Clare councillors share €671,842 gratuity payout

Twenty eight former local authority members who retired or lost their seats will receive gratuity payments totalling €671,842, subject to their individual tax liabilities.

According to figures obtained by the Clare Champion, former Mayor of Clare, Councillor Patricia McCarthy, will receive the highest gratuity payment worth €61,781 after 35 years of local authority service on the county council and Shannon Town Council.

In fact, three former first citizens, Councillor McCarthy, Councillor Tommy Brennan and Councillor Joe Arkins will be paid gratuity payments totalling €169, 320.

Ten former Clare County Councillors, who are over 50 years of age, will collect gratuity payments totalling €412,953, giving an average payout of €42,115.

They include Councillors Patricia McCarthy, Tommy Brennan, Sonny Scanlan and Michael Kelly, who bowed out after the local elections as well as Joe Arkins, Pat Keane, Pascal Fitzgerald, Oliver Garry, Tony Mulqueen and Sean McLoughlin, who failed to get re-elected.

Eighteen former town councillors in Ennis, Shannon, Kilrush and Kilkee will receive so-called scrappage payments totalling €196,689, which equates to an average payout of €10,927.

Former Independent Ennis Councillor, Tommy Brennan, who also served as mayor of the county town, will get €59,837 after his 35 years membership of Ennis Town Council and Clare County Council.

Next on the list is former Quin-based Fine Gael Councillor, Sonny Scanlan, who is due €59,696 after 29 years on the county council.
Outgoing Mayor of Clare, Councillor Joe Arkins,(FG) who failed to secure re-election after moving to the Killaloe Municipal District, will be paid €47,702 in recognition of his membership of the county council from 1999 to 2014.

Former Kilkee-based Fianna Fáil Councillor, Pat Keane can look forward to receiving €53,383 after 23 years on the county council.
Outgoing town councillors in Ennis, Shannon, Kilrush and Kilkee couldn’t seek re-election following the controversial scrapping of town councils by former Environment Minister Phil Hogan after the Local Elections.

Long-serving Ennis town and county councillor, Peter Considine will receive the highest payment as an outgoing town councillor.

His payment of €51,212 covers 40 years of service including his stint on the county council from 1991 to 2009 and Ennis Town Council from 2009 to 2014.
Former Kilrush-based Fianna Fáil stalwart, Tom Prendeville is in a similar position with his payment totalling €40,986. This covers his county council membership from 1991 to 2009 and Kilrush Town Council from 2009 to 2014.

The gratuity for former Clare County Councillors, who are aged 50 or over, is €3,344.80 per year of service from May 4, 2000. An ex- gratia payment of €714.23 per year of service is paid to serving councillors for their years of service prior to May 4, 2000.

For local authority members with county council and town council service at the same time, the gratuity will be paid for the county council service only. If the member had both county council service and town council service after May 2000, but not at the same time, that member will receive a reduced gratuity for the town council service.

When a person ceases to be a councillor before 50 due to retirement or not being re-elected, the gratuity will be preserved until that person reaches this age.
The amount of the gratuity paid to town councillors depends on the size of the town council involved and their length of service.

The full breakdown of payments is: Clare County Council: Patricia McCarthy: €61,781; Tommy Brennan: €59,837; Sonny Scanlan: €59,696; Pat Keane: €53, 383; Joe Arkins: €47,702; Michael Kelly: €34,907; Pascal Fitzgerald: €33,283; Oliver Garry: €33,283; Tony Mulqeen: €16,559; Sean McLoughlin: €15,722.
Ennis Town Council: Peter Considine: €51,212; Mary Coote-Ryan: €26,968; Frankie Neylon: €25,636; Michael Guilfoyle: €20,511; Paul O’Shea: €8,320.
Shannon Town Council: Greg Duff: €11,925; Tony McMahon: €11,925; Mary Brennan: €4,153; Cathy McCafferty: €4,153.
Kilrush Town Council: Tom Prendeville: €40,986; Tom Clyne: €8,320, Liam Williams: €4,153.
Kilkee Town Council: Claire Haugh: €9,072; Michael McGrath: €7,470; P J Lardner: €7,470; Lily Marrinan-Sullivan: €6,577; Brian Keane: €6,577; Mary Owens: €2,259.

Dan Danaher