Former Govt ministers got €4.7m in pensions last year

New figures released this evening by the Department of Finance show that pensions paid to former Government ministers totalled €4.7m last year.

The Finance Accounts for 2011 show that former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern earned a gross pension of €83,000 last year, Brian Cowen earned €79,000, John Bruton €91,000 and Albert Reynolds almost €100,000.