Departed Donegal County Councillors to share €775,000 in gratuity payments

Gratuity payments arising out of the departures of elected representatives from Donegal County Council since the 2019 elections will cost the local authority over €775,000.

Under legislation, councillors who have left office are entitled to the payments once they reach the age of 50 and have at least two years of qualifying service.

The gratuity is one fifth of an elected representative's annual wage for each year of unbroken service, up to a maximum of €86,172, once they leave office.

The total amount due in gratuity payments to departed councillors in Donegal since the last election is in the region of €775,556.

Some of those who lost their seats or voluntarily stepped down are not yet entitled to the windfall as it can only be claimed by a person who has left office once they reach the age of 50.

The new increased annual salary for councillors, which is now €28,724, was introduced in 2021.

Donegal Town Independent Tom Conaghan and Buncrana's Rena Donaghey (Fianna Fáil), who did not seek re-election, are entitled to the maximum €86,172.

So, too, is Fianna Fáil's Gerry Crawford who lost this seat on Sunday afternoon.

During the last term of the council, Ramelton independent Ian McGarvey – first elected in 2004 - and Dungloe Sinn Féin Councillor Maire Therese Gallagher – co-opted on in 2007 - stepped down and both would also qualify for the maximum amount.

Buncrana Independent Nicholas Crossan was elected to Donegal County Council for the first time in 2014 and, therefore, would be entitled to €57,450 in gratuity.

Like Gallagher, her party colleague Liam Doherty will have to wait until his 50^th birthday to be able to claim the amount, with the Convoy man, who first took a seat in 2014, entitled to €57,450. The same is the case for Kilmacrennan independent John O'Donnell, who was also first elected in 2014.

Ballyshannon's Barry Sweeney (Fine Gael) and Letterkenny independent Kevin Bradley were usurped from their seats at the weekend after serving term, taking them each to an entitlement of €28,725.

The gratuity is also payable following a representative's death. During the last term of the Council, three representatives died in service.

Manus 'Mandy' Kelly was only a month into his seat in 2019, but would not qualify as a person needs to have had at least two years of unbroken service.

Bernard McGuinness passed away in 2021 and, as he was in service since the late 1970s, would also qualify for the maximum amount while Noreen McGarvey, who died in December, served four full years in the Council.

The gratuity payments are non-contributory so no deductions are taken from their salaries. There is no pension scheme for county councillors with these gratuities, first introduced in 2000, paid instead.

Such gratuities would also be paid to Councillors who are elected as a TD, Senator or MEP.

Donegal County Council's budget for 2024 provided for some €11,210,318 by way of pensions and gratuities to staff and members.