EU COMMISSIONER Máire Geoghegan-Quinn has decided to relinquish her ministerial and Dáil pensions for the duration of her term of office.
Ms Geoghegan-Quinn contacted Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan last night and asked him to put in place the necessary arrangements to allow her gift both pensions to the State.
The announcement came following growing unease expressed by a number of senior Fianna Fáil Ministers about her situation.
In addition to her commissioner’s salary of €238,000 Ms Geoghegan-Quinn was, until yesterday, in receipt of combined ministerial and Oireachtas pensions amounting to €108,000 per annum.
In a statement released shortly after the announcement was made, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said he had repeatedly said it was up to people no longer in the Oireachtas to reflect on their own situation regarding ministerial pensions.
The Taoiseach’s spokesman, when pressed on whether Mr Cowen had made contact with Ms Geoghegan-Quinn prior to last night’s announcement, would make no comment. He did say, however, that “the commissioner was aware of the Taoiseach’s views”.
Green Party leader John Gormley said last night the commissioners decision was the correct and most practical solution. He also said there were a number of prominent Opposition TDs who had retained large ministerial pensions, and he called on them to return the pensions also.
Since Saturday, four Fianna Fáil Ministers – Éamon Ó Cuiv, Dermot Ahern, Mary Hanafin and Micheál Martin – have said that Ms Geoghegan-Quinn should reflect on her position.
Yesterday, Mr Martin, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, said the commissioner’s retention of her ministerial pension represented a practice from a different era.
Mr Cowen continued to be circumspect in his public statements about the matter yesterday, saying it was up to each individual to decide what to do.
Speaking to reporters, Mr Cowen said: “[Ministers] have asked for the matter to be considered and reflected upon by Máire Geoghegan-Quinn. That’s the general position for every pension holder.”
Mr Cowen denied that his position was “at odds” with ministerial colleagues who had expressed more forthright views.
Earlier, Mr Gormley and party colleague Senator Dan Boyle had urged Ms Geoghegan-Quinn to “do the right thing”.
Mr Lenihan also welcomed the announcement, and praised the impact the commissioner has had since her appointment to oversee research, innovation and science in the European Commission.