Council chiefs’ €1.3m golden handshake ‘obscene’

Bumper pension payoffs last year to five retiring county and city managers totalling €1.3m were last night described as “obscene.”

Deputy Clare Daly made the comment in response to figures provided by Phil Hogan, the environment minister, showing that five managers received €1.3m in golden handshake payments.

One retiring manager, Joe Horan at South Dublin County Council, received a lump sum and special severance gratuity payment in excess of €300,000. He received a lump sum of €227,698, and a special lump sum payment of €75,899 for a combined award of €303,597.