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InvestigatesPolitical PensionsHERE’S HOW MUCH each of the 29 TDs who won’t stand in the next election can receive in exit payments and pensions.
The Journal Investigates reveals below an estimate of how much each of those TDs could be paid in the year after the election takes place, and how much those who are not at retirement age will be eligible to earn in the future. All estimated figures are before tax.
For more on these entitlements and how we did the sums, read part one of our investigation.
The figures are calculated on potential entitlements, but there may be reasons why a former TD would not receive the totals, including being appointed by the Government to another full-time position or choosing to not draw down full amounts.
Richard Bruton • Fine Gael
Age: 71 ⚑
Years served in Oireachtas: 42 (42 years as a TD from 1982-2024; four months in Seanad from October 1981-February 1982)
Years as a Minister: 11 (Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation; Department of Education and Skills; Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment)
Pension entitlements:
* Eligible to draw pension upon retirement from Dáil in lieu of termination payments because TD was elected before April 2004.
⚑ At retirement age so immediately eligible for a pension so not able to receive exit payments.
^ TDs’ pension entitlements calculated based on average salary over entire Dáil service, as TD was elected after 2013.
Jackie Cahill • Fianna Fáil
Age: 61
Years served in Oireachtas: 8 (All as a TD from 2016-2024)
Exit payments:
Pension entitlements^:
Ciaran Cannon • Fine Gael
Age: 59
Years served in Oireachtas: 17 (13 as a TD from 2011-2024; four years in Seanad from 2007-2011)
Exit payments:
Years as a Minister of State: 6 (Department of Education and Skills; Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade)
Pension entitlements:
Simon Coveney • Fine Gael
Age: 52
Years served in Oireachtas: 23 (all as a TD from 1998-2004 and 2007-2024)
Potential exit payments*:
Years as Tánaiste: 3
Years as a Minister: 13 (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government; Department of Foreign Affairs; Department of Defence; Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)
Pension entitlements:
Michael Creed • Fine Gael
Age: 61
Years served in Oireachtas: 30 (all as a TD from 1989-2002 and 2007-2024)
Potential exit payments*:
Years as a Minister: 4 (all in Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Pension entitlements:
Damien English • Fine Gael
Age: 46
Years served in Oireachtas: 22 (All as a TD from 2002-2024)
Potential exit payments*:
Years as a Minister of State: 9 (Department of Education and Skills; Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation; Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government; Department of Social Protection; Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)
Pension entitlements:
Peter Fitzpatrick • Independent
Age: 62
Years served in Oireachtas: 13 (All as a TD from 2011-2024)
Exit payments:
Pension entitlements:
Charlie Flanagan • Fine Gael
Age: 67 ⚑**
Years served in Oireachtas: 32 (all as a TD from 1987-2002 and 2007-2024)
Years as a Minister: 6 (Department of Children and Youth Affairs; Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Department of Justice and Equality)
Pension entitlements:
**Will turn 68 on 1 November, 2024.
Brendan Griffin • Fine Gael
Age: 42
Years served in Oireachtas: 13 (all as a TD from 2011-2024)
Exit payments:
Years as a Minister of State: 5 (Department of An Taoiseach; Department of Tourism and Sport)
Pension entitlements:
Seán Haughey • Fianna Fáil
Age: 62**
Years served in Oireachtas: 32 (27 as a TD from 1992-2011 and 2016-2024; five years in Seanad from 1997-1992)
Potential exit payments*:
Years as a Minister of State: 5 (Department of Education and Science; Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Department of Education and Skills)
Pension entitlements:
