€500,000 in retirement gratuities are going to outgoing midlands councillors
Councillors who bowed out at May's local elections are to receive retirement gratuities of at least €6 million in total.
In the midlands, four of them will get at least €70,000 each.
Councillors who lost their seats in May, or chose not to contest the elections, are entitled to a lump sum based on their experience on the local authority.
Most of these payments have been processed, but those who aren't 50 years old will only receive the payments when they reach that age.
28 of the 31 local authorities across Ireland have now released the details of the amounts to be paid, following freedom of information requests.
In the midlands, Offaly County Council has the highest bill - with four former reps due almost €220,000 in total.
That includes Fine Gael's Tommy McKeigue and Fianna Fáil's Noel Bourke - receiving over €70,000 euro each for 34 and 28 years of service respectively.
That's followed by Laois, where three former councillors are receiving just over €200,000.
€71,000 goes to former Fine Gael rep John Moran, while his party colleague David Goodwin tops the list in the midlands, getting over €78,000.
The figure drops considerably in Westmeath, with almost €80,000 going to five former reps.
Former indepedent councillor Paul Hogan leads there, getting just over €17,000.
A former Laois councillor feels the payments are justified because of the years of service put in.
Retired Fine Gael rep John Moran says he dedicated 28 years to Laois County Council:
Management Can Easily End Industrial Action - SIPTU
Westmeath Credit Union Manager Wins Lifetime Achievement Award
Midlands Readers Encouraged To Take Part in MS Readathon
Westmeath Town Strong Performer For Fibre Broadband
Ireland's Oldest Living Person With EB Publishes Autobiography
Fund Midlands Councils To Build Housing On Public Land - Simon Community
Midlands Councils Boost Environmental Enforcement Performance
Offaly Food Workers Launch Industrial Action
Public Consultation Taking Place In The Midlands
Man Due In Court Over Armed Pharmacy Robbery In Offaly
Offaly Man Appointed President Of EU Body
Rising Rents Affecting Midlands HAP Tenants
Calls To Fast Track Wastewater Works After Flooding In Offaly
Man Arrested After Attempted Armed Robbery In Offaly
Westmeath Carpark To Reopen As Drainage Project Nears Completion
Midlands CPO's Up Significantly
Midlands Bring Home 2025 Heritage Awards
Offaly Attraction Appoints New General Manager
Midlands MEP Urges Better Pay For Construction Apprenticeships
European Commission Propose CAP Funding Boost