6 July 2015
By Bryan T. Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Anti Austerity Alliance Cork City Councillor Mick Barry said this morning that not only should the planned pension rise for former Taoisigh and Government Ministers be blocked but that cuts should be made to the pensions they currently receive.
Under the planned pension increases former Taoisigh Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen will see their annual lump sum increased from 134,000 euro to 136,000 euro and former Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy will see his lump sum increased from 108,000 euro to 110,000 euro.
Cllr Barry said: “The men and women who drove the country to national bankruptcy and forced seven years of pain on the population should absolutely not be awarded pension increases of nearly 2,000 euro a year now. Where there is a will there’s a way and a way must be found to block these pension increases now.”
Cllr Barry said that the controversy had shone a light on the “outrageously high” pension payments made to the likes of Mr Ahern and Mr Cowen and suggested that these sums should be significantly reduced.