** Will turn 63 on 8 November.
Brendan Howlin • Labour
Age: 68 ⚑
Years served in Oireachtas: 41 (37 years as a TD from 1987-2024; four years in Seanad from 1983-1987)
Years as a Minister: 9 (Department of Health; Department of Environment; Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)
Years as Leas-Cheann Comhairle: 3
Pension entitlements:
Heather Humphreys • Fine Gael
Age: 64
Years served in Oireachtas: 13 (all as a TD from 2011-2024)
Exit payments:
Years as a Minister: 4 (Department of Rural and Community Development; Department of Social Protection; Department of Justice)
Pension entitlements:
Paul Kehoe • Fine Gael
Age: 51
Years served in Oireachtas: 22 (All as a TD from 2002-2024)
Potential exit payments*:
Years as a Minister of State: 9 (Government Chief Whip; Department of An Taoiseach; Department of Defence)
Pension entitlements:
Marc MacSharry • Independent
Age: 51
Years served in Oireachtas: 22 (Eight as a TD from 2016-2024; 14 years in Seanad from 2002-2016)
Exit payments:
Pension entitlements:
Josepha Madigan • Fine Gael
Age: 54
Years served in Oireachtas: 8 (all as a TD from 2016-2024)
Exit payments:
Years as a Minister: 2 (all in Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht)
Years as Minister of State: 4 (all in Department of Education)
Pension entitlements^:
Joe McHugh • Independent
Age: 53
Years served in Oireachtas: 22 (17 years as a TD from 2007-2024; five years in Seanad from 2002-2007)
Potential exit payments*:
Years as a Minister: 1 (all in Department of Education and Skills) – Not eligible for pension
Years as a Minister of State: 4 (Government Chief Whip; Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht; Department of An Taoiseach; Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht; Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources)
Pension entitlements:
Imelda Munster • Sinn Féin
Age: 56
Years served in Oireachtas: 8 (All as a TD from 2016-2024)
Exit payments:
Pension entitlements^:
Catherine Murphy • Social Democrats
Age: 71 ⚑
Years served in Oireachtas: 15 (All as a TD from 2005-2007 and 2011-2024)
Pension entitlements:
Denis Naughten • Independent
Age: 51
Years served in Oireachtas: 27 (27 years as a TD from 1997-2024; six months in Seanad from January 1997-June 1997)
Potential exit payments*:
Years as a Minister: 2 (all in Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment)
Pension entitlements:
Eamon Ó Cuív • Fianna Fáil
Age: 74 ⚑
Years served in Oireachtas: 34 (32 years as a TD from 1992-2024; two years in Seanad from 1990-1992)
Years as a Minister: 9 (Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs; Department of Social Protection; Department of Defence; Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government)
Years as a Minister of State: 5 (Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands; Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development)
Pension entitlements:
Fergus O’Dowd • Fine Gael
Age: 76 ⚑
Years served in Oireachtas: 27 (22 years as a TD from 2002-2024; five years in Seanad from 1997-2002)
Years as a Minister of State: 3 (Department of Environment, Community and Local Government; Communications, Energy and Natural Resources)
Pension entitlements:
John Paul Phelan • Fine Gael
Age: 46
Years served in Oireachtas: 22 (13 years as a TD from 2011-2024; nine years in Seanad 2002-2011)
Potential exit payments*:
Years as a Minister of State: 3 (Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government)
Pension entitlements
Michael Ring • Fine Gael
Age: 70 ⚑
Years served in Oireachtas: 30 (all as a TD from 1994-2024)
Years as a Minister: 3 (all in Department of Rural and Community Development)
Years as a Minister of State: 6 (Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport; Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs)
Pension entitlements:
Eamon Ryan • Green Party
Age: 61
Years served in Oireachtas: 17 (all as a TD from 2002-2011 and 2016-2024)
Potential exit payments*:
Years as a Minister: 8 (Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources; Department of Environment, Climate and Communications; Department of Transport)
Pension entitlements:
Seán Sherlock • Labour
Age: 51
Years served in Oireachtas: 17 (all as a TD from 2007-2024)
Exit payments:
Years as a Minister of State: 5 (Department of Education and Skills; Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation; Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade)
Pension entitlements:
Róisín Shortall • Social Democrats
Age: 70 ⚑
Years served in Oireachtas: 32 (all as a TD from 1992-2024)
Years as a Minister: 1 (all in Department of Health) – Not eligible for pension
Pension entitlements:
Bríd Smith • People Before Profit
Age: 63
Years served in Oireachtas: 8 (All as a TD from 2016-2024)
Exit payments:
Pension entitlements^:
David Stanton • Fine Gael
Age: 67 ⚑
Years served in Oireachtas: 27 (all as a TD from 1997-2024)
Years as a Minister of State: 4 (all in Department of Justice and Equality)
Pension entitlements:
Leo Varadkar • Fine Gael
Age: 45
Years served in Oireachtas: 17 (all as a TD from 2007-2024)
Exit payments:
Years as Taoiseach: 5
Years as Tánaiste: 2
Years as a Minister: 11 (Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport; Department of Health; Department of Social Protection; Department of Defence; Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)
Pension entitlements:
Reporter: Stephen McDermott • Editor: Maria Delaney • Main Image Design: Lorcan O’Reilly • Social Media: Sadbh Cox • Graphics: Maria Delaney & Nicky Ryan
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The Journal gets large grants and subsidies from the EU and it’s subsidiaries. So it’s journalists get prizes from the institute that pays their wages.
