MINISTER for Noel Dempsey will continue to play an active role in the Fianna Fáil organisation following his retirement from the Dáil at the end of this session.
The Minister hinted some weeks back that he was considering stepping down and he confirmed his decision in a statement issued yesterday morning.
Although he will not be a candidate, he is heavily involved in his party’s preparations for the coming general election, which is due to take place early next year.
Paying tribute to his Cabinet colleague, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said it was a “matter of genuine regret” that the Minister was retiring from the Dáil. Speaking at the conclusion of the European Council meeting in Brussels yesterday, the Taoiseach said Mr Dempsey had been a tremendous colleague in successive governments.
“He was a very good friend, a loyal colleague, a great team player, forthright and straight-talking. It was always straight down the line with him,” Mr Cowen told a press conference.
He said it went without saying he would have preferred if Mr Dempsey were a general election candidate but such decisions were ultimately an issue for the individual in question.
Minister for Social Protection Éamon Ó Cuív said in Dublin yesterday that he would like to “thank Noel Dempsey for all the work he has done over many, many years; not only as a Cabinet Minister, but it is well known that he was very involved with work within the Fianna Fáil party”.
Mr Dempsey, who will be 58 on January 6th, is one of a family of 12 sons from Trim, Co Meath. A teacher by profession, he joined Fianna Fáil in the early 1970s and was co-opted on to Meath County Council in 1977.
He entered the Dáil after the 1987 general election and, in 1991, along with three other Fianna Fáil TDs, he proposed a motion of no confidence in party leader and taoiseach, Charles Haughey.
He was a minister of state for the Office of Public Works and chief whip 1992-94; minister for the environment and local government 1997-2002; minister for education and science 2002-04; minister for communications, marine and natural resources 2004-07; and has served as Minister for Transport since 2007.
A statement from Ryanair called on Mr Dempsey “to take his €5 billion Dublin Airport Metro into retirement with him”.
“Apart from the failed semi-State transport monopolies, no one in Irish transport will miss Noel Dempsey,” the statement added.
RETIREMENT DEMPSEY ENTITLED TO €120,990 PENSION
Retiring Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey will be entitled to annual pension payments of approximately €120,990 after he steps down from the Dáil at the end of this session.
Based on official figures, his TD’s pension is estimated at €51,750 per annum, taking account of a graduated reduction imposed in the recent Budget.
His ministerial pension will be approximately €69,240 also taking account of the Budget reduction.
He will also be eligible for a tax-free pension lump-sum payment as a retiring Dáil deputy of € 159,000. This will be paid, along with his annual pension, after his first year in retirement: during his first 12 months he will receive an initial termination payment of €17,000 followed by six monthly payments of €6,500 and a further six monthly payments of €4,500.
Oireachtas members make a contribution of 6 per cent of salary toward their pension entitlements and the amounts paid are based on standard Civil Service rates.
Had Mr Dempsey delayed his retirement until after the end of February, 2012, his pension payments would have been significantly lower.