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Home Page > News > Former President McAleese draws first payment on lucrative $220,000 pension

Former President McAleese draws first payment on lucrative $220,000 pension

CATHAL DERVAN,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Saturday, November 26, 2011, 9:11 AM

Updated Saturday, November 26, 2011, 9:11 AM

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Former Irish President Mary McAleese

Former President Mary McAleese is laughing all the way to the bank with an annual pension worth more than $220,000 a year – and based on her salary before two pay cuts.

The Irish Independent reports that McAleese’s lucrative payment is based on her old salary before she took voluntary pay-cuts along with members of the Irish parliament after the recession took hold.

The lawyer received her first payment this week after the government signed off on the huge pension.

The paper reports that the difference between calculating her pension on her original salary and not on her final wage is worth an extra $34,000 a year to McAleese.

Although she was not entitled to a severance payment after 14 years in office, McAleese’s pension is one of the biggest paid for by the state coffers.
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Her new pension is worth half the president’s original salary of $440,000.

After the two voluntary pay-cuts, McAleese’s final salary as President was $340,00 a year.

The Department of Public Expenditure confirmed to the paper that the pension was set under the terms of the Presidential Estimates Amendment Act 1973.

“The pension payable is half the salary rate, which is €162,754,” a spokesperson said.

New President Michael D Higgins has already accepted a voluntary pay-cut on the $440,000 deal he is entitled to and will instead work for the $340,000 paid to McAleese before she left office.

Currently on holiday, McAleese intends to study law on her return. She told a recent documentary: “I am a civil lawyer by training. I am going back after this to studying law again.

“I will go to Rome but I won’t be working over there. I will be doing some studies between a couple of universities. That’s the plan.”

Nster.com

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IrelandNorth | Nov 28, 2011, 08:27 AM EST

Although she was an exceptional president, pension such as this, like many of the judiciary, is difficult to justify at a time when childrens allowance and basic social welfare rates are being unempaathically cut. It's a disturbing case of a tale of two republics.

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Collette2 | Nov 28, 2011, 01:42 AM EST

Too many secrets to keep citizen69 and an offer too good to refuse. Now where have I heard that before.

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citizen69 | Nov 27, 2011, 06:42 AM EST

Pretty disgusting amount of money for a yearly pension when the government are trying to decimate the pensions of ordinary working people. Another example of looking after the top one percent.

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cuddlybuddly | Nov 27, 2011, 05:13 AM EST

The discrepancy between the likes of this woman claiming to 'understand' the Irish People and the manner in which She Herself lives is hilarious! not her fault entirely, we set them up like this...why? why can't we have an ordinary honest decent person on normal wages as President...in some dysfunctional way we exalt positions of public office and punish positions we don't really expect to pay for..teachers, nurses, Hospitals and caring people who because they are 'caring' seem to do it for nothing anyway

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Collette2 | Nov 27, 2011, 03:23 AM EST

I often wonder Irelands two most powerful women in their day, Mary McAleese and Mary Robinson, both in law and politics and being mothers themselves, never spoke out publicly against the abuse rampant during their time in office. I quess it was to do with votes, the latter a Catholic and the former with strong connections.

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michaelidaho | Nov 26, 2011, 10:41 PM EST

What is the point of this article? The 162,754 euro is hardly going to balance the Irish budget.

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etighe1130 | Nov 26, 2011, 10:06 PM EST

You can only imagine what Barry O'Bama will be getting when he leaves office, hopefully on Jan. 20, 2013. He should be good for over 25 million a year, between speaking engagements and expenses. You can be assured he & Mickie will be taking every nickel that the US gov't will give them. And you quibble about $220K??? Pullleeeze!!!!

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GeorgeDillon | Nov 26, 2011, 02:35 PM EST

Paradigm: "President McAleese provided a rare 'role model". What sycophantic garbage. I bet a lot of Irish people would love to follow Madame Loudmouth's "role" as regards salary. She's the best paid patriot Ireland has produced since Dan O'Connell! And McDolan, you think she deserves the money but not the commenets. What a kissass you are.

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cillowen | Nov 26, 2011, 01:09 PM EST

not chump change, nice work if you can get it. Its tragic having to be reminded of the sharks who suck blood of their sheep.

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Paradigm | Nov 26, 2011, 12:54 PM EST

Steady up there LoyalCitizen - try saying that again - in the morning. By the way, it's your round next! Ooops!!

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LoyalCitizen | Nov 26, 2011, 12:03 PM EST

Crime does pay for this traitor.......Successive so called Irish Governments steal from Social Welfare Recipients using opinions and this walks away with the proceeds.........Perverse person.

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biggles008 | Nov 26, 2011, 11:13 AM EST

A scandal. People worked hard for 40 years (with no expenses) and some of them just get enough to live on. I'll say no more.

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Paradigm | Nov 26, 2011, 10:30 AM EST

How petty can one get - President McAleese provided a rare 'role model' during her term in office and is still too valuable to be 'dumped'. I reckon Ireland will get more value for her pension than it will get from some of the asset-strippers who killed the Celtic tiger.

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Springfield9 | Nov 26, 2011, 10:11 AM EST

Well, she looks good (though she's daft).

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mcdolan | Nov 26, 2011, 09:50 AM EST

I think saying that she's 'laughing all the way to the bank' is grossly unfair and demeaning! For shame, she doesn't deserve that, Cathal.

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