€400k pension payments to former Offaly politicians

Four former Offaly TDs received pension payments totalling just under €400,000 in the 17 months culminating at the end of May last according to new figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. The figures, received by data website The Story, reveal pension and termination payments paid from January 1, 2011 until May 31, 2012. Between them Brian Cowen, Olwyn Enright, Tom Enright and Tom Parlon were paid a total of €393,466 during the period. Former Taoiseach Brian Cowen received the biggest payment over the 17 months, with payments totalling €251,536. The Fianna Fáil stalwart's total was made up of gross pension payments of €38,350, a gross lump sum pension payment of €159,873, a termination lump sum of €16,404 and a termination payment of €36,909. Former Fine Gael TD Olwyn Enright was paid a total of €53,418, made up of a termination lump sum of €15,506 and a termination payment of €37,912. Her father Tom Enright. a former TD and Senator, was paid a total of €70,741 gross pension payments. Meanwhile former Progressive Democrat TD Tom Parlon was paid a total of €17,771, also gross pension payments.