Pension Sparks Irish Leaders' Row

A major row over ministerial pensions has engulfed Monday's election discourse with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael locked in a bitter war of accusations.

As the Irish Republic's General Election loomed, the argument was sparked this morning after Fianna Fail's John Curran claimed it was confirmed on-air by radio broadcaster Newstalk that Fine Gael's Enda Kenny only agreed to be interviewed for their breakfast show on condition that he could not be asked any questions about his different pensions.

Mr Convey said that the conditions prior to the interview also included a ban on questions to Mr Kenny related to a "last-minute decision to give up a large payment he was going to claim in April for teaching for four years in the early 1970s."

"This raises the question about exactly how far Fine Gael has been seeking to hide from questions during this campaign.

"Enda Kenny has tried to make pensions and severance payments an issue in this campaign. He has spent the last two weeks talking about them all the while staying stum on his own sizeable teaching pension covering 30 years when he never set foot in a classroom.

However, Fine Gael – who are favourite to be the majority party in the State after this week's election - 'vehemently denied' the suggestions it tried to censor the interview.

A Fine Gael spokesperson said the pension issue had been dealt with in Mr Kenny's speech, and it was decided and agreed by Newstalk to conduct the interview on the basis preceding the emergence of his pension arrangements.

Mr Kenny said that he clarified the issue of his teacher's pension yesterday and that that matter was now closed.

The original story emerged in a report in yesterday's Sunday Business Post , which revealed Mr Kenny had deferred a €100,000 lump sum payment from his teachers’ pension until he retires from politics.

Mr Kenny is also due a €30,000 pension from teaching on top of his salary as a TD.

Meanwhile, the issue has prompted Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin to also confirm that he will resign his teaching position at the end of this academic year.

Mr Martin said this morning he will not be going back to teaching, and that he made the decision last year.

"I've been very clear about this and I've said this on public record already - I will not be going back to teaching," Mr Martin said. He added that he will also not be claiming his teacher's pension.

(DW/GK)