LIMERICK councillors who retired or lost their seats in the recent local elections have shared in a golden handshake of almost half a million euro.
The controversial payments known as gratuities were made to 15 part-time politicians in Limerick following the election on May 23 with the total payout amounting to โฌ495,141,21.
Former independent city councillor Pat Kennedy received the biggest payout for a retired councillor atย โฌ64,204.51.
A total of โฌ229,194.81 in gratuities was paid out to former City Council members. Ger Fahy (FG) receivedย โฌ52,022.70; Cormac Hurley (FG)ย โฌ47,711.92; Kevin Kiely (FG)ย โฌ37,600.58; Jim Long (FG)ย โฌ33,301.50;ย Tom Shortt (LAB) โฌ16,623.32, and former Mayor Kathleen Leddin (IND)ย โฌ47,730.28.
The total amount paid out to former County Council members wasย โฌ265,946.40. Retired Fianna Fail councillor Eddie Wade, who decided to bow out of local politics on health grounds this year, was the highest paid County councillor, receiving โฌ61,791.03
Mary Harty, who passed away last month following a long battle with motor neuron disease, received a gratuity payment ofย โฌ47,709.92. Former Fianna Fail councillor Leonard Enright received the same sum.
Rose Brennan (FG) received โฌ33,292.13;ย Leo Walsh (FG) โฌ23,193.51; John Egan (FG) โฌ16,623.32;ย Thomas Hannon (LAB) โฌ19,033.25, and former independent councillor Patrick Fitzgerald โฌ16,623.32.
Anti-Austerity Alliance councillor Cian Prendiville said he could see no justification for former councillorsย to be walking away with figures as high as โฌ50/60,000 and more in their back pocket.
“Inย full time jobs, people get a redundancy, and I think ย mostย people would think that for a full-time councillor, some reasonable payment would be okay. But the figures mentioned are totally unjustifiable.
“We must also remember, it is only a minority,ย such as those in the AAA,ย who are full time councillors;ย most also have other incomes, including pub owners, landlords and solicitors,” he added.
Limerick City and County Council would not comment on the gratuity payments to former councillors.