Limerick mayor asked for enhanced pension terms
The State's only directly elected mayor asked for enhanced pension terms that would build up as quickly as that of a junior minister and faster than other public servants.
John Moran, the directly elected mayor of Limerick, requested enhanced pension terms during his tenure. The Department of Housing supported his proposal and drafted a formal business case for the Government, arguing that the unique nature of the mayoral position justified a faster-accumulating pension compared to other public servants.
However, the Department of Public Expenditure rejected the proposal, stating that standard pension rules would apply instead. The business case revealed that Moran was earning nearly €160,000 annually at the time, and officials compared his role to that of a Government minister. The document explained that the mayoral position was akin to a junior minister and made clear that the post was organized like that of a minister.
It noted that fast accrual pension provisions existed for the president, judiciary, ministers, and members of the Oireachtas. The business case concluded that providing a standard pension to the Limerick mayor would create an anomaly and potentially create a "contagion" effect, with other mayors seeking similar special arrangements.
The document argued that giving a fast accrual pension to Moran would provide security for roles subject to electoral decisions and make the profession of politics more attractive. The department acknowledged that Moran felt the post should be treated like that of a junior minister, but it maintained that the mayor's salary level warranted a standard accrual pension only.
Written by urgent.news from RTE News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
