A weary Liam Aylward MEP told the Kilkenny Advertiser yesterday (Thursday ) that he had made up his mind days ago to surrender his ministerial pension but that he was not going to be intimidated by the media into making a statement on his decision.
Speaking on his way home to Kilkenny from Europe yesterday he said that he accepted that he would have to give up the €12,261 ministerial pension that he received last year. He also receives an Oireachtas pension of €52,213.
Mr Aylward reminded the public that he had served 30 years in the Dail and served as a minister four times in the positions of junior minister at the Department of Education and at the Department of Forestry.
Mr Aylward was the latest serving politician to give up his ministerial pension.
He wrote to Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan indicating that he intended to waive his right to his pension while serving as a member of the European Parliament.
The 57-year-old who was a poll-topper in his area of south Kilkenny and contested 10 general elections during his term of office in the Dail, was less than happy with the treatment that he received from the media in recent days.
“To be honest I was a bit disgusted. It was like a witch-hunt. My pension was €12,261. I really do hope it will fill the black hole.
“Of course I accept that I should give up my pension while working in Europe but I really dislike the way in which the campaign was led my the media. Is this the way the country is going now?” he asked.
Mr Aylward pointed out that when he first began working in Dail Eireann over 30 years ago he didn’t get a salary.
“We were offered small expenses back then and I know that times are different now but I can tell you I earned every penny of my pension.
“I have worked extremely hard over the past years and I was disappointed at times during those years and I strode on. It was the hardest earned money ever, in my mind,” he said.
However, Mr Aylward was adamant that he was happy to give up the pension if it would make a difference to the country.
“If this is the best thing to do in the interest of the country - well I always put my country first.”
He also told the Kilkenny Advertiser that he took a €15,000 cut in his €106,000 salary last January bringing his salary to €91,000.
“As an MEP I opted to be paid from Europe and so I am not being paid from the Irish exchequer at all at the moment.
“This is also saving the Irish exchequer. However, I am being taxed on my salary both in Europe and in Ireland,” he said.
Mr Alyward was happy to speak to the Kilkenny Advertiser about his decision which he said was made some days ago.
“I will always speak to the media - but harassing my family and my home life isn’t fair,” he said.
Only two Fianna Fáil politicians have not made a decision regarding their ministerial pensions at the time of going to press.
MEP Pat 'the Cope' Gallagher said he will make a decision over the weekend, while TD Noel Treacy said he will reach a decision in the next two weeks.
