Take the pension pot or pound the pavements?

THEY went from record breaking poll-toppers to the bunch now blamed for bringing the country to economic disaster.

Fianna Fáil ministers, who dominated Irish politics for the last decade, now face the choice of taking massive golden handshake payments instead of facing angry voters in a 2011 election.

An analysis of their pension entitlements shows the majority of Cabinet members would earn significantly more if they retire ahead of the election than they would be paid if they are lucky enough to win seats on the opposition benches.