Pay hike adds €400,000 to ministers’ pension bill

THE huge pay hikes taken by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and his ministers will see their already generous pensions boosted by up to €400,000 a year.

Taxpayers will still be forking out for the controversial salary increases decades after the present Cabinet has left office.

Financial experts estimate the pension provisions awaiting Mr Ahern and his front-bench team would be worth in excess of e30 million on the private market.