Ex Limerick councillors get half a million

eurosLIMERICK 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 โ‚ฌ495,141,21.

Former independent city councillor Pat Kennedy received the biggest payout for a retired councillor atย โ‚ฌ64,204.51.

A total of โ‚ฌ229,194.81 in gratuities was paid out to former City Council members. Ger Fahy (FG) receivedย โ‚ฌ52,022.70; Cormac Hurley (FG)ย โ‚ฌ47,711.92; Kevin Kiely (FG)ย โ‚ฌ37,600.58; Jim Long (FG)ย โ‚ฌ33,301.50;ย Tom Shortt (LAB) โ‚ฌ16,623.32, and former Mayor Kathleen Leddin (IND)ย โ‚ฌ47,730.28.

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The total amount paid out to former County Council members wasย โ‚ฌ265,946.40. 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 โ‚ฌ61,791.03

Mary Harty, who passed away last month following a long battle with motor neuron disease, received a gratuity payment ofย โ‚ฌ47,709.92. Former Fianna Fail councillor Leonard Enright received the same sum.

Rose Brennan (FG) received โ‚ฌ33,292.13;ย Leo Walsh (FG) โ‚ฌ23,193.51; John Egan (FG) โ‚ฌ16,623.32;ย Thomas Hannon (LAB) โ‚ฌ19,033.25, and former independent councillor Patrick Fitzgerald โ‚ฌ16,623.32.

Anti-Austerity Alliance councillor Cian Prendiville said he could see no justification for former councillorsย to be walking away with figures as high as โ‚ฌ50/60,000 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.