The Sunday Times has reported on the 3rd of December 2017 (see page 8) that the former FG rebel TD Brian Walsh has received 105,000 euros of taxpayer money over the past year.

Walsh decided in November 2015 that he would not contest the 2016 election on Health Grounds relating to a Bowel Condition and that he would not receive any "gravy train" deal and would serve his full term. The 43 year old Walsh said at the time he would not receive an Oireactas pension until he was 66.

However, two months later he resigned his seat just weeks out from GE 2016. The records now show is being paid €16K a year as an illness pension payment which will be worth €320,000 to Walsh over the next 20 years.

The trustees of the Houses of the Oireactas pension fund awarded Walsh an extra five years notional service on the grounds that he would have been re-elected if he didn't suffer from a bowel condition. Which IMO is ridiculous.

Is this the right way to go about things or is it another case of Politicans setting one rule for themselves and another for the Hoi Poloi?

Please discuss Politics.ie users.

The 43-Year-Old Pensioner | Broadsheet.ie

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/i...year-xz0chzvfk

Originally Posted by Degeneration X

The Sunday Times has reported on the 3rd of December 2017 (see page 8) that the former FG rebel TD Brian Walsh has received 105,000 euros of taxpayer money over the past year.

Walsh decided in November 2015 that he would not contest the 2016 election on Health Grounds relating to a Bowel Condition and that he would not receive any "gravy train" deal and would serve his full term. The 43 year old Walsh said at the time he would not receive an Oireactas pension until he was 66.

However, two months later he resigned his seat just weeks out from GE 2016. The records now show is being paid €16K a year as an illness pension payment which will be worth €320,000 to Walsh over the next 20 years.

The trustees of the Houses of the Oireactas pension fund awarded Walsh an extra five years notional service on the grounds that he would have been re-elected if he didn't suffer from a bowel condition. Which IMO is ridiculous.

Is this the right way to go about things or is it another case of Politicans setting one rule for themselves and another for the Hoi Poloi?

Please discuss Politics.ie users.

The 43-Year-Old Pensioner | Broadsheet.ie

FG the Party that keeps taking the p###. They have no shame.

Originally Posted by Degeneration X

The Sunday Times has reported on the 3rd of December 2017 (see page 8) that the former FG rebel TD Brian Walsh has received 105,000 euros of taxpayer money over the past year.

Walsh decided in November 2015 that he would not contest the 2016 election on Health Grounds relating to a Bowel Condition and that he would not receive any "gravy train" deal and would serve his full term. The 43 year old Walsh said at the time he would not receive an Oireactas pension until he was 66.

However, two months later he resigned his seat just weeks out from GE 2016. The records now show is being paid €16K a year as an illness pension payment which will be worth €320,000 to Walsh over the next 20 years.

The trustees of the Houses of the Oireactas pension fund awarded Walsh an extra five years notional service on the grounds that he would have been re-elected if he didn't suffer from a bowel condition. Which IMO is ridiculous.

Is this the right way to go about things or is it another case of Politicans setting one rule for themselves and another for the Hoi Poloi?

Please discuss Politics.ie users.

The 43-Year-Old Pensioner | Broadsheet.ie

Nowhere in that link does it state he has received €105K over the last year and the "advance" pension apparently has not yet been approved nor has the notional payment. Diverticulitis is not a pleasant affliction and might have influenced his decision but nobody can say for sure. That said, people do recover from it well and it is hard to support an outcome in his favour, although he will clearly need ongoing medial attention. On that basis a payout already committed to him in the future might just be a better option for the State coffers. Incidentally the hoi poloi would cost the health and welfare system over their lifetime.

Originally Posted by tipofdiceberg

FG the Party that keeps taking the p###. They have no shame.

Walsh is a chilling example of FG hypocrisy alright.

Originally Posted by sic transit

Nowhere in that link does it state he has received €105K over the last year and the "advance" pension apparently has not yet been approved nor has the notional payment. Diverticulitis is not a pleasant affliction and might have influenced his decision but nobody can say for sure. Incidentally the hoi poloi would cost the health and welfare system over their lifetime.

The story was only printed in the ST today and there is not a link available yet, the link provided was more about the background of Walsh in general. Read the ST and you will see the figures for yourself. I have now added a link for you to see the figures for yourself.

Originally Posted by Degeneration X

The story was only printed in the ST today and there is not a link available yet, the link provided was more about the background of Walsh in general. Read the ST and you will see the figures for yourself.

So why didn't the broadsheet lift those key numbers? All supposition and guessing as a story TBH but an interesting test case for the Oireachtas pension rules all the same. Why are there references to Howlin and Barrett, who are no longer part of government?

Originally Posted by sic transit

So why didn't the broadsheet lift those key numbers? All supposition and guessing as a story TBH but an interesting test case for the Oireachtas pension rules all the same.

The broadsheet article was a bit older, the ST only got the latest information by digging through the records and only published it today.

Originally Posted by Degeneration X

The broadsheet article was a bit older, the ST only got the latest information by digging through the records and only published it today.

Bit pointless using it to back up anything so!

Originally Posted by sic transit

Bit pointless using it to back up anything so!

Not really - shows the story evolving over time but each to their own I guess.

Perhaps the 105k is the 'goodbye' money politicians get when they leave the dail either when they are defeated in an election or if they don't stand again?

I seem to remember that I read something about this chancer before and the article mentioned him becoming a director of a new business in galway which perhaps indicates how ill he was (not).