MORE than €586,000 was paid out in termination pay and lump sums in January and February to TDs who retired or lost their seats at the general election. The former Fine Gael TD received a termination lump sum of €16,031.50 in January, according to the database of payments from the Oireachtas. All TDs who lost their seat or retired before the last general election were entitled to a termination lump sum of between just under €15,000 and around €17,500. Altogether, 26 former members qualified for these lump sums with a total of €421,859 shared between them following their departure from national politics. When they choose to receive or qualify for their pension, they are paid a separate pension lump sum although none of those lump sums have yet been paid.

Source: Irish Independent March 31, 2020 19:52 UTC