PD Ministerial Pensions

[retep]

Someone mentioned to me tonight that one of the corner stones of the PD's foundation policy was a rejection of the Ministerial Pension which means that poor Michael McFDowell is now surving on his TD pension, his AG pension and whatever nixers he manages to get from the Law Library.

My heart aches to think that poor Dessie, Pat Cox, Bobby Molloy, Liz O'Donnell, Fiona and Tom Parlon are all compelled to scrape by on mere TD's pensions (Well Pat probabaly has a few quid extra coming from Europe too).

Can anyone tell me if this is true and if it is still upheld as a tenent of PD policy?

[jerryp]

My understanding was that they objected to ministerial pensions being paid to sitting TD's, not former ones.

[Owen Rooney]

My understanding was that they objected to ministerial pensions being paid to sitting TD's, not former ones.

Yes, that was the objection. Well, to be more precise, that a ministerial pension shouldn't be paid to someone who is a sitting TD, Senator, MEP or President. It was the first private member's bill introduced by the party back in 1987, and while I don't believe it passed in that instance (both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael were opposed to the motion, no doubt influenced by the considerable number on each of their benches who were picking up such pensions), I'm not quite sure if any attempt was made to reintroduce it.

Oh, and neither Pat Cox nor Fiona O'Malley have been a Minister or Junior Minister.

[retep]

"Oh, and neither Pat Cox nor Fiona O'Malley have been a Minister or Junior Minister."

My apologies. With the continued demise of the party their history grows ever dimmer and less memorable!!

[Munion]

"Oh, and neither Pat Cox nor Fiona O'Malley have been a Minister or Junior Minister."

My apologies. With the continued demise of the party their history grows ever dimmer and less memorable!!

Can I ask what was the point of this thread?

[Pidge]

"Oh, and neither Pat Cox nor Fiona O'Malley have been a Minister or Junior Minister."

My apologies. With the continued demise of the party their history grows ever dimmer and less memorable!!

The private members' bill seems a good idea.