TD to return €7,000 pension paid in error

FIANNA Fáil TD John Browne says he will repay the state after receiving thousands of euro in ministerial pension payments in error.

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams, whose questioning in the Dáil led to the discovery of the payments, has demanded an investigation.

Mr Browne had received €7,396.31 in ministerial pension payments since February’s general election, even though sitting TDs are not supposed to be paid such pensions.

In a statement last night, Mr Browne pointed to the fact that the Department of Public Expenditure had admitted responsibility for the error and apologised to him. However, he failed to explain why he had not noticed the extra money going into his account.

“I am moving quickly with the department to ensure that any overpayment is repaid in full,” he said.

The issue came to light after Sinn Féin tabled parliamentary questions about political pensions.

In its response last week, the department said Mr Browne was receiving combined pension payments totalling €55,000.

However, this was a mistake, as the department had combined monies being paid to Mr Browne and a former Fine Gael TD of the same name.

When Fianna Fáil’s Mr Browne saw the €55,000 figure in newspapers, he contacted the Department of Finance querying the mistake. The query was referred to the Department of Public Expenditure, which realised both its original mistake — combining the sums paid to the two men — but also the fact that Fianna Fáil’s Mr Browne should not have been receiving a payment in the first place.

While Mr Browne is a former junior minister, the April 2009 budget ended the arrangement whereby former ministers could claim their pensions while sitting in the Dáil.

When the department checked its figures, it realised €7,396.31 had been paid to Mr Browne since February. Yesterday, it said: “The department contacted the deputy to apologise for the embarrassment caused, the ministerial pension has now ceased and arrangements for recoupment are being put in place.

“A check of the payment system has confirmed that no ministerial pension is being paid to sitting members other than Deputy Browne.”

But Mr Adams called for an investigation, saying it was “disgraceful” that Mr Browne had been receiving the payments.

“There also needs to be a thorough investigation into how this situation arose and was able to continue undiscovered for nine months.”

Mr Browne, meanwhile, laid the blame at the department’s door without saying how he failed to notice the wrongful payment himself.

“It beggars belief that incorrect payments are being made at a time when there is so much emphasis on reducing expenditure within the public service.

“The department has apologised for the error and I am making arrangements for full and prompt return of any overpayments.”