MEP Replacements And Cost Of TD Sackings

Vote more often!

The election is over, the people have spoken, revenge was sweet, but at what cost to the nation?

It is reckoned that the cost of ridding ourselves of the worst government in the history of the State will cost the taxpayer a total of €7,054,373.02 in the first year alone and €1,711,658.48 for every year thereafter.

Of course these figures listed are pre-tax, and tax is payable on all earnings, except of course part of the first years payment accounting for the lump sum of a parliamentary pension. This equates to three years worth of their annual pension and most payments are subject to pension levies.

Our TD’s do not receive parliamentary pensions until they turn 50, unlike the rest of us, but they can accept reduced pensions at the age of 45 years if they so wish. Note, Ministerial pensions are not paid to retirees under 50 or until they turn 65, as in the case of defeated TDs who first took ministerial office after 2004.

For those of our angry voters, now feeling some regret, a little guilt or even some remorse with regard to their haste to remove those totally responsible for our country’s indebtedness, dry your eyes because those you sacked are not exactly on the breadline.
In North Tipperary Maire Hoctor according to my reckoning will receive €142,890.67 in her first year of forced retirement and €27,950.47 for every year from then on.
In South Tipperary Martin Mansergh should receive €108,507.84 in his first year and €18,707.96 every year thereafter.
Thurles born Mary Hanafin fares out somewhat better, with €250,986.98 in her first year and a miserly €102,364.91 for every year from then on.

Of course nationally, Tánaiste Mary Coughlan will receive €312,239.56 in her first year and a mere €130,161.98 for every year after that.
Kerry’s high living John O’Donoghue, the Jobseeker’s Allowance friend of the Self employed worker, will receive €310,370.98 in his first year and €128,293.40 for every year thereafter, which should help him to continue to go racing.

These figures should now help your feelings of remorse, so dry your eyes and accept that all persons are equal, but some persons are just more equal than others.

On the MEP front the working class man’s friend Labour Senator Phil Prendergast and Socialist Party councillor Ruthie Coppinger are possibly due to become the Members of the European Parliament as an indirect consequence of how you voted.
In our democratic Ireland there are no by elections to the European parliament. If an MEP resigns, seeks work else where, or God forbid dies during their given mandate, the vacancy is immediately filled from a replacement list, latter usually presented by their Party or Independent candidate, to the returning officer in their constituency, prior to each European Election.

Phil Prendergast is the next eligible member of the substitute list for Southern Ireland’s MEP Alan Kelly, latter elected to the Dáil as a Labour TD for Tipperary North, this time around.
Ruth Coppinger replaces her Socialist Party colleague Joey Higgins, who was elected an MEP in Dublin at the last European elections in 2009, but has now been elected to the Dáil for Dublin West.

In the game of politics it seems you never really loose.