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COUNTY COUNCIL MANAGERS who retired since the turn of the millennium have been paid over €1.15 million in special gratuity payments when they retired, new figures have shown.
Data published by environment minister Phil Hogan shows that of the 28 managers of city and county councils who stepped down from the public service since January 2000, 19 were given gratuity payments on top of their regular pension lump sums.
Furthermore, 11 managers – including nine of the ones who had been given the one-off gratuity bonuses – were also given ‘added years’, where pensions were calculated based on more years’ service than the manager had actually given.
These ‘added years’ are awarded to managers who have not served the maximum 40 years of service taken into account when calculating pension contributions, and where the added years do not bring that manager beyond the age of 65 when they would be forced to retire anyway.
The top gratuity payment went to John Fitzgerald, who was given a gratuity sum of €85,214.50 when he retired from Dublin City Council in June 2006 aged 60. Fitzgerald was also given added years.
Since then Fitzgerald has continued to act in other public roles, including as chairman of An Post, chairman of the National Transport Authority, and board roles in the HSE and the Grangegorman Development Authority.
Cork city manager Joe Gavin, who retired in August 2010, got the next-highest gratuity payment at €78,983.50; in his case no years were added to his pension as he had already served the maximum 40 years in the public service.
Cork county manager Maurice Moloney, who stepped down aged 63 in December 2006, received a gratuity payment of €76,124.50. Alec Fleming, who stepped down as Clare County manager in 2009, aged 55, received both added years and a gratuity of €73,422.50.
The youngest retirees all stepped down at age 53 – with all three managers given handsome gratuity payments as well as added years to top up their public service pensions.
Derek Brady, who retired from Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in 2005, received €63,218.50; Ann McGuinness got a €59,649.50 top-up when she left Westmeath in January 2006; while Ray O’Dwyer was paid €66,255.5 when he retired from Waterford County Council last September.
All of the figures were paid on top of the lump sums to which each manager would be entitled upon retiring from the public service, equivalent to three full years of pension payments. Until recently, the first €200,000 of each lump sum was tax-free.
Minister Phil Hogan’s figures – supplied to Sinn Féin TD Mary Lou McDonald – include a note which said new legislation would be required before county and city managers could have their pensions calculated in the same way as Secretaries-General in government departments.
Legislation to end the current system – which was introduced by statutory instrument – was enacted in 1998, when Noel Dempsey was the minister for the environment.
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The man is doing no harm to anyone and it’s unlikely that he will win it overall unless he gets the sympathy vote , it certainly won’t be for his dancing skills
So many haters and keyboard warriors out there , it’s sad times we live in
@Sean Fox: so true sean. And isn’t it the case that most keyboard warriors the type hurtful stuff are the ones that hide behind a pseudonym And use their real name . Coward‘s
@Conor Noonan: and won’t use their real name
@Conor Noonan: keyboard warriors sit indoors all day putting down whoever they want at whatever time they want as they have all day to spew whatever the want
Good man Ray, keep her lit, you are just brilliant. By complaining about Him and going on Joe Duffy giving out is helping him greatly, that is getting far more people on his side. Not much of a Dancer, but a good outgoing character of a Priest, just as He was on the Singing Show. The Catholic Church need more like him .
You go Father, don’t mind them!
I think he should consider leaving because he can’t dance but if it doesn’t bother him then so be it,to be honest I wouldn’t take the fate of John the Baptist too seriously either.
@Honeybee: Why should he consider leaving?? He was asked by the production company if he would like to join the show and he accepted. He is doing brilliantly and as other have said f….k the f….king haters. Go on Fr Ray all the way to the final!
@Honeybee: so your admitting you watch it ? Really
@Margaret Mcgarry: so what if they watch it?
@Margaret Mcgarry: I watch it. And that’s affects you how ??
@Margaret Mcgarry: I do watch it.
He can’t have it both way. A ordained priest of one hand and a dime a dozen celebrity on the other. Using his collar so people will waste their money on overpriced phone calls.
RTE should stop hiding behind ‘commercially sensitive information’ and tell us all who is profiting from the national airwaves. Every programme other than then news has phone in completions which someone is making a profit on. Why is it not the taxpayer.
@leartius: he can have it any way he wants.
@leartius: Don’t phone in
@leartius: who are u
He’s 40 and has been a priest for 31 years?? Get em early I suppose
@Sada Bertie: That’s a bit of a “Journal Fact” there I’m afraid. The man is well into his sixties.
@Sada Bertie: He is 65
@Aine O Connor:
He was a late vocation. Worked in Civil Service for years and had a girlfriend before he decided to join the priesthood.
@Sada Bertie: You didn’t read the article properly. It states that Caroline Flack was 40. Easily done.
@John Considine: Read the article. Caroline Flack was 40.
@Sada Bertie: Not nice when you consider the tone of the article. The man has received death threats. We are all human. We are all just trying to be happy
No wonder the Catholic Church is becoming more and more irrelevant with arseholery like people complaining about a priest dancing
Compared to Des Cahill he is like Michael Flatley.
I hope he doesnt leave..whatever age he is matters not. He is out there being hos authentic self..good for him. To his abuser get off your irish catholic begrugery ar&**s and support him. Bloody irish begrugery. Good for you Fr.
The producers need to take a hard look at how much they value credibility.
@Rochey77: Rochey77. Who are u
Someone rang me at work yesterday and told me they did not like a product I sold. I considered not going to work today but I did. Nobody from the journal rang me for a comment though
@Colm Griffin: and they won’t be either Col, don’t worry!
Well done to him. But I don’t think my wife would be comfortable me getting up close and personal with a girl as good looking as her.
wow talk about taking a trending story and seeing an opportunity.
I see a lot of cyber bullying on here.people should becarful with there comments .if you dont agree why ridicule people for their opinion..i have recieved some nasty comments.it can be upsetting.its a
Platform for saying what you think.all ages do not allways agree.generation gaps.lots of reasons .but always be kind to person who commented.or say nothing..its often just a comment for saying gow they feel.somedont have people at home to chat about the news.always think first..let it go..who knows what reason a person had for leaving a comment.your mean text will have no implication on what comment was about..only comment on issue.not a persons opinion…you have no right to that..
@Shirley Hollingsworth: well said. Thank you.
Keep dancing Father Ray enjoy the show also dancing is good for you will keep ya fit and don’t mind the begrudgers
Ray you just enjoy yourself, f**k the haters!!
@Trevor croft: Wouldn’t day this person is a hater, but more psychologically disturbed and in need of help.
I’d rather a priest entertained himself by dancing than…you know.
He can’t actually dance. Nonsense dancing competition!
Someone rang me at work yesterday and told me they did not like a product I sold. I considered not going to work today but I did. Nobody from the journal rang me for a comment though
@Colm Griffin: Jeez Colm, that’s getting to be a regular thing with you :-)
Probably sent to you by one of your fellow christians.
Clowns threatening and abusing him. Cowards
Hi
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