Kenny criticises FF ministers for taking severance pay in 2011

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has criticised former Fianna Fáil ministers for accepting severance payments in 2011, even after party leader Micheál Martin pledged that they would not.

He also reiterated that former minister for justice Alan Shatter should not accept his €70,000 severance and added that he had spoken with Mr Shatter since his resignation on certain, unspecified matters.

“Yes, I’ve spoken to the former minister,” the Taoiseach said in response to a reporter’s question.

“There are a number of issues we are pursuing in regard to some serious matters about the country that I wanted to refer to and we continue to have a very strong relationship and a dialogue about issues that are of real importance here, so the answer to the question is yes.”

In relation to Fianna Fáil, Mr Kenny said Mr Martin declared on the final Sunday of the 2011 general election campaign that any former minister re-elected to the Dáil would not accept severance payments.

"And I note that John McGuinness, the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, received €61,318. I note that Dara Calleary received €53,708, Micheal Kitt received €37,474, Billy Kelleher received €20,172, Willie O'Dea received €8,064," Mr Kenny said.

“This was a firm commitment given by Fianna Fáil that people who were Ministers who were re-elected to the Dáil would not accept severance payments yet all these people have done so.

“I also note that former minister Hanafin, who is now contesting in some particular circumstances the local elections, was in receipt of €88,000 severance payment. So there seems to be an issue here.”

While Minister for Education Mary Hanafin, who lost her Dáil seat in the 2011 election, is campaigning in the local election tomorrow in the Blackrock ward in south Dublin. This is in defiance of Mr Martin’s wishes.

In relation to Mr Shatter’s entitlement to a severance payment, Mr Kenny said he expected former Minister would do the right thing and comply with the wishes and intent of the Government.

"Fine Gael and Labour as part of the programme for Government agreed to end severance payment," the Taoiseach said.

“That legislation was approved by the Cabinet on the 15th of the tenth last year, was put through the House and signed, it wasn’t signed in time to make it absolutely complete here.

“So I expect that Alan Shatter will do the right thing in the sense of having been a member of the Cabinet that actually approved.”