Former Govt Sect Gen received €700,000 package

Sykk

The Government has said it is committed to ending the exceptionally generous pension regime for those at the top of the public and private sectors.
It follows the revelation today that Ireland's top civil servant, who retired during the summer, received nearly €600,000 in lump sum and severance payments.
Dermot McCarthy, who was the former secretary general to the Government and to the Department of the Taoiseach, will also receive an annual pension of €142,000.
In a statement, the Government said while it is not possible to change existing arrangements, the Programme for Government commits to capping taxpayer subsidies for all future pension schemes at €60,000 per annum.
It goes on to say that the reforms are complex but are being advanced and will be ready by the Budget.
The Sinn Fein deputy Mary Lou McDonald this evening described the final lump sum payment and pension of Mr McCarthy as completely inappropriate and scandalously high.
Mr McCarthy was appointed secretary general to the Government in the year 2000 and served under three different Taoisigh.
During the Bertie Ahern era, it is said, he was instrumental in bringing about social partnership and bench-marking.
He was the country's top civil servant, attended cabinet meetings and was in Government Buildings the night the bank guarantee scheme was agreed.
He retired from his post at the start of the summer and new figures, released to RTÉ News under the Freedom of Information Act, reveal how much his severance and pensions entitlements are worth.
They show he got a lump sum payment of €428,011.50 and a special severance payment of €142,670.50.
His annual pension is €142,670.50.
The figures are based on 40 years of service and a salary of €285,000 although with various cuts and voluntarily contributions his salary at the time of his departure was €200,000.
The Department of Finance said today the superannuation arrangements for Mr McCarthy are based on the standard terms applied to secretaries general and they said the lump sum was subject to taxation.

Full text of the letter from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to RTÉ News:
Dear Mr Hunt
I refer to your request under the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003 for details of the severance pay and pension arrangements for Mr Dermot McCarthy, retired Secretary General, Department of the Taoiseach.
I am setting out below the details of the severance and superannuation arrangements that applied to Mr McCarthy, which are based on the standard Top Level Appointments Committee (TLAC) terms applied to Secretaries General in accordance with Government decision of 5 March 1987.
Pension ... ... €142,670.50.
Lump sum ... ... €428,011.50.
Special Severance Payment €142,670.50.
The pension was based on Mr McCarthy's salary prior to the salary reduction under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No.2) Act 2009 (€285,341) and 40 years service (including 67 days additional notional service). An annual reduction of €13,980.49 is applied to the pension under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2010. The lump sum was subjected to taxation in accordance with new pension lump sums provisions in the 2011 Budget/Finance Act.
These superannuation arrangements are subject to the abatement terms that apply to Secretaries General superannuation in the event of them resuming employment in the Public Service.
Yours Sincerely
Tony Jordan
Pensions Section
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0905/mccarthyd.html

I don't know who this man is. But he'll earn €142,000 per year in pension fees of my tax when there's a lack of hospital beds and medical care for thousands of people around the country

. I'm seriously, seriously considering trying to get a few people together to find where he lives and stage some protests outside his house..

It's disgusting. Would any of you be interested?

Phill Ewinn

Do you think he'll make us tea? No gripe with the man. Can we not just protest outside the Dail until Cowen is arrested?

teol

Sykk wrote: »

I'm seriously, seriously considering trying to get a few people together to find where he lives and stage some protests outside his house..

It's disgusting. Would any of you be interested?

No.

prinz

Sykk wrote: »

It's disgusting. Would any of you be interested?

No. It's the people who set up the pay and pension scheme you should be protesting against.

DrumSteve

Grand...But the important question is, can I bring my pitchfork?

mathie

"Ireland's top civil servant"

A bit like "Americas Next Top Model"?

Sykk

prinz wrote: »

No. It's the people who set up the pay and pension scheme you should be protesting against.

True.. But I think the people who have done sweet feck all should be more of a popular figure.

Everyone should know how much this guy got and how much he's getting.

When it comes to Cowen, fair enough.. He has to deal with public scrutiny for the rest of his life.

All of these politicians retiring quietly with hundreds of thousands in pensions and bonuses should be exposed.

Snakeblood

prinz wrote: »

No. It's the people who set up the pay and pension scheme you should be protesting against.

To be fair though, he probably was one of the top guys behind that as the top civil servant.

Not that I'm pushing for the pitchforks, but if he served 3 Taoisigh, it's likely he was in the pension and pay scheme up to his neck.

gk5000

Sykk wrote: »

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0905/mccarthyd.html

I don't know who this man is. But he'll earn €142,000 per year in pension fees of my tax when there's a lack of hospital beds and medical care for thousands of people around the country

. I'm seriously, seriously considering trying to get a few people together to find where he lives and stage some protests outside his house..

It's disgusting. Would any of you be interested?

No (part laziness and part don't want to be part of a mob, or you don't know who would hijack it for their own purposes)

But, would be very interested in a boycott of those who shafted the county, such as this guy, Cowen, Neary, Ahearn...

I dont come across any of them them, but what about people who do? who trade with any of them, or serve them in shops/pubs etc.

Sir Oxman

And here was I thinking we were in a national financial emergency, a state of disaster with not a pot to piss in.

ilovesleep

So there is not enough money for SNA's but there's plenty for retirement packages of those coming from the golden circle. Maddening

Celly Smunt

fair play to him

krudler

gambiaman wrote: »

And here was I thinking we were in a national financial emergency, a state of disaster with not a pot to piss in.

only if you're a regular joe, if you're part of a beuracratic system riddled with corruption, nepotism and back scratching then its party central.

Son Of A Vidic

Are we talking about a private company here? Did this guy generate amazingly innovative and profitable new products line, which we all benefited from? Did his advice steer us away from disaster? Did his leadership expand and strengthened the company? Oh wait, of course not, we are talking about a civil servant.

I love this little shíthole that generously rewards state employees who work for us and whose bloated salaries we pay. In a normal business environment, if you don't perform you don't get the perks and might even be sent packing. Oh but not our 'top' civil servants, these wasters are a unique breed.