No need for a “debunking Fact Check” on this
@Denis Slattery: Yes: no need for debunking of something that you simply made up.
@Denis Slattery: whoa there, a deep & groundbreaking investigation into missing child migrants & this ridiculous petty ‘what aboutery’ is your input????
@Denis Slattery: Now you know two wallys that work for the journal
@Pewpew Tin: You’re one sad little virgin. You are lucky your oul one lets you squat in her box room.
@Pewpew Tin: necro creep, Saville would be proud of you. Your parents aren’t
@Pewpew Tin: Had dinner with my family, listen that empty hole in your life can’t be filled with food. Sad lonely little virgin strung out for attention he never got :)
@Pewpew Tin: oooh sick burn virgin haha
@Pewpew Tin: Im actually chuffed, I haven’t been spanked by a virgin in years
@Denis Slattery: And the source for your allegation ‘large grants’ is…?
Would some of these actually be adults that came in whilst posing as children
@Thomas Sheridan: maybe, some, but that’s the usual daily mail type reaction that misses the broader point
@Thomas Sheridan: Saw a post about a 16 year old missing migrant last week with advanced male pattern baldness. Are these lads actually around minors? Is there anyone with working eyeballs in Tusla?
They don’t care, they literally do not care, more migration bigger GDP, bigger population bigger GDP, less wealth to spread around, we all get poorer as the economy gets slightly bigger through consumption.
How many Irish children go missing every year? How many awards? Oh, right, I forgot, nobody cares!
Well done and congratulations to The Journal Investigates. Hopefully their colleagues, The Journal moderators, can do equally excellent work to clear up the multi account spammers who infect this comment section on a constant, daily basis
@Kevin Kerr: here here!!!! Funny thing is I don’t actually mind your stalking but I do get that some would be intimidated 0 fearful of your behaviour
@Kevvy kerrr: fck off
@Kevin Kerr: hi stalker, deep meaningful polite rhetoric as always!!! Right back at ya!!!! Genuine question — why you pick me????
@Kevin Kerr: Yeah be deffo good to see the back of all Stephen Kearons multiple accounts like Pat_Hazzard, noel_lee etc and the likes of the honeybadger and that hoo woo thing..all the crazy trump and kamalla bots .. and the far righ bots including the Israelis, the far left bots
@Kevin Kerr: appreciate you’re only trolling … but keep it civil, no need to go in the gutter
Missing children immigrants is one thing but when some 39 year old illegal immigrant who has destroyed their passport on a cheap flight from say Afghanistan, Nigeria or Algeria identifies as a 14 year old, well that’s another story, just not by the Journal.
Excellent work journal news hounds! You guys are the best
@Buster Lawless: yes 100%, no stone left unturned!!!!
@J B: more like an IRA nutting squad they are that ruthless.
