers ?

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    Mute Boganity
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    Aug 2nd 2014, 3:58 PM

    Da lat da (Da lat da), da lat da (Da lat da)
    Da-da-da dun-diddle un-diddle un-diddle uh da-da

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    Mute John Roche
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    Aug 2nd 2014, 10:09 AM

    Just to confirm that Dr Hadden was made an Freeman of Wexford in 1972. He never sought to serve as Mayor but probably would have succeeded had he done so. He also founded the Old Wexford Society now known as the Wexford Historical Society.

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    Mute Captain kirk
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    Aug 2nd 2014, 10:55 AM

    Was he 7ft tall?

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    Mute John Roche
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    Aug 2nd 2014, 11:39 AM

    No he was about 6’1″ when he was in his later years so probably about 6’3″in his prime.

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    Mute Robespierre
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    Aug 2nd 2014, 9:23 AM

    Great story – some man for one man.

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    Mute John Roche
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    Aug 2nd 2014, 11:53 AM

    Incidentally his wife Helen lived beyond 100 yrs and died in the early 1980′s. During his time back in Wexford from approx 1940 to his death in 1973 he never practiced as a doctor. He spent his time organising the bodies he had founded and started to conduct tours around town for tourists a practice which is commonplace today. In appearance he had a Chinese type long white beard down beyond his chest and walked very fast ( even when old) usually with his hands clasped behind his back.

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    Mute the flying picket
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    Aug 2nd 2014, 9:24 AM

    If only he had facebook !

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    Mute Noel Quinn
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    Aug 2nd 2014, 10:18 AM

    Some men would walk 10000 miles in the opposite direction !!!!

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    Mute bob®
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    Aug 2nd 2014, 9:24 AM

    Wexford always had great Walkers

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    Mute damien kierans
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    Aug 2nd 2014, 10:43 AM

    Movie please

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    Mute Qwerty
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    Aug 2nd 2014, 11:36 AM

    There already are films where it’s just people walking and nothing else happens. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy!

    13
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    Mute Owen Lynch
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    Aug 2nd 2014, 9:38 AM

    The present Wexford hurling could do with a few (15) like him.

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    Mute Dave Field
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    Aug 2nd 2014, 9:47 AM

    Some tall tale…

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    Mute Alan Lawlor
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    Aug 2nd 2014, 9:25 AM

    I wonder if he sang any Proclaimers songs to keep himself amused along the way…
    da da-da da duh. da da-da da duh …..

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    Mute Alan Lawlor
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    Aug 2nd 2014, 9:27 AM

    Now I see Adam got in ahead of me!

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    Mute Dylan Ryan
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    Aug 2nd 2014, 5:45 PM

    He woulda spotted her miles away with that hat on her….

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    Mute ZeeFeb
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    Mar 20th 2017, 6:44 PM

    @Dylan Ryan: actually that is my great great grandmother. Don’t make fun of her hat. It was the early 1900s

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    Mute ZeeFeb
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    Mar 20th 2017, 6:46 PM

    actually the story is real. I should know. That man is my great great grandfather.

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