Taoisigh pension hikes to proceed

Pension boosts for former taoisigh and ministers will go ahead despite a public backlash as the Government said it could not pick and choose who got the increases.

Brendan Howlin, the public expenditure and reform minister, said that he would be breaking the law if he moved to stop the controversial rises.

Mr Howlin also delivered a public rebuke to Health Minister Leo Varadkar after he “demanded” another €1bn for the HSE.