Call for clarity on Ministerial overpayment

Sinn Féin TD for Longford-Westmeath, Sorca Clarke, has said that Ministers Burke and Troy must declare whether they are one of 10 ministers still not in a repayment plan for salary overpayment

Earlier today Longford Westmeath TD Peter Burke stood in for the Taoiseach to take Leaders' Questions (Chomhairleoirí Ceannaireachta) in Dáil Éireann.

UPDATE FROM MINISTER BURKE'S OFFICE

"Minister Peter Burke is not one of the 10 ministers who have outstanding liabilities. All his affairs are in order."

Sinne Fein's Pierce Doherty led the questions on an overpayment to Ministers and Senior Civil Servants. Ten sitting government ministers and 17 former ministers have not engaged in a repayment plan after they were overpaid following errors around their pension deductions.

Another 24 ministers have either received refunds or have entered into repayment plans. The details came out in an Oireachtas Finance Committee where it was stated that the ministers and former ministers are engaging with the National Shared Services Office. It was stated that the error came to light seven months ago.

“Ten ministers who were overpaid by as much as tens of thousands of euros are still not even in a repayment plan to reimburse Revenue,” the Sinn Fein Deputy leader said, “These are people who are earning in excess of €200,000 and the same ministers that voted to leave workers and families worse off in this year's budget.

Deputy Clarke said the nation needs clarity on the matter: “Seven months have passed and not a single red cent has been returned by those ministers. The failure to return the money only came to light when Pearse Doherty questioned Minister Jack Chambers at the Finance Committee this week.

“Not only have these ministers paid nothing back, so far none of them have even put their hands up to admit they are one of the 10. That is why I am calling on Minister Burke and Troy to declare whether or not they are one of them. The people of Longford-Westmeath deserve to know.”

The Longford Westmeath SF TD said there is an inequity in the way that the matter is being dealt with: “Ordinary workers and pensioners would not be shown anything like this indulgence. This is taxpayers’ money. It is not government money and it is not ministers’ money. It belongs to the people.”

She called for clarity on the matter: “The idea that senior ministers have been allowed to sit on it for seven months is outrageous and unacceptable. These ministers need to come clean. The public deserves the full picture, and a definitive date by which every last cent will be paid back. Nothing less will do.”