Comments open
@Jb Walshe: It would appear so. Well spotted.
@Stephen Heffernan: perhaps they should recruit ‘jb walshe’ onto the investigative team, like a poiroit crossed with morse he is
@Jb Walshe: Nothing gets past you JB. I wonder will you be nominated for an award for that ground breaking piece of analysis.
They both folded their arms for the photo so they must be serious journalists. Congratulations on your reward, it must feel like getting a pat on the head from daddy when you used the potty for the first time, going by the pictures it wasn’t all that long ago.
Kudos! Great to see some real journalism happening, having an impact and being acknowledged.
Surely there’s some kind of accolade -award for this outstanding ( & dangerous) investigative journalism?. Then again, I’ve no doubt Patricia & Maria are in this for back slapping, well done guys, outstanding work
@Kevvy kerrr: they deserve the Roger Cook award. He was fearless.
@Kevvy kerrr: “ARE’NT” ,, bloody predictive text
@Buster Lawless: well, nobody could possibly argue with that!!!!
@Frank Mc Carthy: An entire comment thread, talking to yourself. Wow.
@FlipBip: I’ve been looking for ages for the journal.ie to carry out an investigation AND CULL of all the looners on here, even got my v own private stalker but as yet, nothing
@Frank Mc Carthy: Cool story.
@Frank Mc Carthy: once again. You should reply using the same account you posted the original on Frank / Kevvy / (I am suspecting) Buster. Now that was a massive faux pas, correcting the content of the message which was incorrectly written due to predictive text, FROM THE WRONG ACCOUNT!! Now I already knew you and Kevvy were the same person from a few days back when both accounts misspelled Kamala as Kamila in the space of a few mins of each other on separate threads. But I have a serious question to ask, would you mind answering? Have you got any form of life? How pathetic is it that you feel the need to have multiple journal accounts? You’re an embarrassing sad case tbf.
@Eoin Jackson: pewpewtim is one of theirs too and possibly freedapeople too imo.
@Eoin Jackson: what is this all about?
@Chutes: ….. and most likely Larry Betts, imo.
@Buster Lawless: methinks the multi account trolls are amalgating?????
@Chutes: what happened to ‘d paedo’ & ‘ offside again ‘….. Weren’t they under ye’re umbrella????
@Kevvy kerrr: yes I’m a multi troll account Kevvy / Frank, just been dormant for nearly 12 years, you absolute twit.
@Kevvy kerrr: Stop projecting. Stop imitating other people’s accounts. Stop being such a child!
The journal is not exactly a balanced view, everyone needs to be aware of this when reading their biased mediocre articles!
My comments have been removed twice from this article . Why ?
Congratulations to all involved. It’s not easy operating in the current environment. Respect for effort and diligence is now dismissed with nothing more than a bunch of Trumpian sound bites and clichés. If someone doesn’t like the facts, it’s the usual ‘fake news’ or MSM conspiracy. Zero engagement with the actual information and indeed reality.
They recently had a deep dive into the social media posts that provoked the riots in England during the summer. Incredibly or perhaps unsurprisingly, two thirds were from places thousands of miles away. It would be really interesting to find out how many of the posts here are from Irish people or accounts. Is this something Journal Investigates could do?
We all know there’s a huge volume of posts from abroad seeking to normalise extreme views and pull people further away from moderate and empathetic approaches to people and life. This drip feed is intended to make dangerous and inhumane policies appear normal and acceptable. We know from history and the current climate that this works. Maybe a breakdown of the exact numbers will help some people to realise that so many of these posts are not Irish and are simply there to pull us further away from a baseline of decency.
Always remember that these kind of comment sections are infested with bad actors from groups with the sole aim of stirring unrest and hate to further their political aims. There’s still a lot of decency in most Irish people. Let’s not be duped into believing everyone is now a frothing, hateful Trump supporter who sees nothing wrong with Putin, and couldn’t care less about injustice and suffering elsewhere.,
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