Ministers accused of protecting their own pensions

The Coalition’s failure to reduce tax relief for high-end pensions is protecting “a golden circle”, including ministers themselves, and is a conflict of interest, former minister Roisin Shortall declared.

Ministerial pensions came under the spotlight last night after the Government was accused of targeting those with low pensions to subside those on high-end ones, including office holders themselves.

Ex-Labour TD Ms Shortall criticised ministers, saying the Coalition had reneged on promises to overhaul relief for pensions and instead were a group of protected high earners minding their own pensions.