Four Fine Gael TDs still claim ministerial pension

FOUR Fine Gael TDs including finance spokesman Michael Noonan are continuing to claim ministerial pensions despite a claim by the party last April that all sitting TDs would forego the payment while still in office.

Eighteen TDs volunteered to “gift” their ministerial pensions to the state last April following public pressure. Controversy over such payments arose after it emerged Máire Geoghegan-Quinn was earning a €108,000 pension on top of her €243,000 salary as Ireland’s EU commissioner.

But the Department of Finance has confirmed that five TDs are continuing to draw down the payment, including Noel Treacy of Fianna Fáil and four others from Fine Gael.