Outgoing Irish TDs to Receive €3.8 Million in Termination Payments
Politicians Leaving the Oireachtas Will Benefit from Substantial Financial Packages Next Year
TDs who lost their seats in last week's election, as well as those who have chosen to retire, will continue to be paid nearly €3.8 million next year in termination lump sums and parachute payments.
Former politicians with at least three years’ service receive monthly payments for up to 12 months after vacating their seats to help them adjust to life outside of the Oireachtas.
These are separate from pension payments and lump sums, which some of the outgoing TDs will be entitled to from as young as 50.
The termination lump sums are also treated as redundancy payments rather than income for tax purposes.
The 26 outgoing TDs who failed to be re-elected last Friday will receive €492,609 in lump-sum payments in the coming weeks, and termination payments amounting to €755,492 over the coming year.
Meanwhile, the 29 former TDs who chose not to contest the general election will be collecting €568,395 in lump-sum payments and more than €1.9 million in monthly termination payments in 2025.
The only circumstances in which any of the outgoing politicians would not be entitled to receive the payments is if they are elected or appointed to the Seanad next month.
In 2016, former Fine Gael TD Ray Butler was paid just over €30,000 in termination payments when he lost his seat in the Dáil, conditional on him not becoming a senator.
However, he accepted a nomination from then-Taoiseach Enda Kenny a few months later and was asked by the Houses of the Oireachtas to return the cash.
He told the authorities that he was 'not in a financial position to repay the sum in its entirety,' and did not fully discharge the debt until 2019.
Among the outgoing TDs who are now entitled to termination payments and a generous lump sum is veteran Fine Gael politician Bernard Durkan, who is in line to receive €89,996 over the next 12 months following 42 years in the Oireachtas.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly will be entitled to a lump sum worth €18,947 and monthly payments amounting to €66,313 over the course of 2025.
Former Donegal TD Thomas Pringle will be entitled to the same amounts after almost 14 years of service.
A total of 19 of the 29 TDs who chose not to contest last week’s election are entitled to the maximum amount of termination payments and lump sums, having more than 13 years of service in the Oireachtas.
They include former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, former Tánaiste Simon Coveney, Fianna Fáil’s Éamon Ó Cuív, ex-Labour leader Brendan Howlin, and former justice minister Charlie Flanagan.
They are each entitled to lump sums and monthly payments amounting to €89,996.
Lump sums amount to approximately two months’ salary.
TDs are currently paid €9,473 per month.
An outgoing TD with 14 years of service is entitled to six monthly termination payments at 75 percent of their salary, followed by six monthly payments at half of their salary.
Former politicians with at least three years’ service receive monthly payments for up to 12 months after vacating their seats to help them adjust to life outside of the Oireachtas.
These are separate from pension payments and lump sums, which some of the outgoing TDs will be entitled to from as young as 50.
The termination lump sums are also treated as redundancy payments rather than income for tax purposes.
The 26 outgoing TDs who failed to be re-elected last Friday will receive €492,609 in lump-sum payments in the coming weeks, and termination payments amounting to €755,492 over the coming year.
Meanwhile, the 29 former TDs who chose not to contest the general election will be collecting €568,395 in lump-sum payments and more than €1.9 million in monthly termination payments in 2025.
The only circumstances in which any of the outgoing politicians would not be entitled to receive the payments is if they are elected or appointed to the Seanad next month.
In 2016, former Fine Gael TD Ray Butler was paid just over €30,000 in termination payments when he lost his seat in the Dáil, conditional on him not becoming a senator.
However, he accepted a nomination from then-Taoiseach Enda Kenny a few months later and was asked by the Houses of the Oireachtas to return the cash.
He told the authorities that he was 'not in a financial position to repay the sum in its entirety,' and did not fully discharge the debt until 2019.
Among the outgoing TDs who are now entitled to termination payments and a generous lump sum is veteran Fine Gael politician Bernard Durkan, who is in line to receive €89,996 over the next 12 months following 42 years in the Oireachtas.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly will be entitled to a lump sum worth €18,947 and monthly payments amounting to €66,313 over the course of 2025.
Former Donegal TD Thomas Pringle will be entitled to the same amounts after almost 14 years of service.
A total of 19 of the 29 TDs who chose not to contest last week’s election are entitled to the maximum amount of termination payments and lump sums, having more than 13 years of service in the Oireachtas.
They include former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, former Tánaiste Simon Coveney, Fianna Fáil’s Éamon Ó Cuív, ex-Labour leader Brendan Howlin, and former justice minister Charlie Flanagan.
They are each entitled to lump sums and monthly payments amounting to €89,996.
Lump sums amount to approximately two months’ salary.
TDs are currently paid €9,473 per month.
An outgoing TD with 14 years of service is entitled to six monthly termination payments at 75 percent of their salary, followed by six monthly payments at half of their salary.
