Pressure grows on serving politicians to surrender pensions
Pressure is expected to mount today on a number of Oireachtas members who are drawing a pension and getting paid for being a TD or Senator.
It follows the decision last night of Máire Geoghegan-Quinn to 'gift' her Ministerial and Dáil pension to the State while she is a European Commissioner.
The Government says it has done all it can legally, but Fine Gael is still demanding legislation to end double payments, which the party says it would support.
Last night there was a broad welcome for MGQ's decision.
Teh Taoiseach says the gesture should be acknowledged, while Opposition parties also welcomed it.
But a raft of TD's and Senators are getting paid salaries by the taxpayer, and drawing down pensions, also paid for by taxpayers.
Their positions - most notably that of former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the Fine Gael deputy leader Richard Bruton - will now come under increased scrutiny and pressure to hand back the pensions.
The Government is insisting it has done all it can by legislation - but Fine Gael says laws could be passed to end the double payments - and they would support such moves.
