The State paid €8.8 million in pensions, annuities and severance payments to former presidents, taoisigh, ministers and other former office holders last year, according to accounts released by the Department of Finance today.
More than half the sum, €4,944,715, was paid out in pensions, retirement lump sums and death gratuities relating to judicial services. Some €2.9 million was paid out to former ministers, including former taoisigh Mr Charles Haughey, Mr Albert Reynolds, Mr Garret FitzGerald and Mr John Bruton.
Mr Haughey received €79,780 from the State in 2002, while Mr Reynolds, Mr Fitzgerald and Mr Bruton were paid €78,703, €74,794 and €78,770 respectively.
The former president, Mrs Mary Robinson, received a State pension of €111,164. Another former president, Dr Patrick Hillery, was also paid €111,164 in respect of his presidential service. However, Dr Hillery also received the sum of €31,542 for his service as a minister.
Mrs Rita Childers, the widow of the late former President Erskine Childers, was paid a pension of €55,582.
Other payments included a pension of €41,492 paid to the former Fianna Fail minister Mr Ray Burke.
The former tanaiste Mr Dick Spring received a pension of €50,382, while the former attorney general Mr Harry Whelehan was paid €40,830. Other paymens included sums of €40,485 to the former TD and founder of the Progressive Democrats Mr Dessie O'Malley, €42,925 to Mr Michael O'Kennedy and €46,873 to the former minister and Fine Gael deputy leader Mr Peter Barry.
Other salary expenses in 2002 included a total payout of €541,101 to the President, Mrs McAleese. This was comprised of a salary of €223,667 and an annual allowance of €317,434.
Allowances for expenses to the leaders of Government and the opposition parties totalled €5.8 million. The Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr John Purcell, was paid €172,699. Judicial salaries last year totalled €14.8 million.
The full list of the pension payments and the Exchequer accounts for 2002 is available on the Department of Finance website at http://www.finance.gov.ie/documents/publications/other/financeaccounts2002.pdf