Hayes: Ministerial pensions to be reviewed before December

The Junior Finance Minister has said the current pension scheme will be reviewed and discussed carefully ahead of December's budget.

Brian Hayes made the announcement in Dublin this morning after it was revealed that more then €15m was paid out last year in pensions for former presidents, ministers, members of the judiciary and other senior office holders.

Of this €15m, more than €4m was paid out in ministerial pensions.

Speaking in Dublin this morning, Brian Hayes said we were all living in very different times now and the scheme needed to be reformed.

Some specifics

Brian Cowen left office with a total package worth more than €310,000 last year, while Bertie Ahern walked away with more than €299,000.

* Former tánaiste Mary Coughlan received payments totalling €242,131;

* Former justice minister Dermot Ahern received €294,412;

* Former communications minister Noel Dempsey received €297,590;

* Former arts minister Mary Hanafin received a €282,539;

* Ex-PD leader Mary Harney, another former tánaiste, received €298,893.

Former Minister Eamon Ryan has said many public sector pensions from the boom years were excessive, but said politicans should not be demonised.