‘Coalition will always back high rollers’

Ministers have been accused of protecting the pensions of senior politicians while raiding those of ordinary citizens to the tune of €2.3bn.

As outrage over generous top-ups to the lavish pensions of former taoisigh and Cabinet members continued to escalate, Brendan Howlin, the public expenditure and reform minister insisted he has no power to impose a cap on such payments.

Fianna Fáil finance spokesman Michael McGrath hit back by saying the Coalition was protecting “high rollers” despite seeing no legal constraints to taxing private pensions.