€100k state-pensioned Geoghegan-Quinn owns four houses

John Downes, News Investigations Correspondent

Commissioner: keeping pension

European Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn owns four houses in Ireland, Luxembourg, the US and Spain, according to her sig-ned declaration of interests lodged with the EU Commission and seen by the Sunday Tribune.

Geoghegan-Quinn, who has refused to consider giving up her €100,000-plus state pension as a former minister and TD, is paid a further €238,000 a year in her government-appointed role with the EU.

Her declaration of interests, dated 9 December 2009, indicates she has used her salary and pension entitlements to build up significant property interests.

Under the heading "assets", she states that in terms of real estate, she has a "house in Ireland, house in Luxembourg, house in USA" and an "apartment in Spain". The commissioner owns no shares or company stocks, the declaration also reveals.

Geoghegan-Quinn attracted criticism from Fine Gael for pulling out of an RTÉ radio interview on Friday after being asked about her pension entitlements by a reporter.

Asked at an event in Dublin if she would consider "parking" her Dáil and ministerial pensions while she was drawing her European salary, Geoghegan-Quinn said: "Well, that's a question that I've refused to comment on up to now and I will continue to refuse to comment on it."

Shortly afterwards, RTÉ News at One presenter Seán O'Rourke told listeners her spokesman had informed the programme she was no longer available for a studio interview she had agreed to do. He added that no explanation had been offered.

One of Geoghegan Quinn's predecessors as EU Commissioner, Padraig Flynn, caused widespread public outrage when he spoke of the "difficulty" of running three houses on a salary of £130,000 (€165,000) during a Late Late Show interview in 1999.

April 25, 2010

Comments

#1 Brendan Martin commented, on April 25, 2010 at 7:03 p.m.:

Another Fianna Fail crony !! What do you expect ? This country can only start to move on when their is a change of government....

#2 Richard commented, on April 25, 2010 at 7:43 p.m.:

When Iused to teach English at 2nd level Iexplained the word term personification as follows, some of our public representatives personified greed.They gave a new dimension to it.They lived lives where greed was part and parcel of public service.They gave life to the word greed ,crystallised it in a vulgar opulent way by using our money to lead a hedonistic way of life.These people should read how Cicero described such people.I trust they are familiar with writers and politicans who witnessed such greed.People who behaved in this way had nothing worthwhile to offer so engrossed were they in self indulgence.

#3 Ned Johnson commented, on April 25, 2010 at 8:31 p.m.:

Keeping up an established tradition as EU Commisioner for an expensive lifestyle. These people make me sick. And Deirdre de Burca went ballistic when she could not join in the fun. Despite several election drubbings, de Burca had the arrogance to decide that she was fit for the role.

And lets not forget Suds Junior who is part of MGQ's team.

#4 mmoroney commented, on April 25, 2010 at 10:52 p.m.:

MG Quinn, a primary school teacher inherited a dail seat,and quickly rose through the ranks of F.Fail,became a Minist er and when the going got tough she took early retirement, but not before she had obtained a large pension entitlement. This wasn't enough for the wily MG Q,who without any qualification whatever obtained a sinecure in the European Court of Auditors,at a very fine salary plus the usual expenses,and now because of the weakness of our "leader" who has"nt the gumption to lead,and always takes the easy way out,MGQ has become our commissioner in europe,again with no qualification for the job.It is easy to see why she will not discuss her pensions as under any sort of questioning,her inability to hide her obvious greed would become obvious to all.But then is she any different to most other politicians who have featherbedded themselves at our expense?

#5 Roger Rafferty commented, on April 26, 2010 at 1:28 a.m.:

Hopefully come the revolution, Maire will have to make extensive use of her overseas properties, particularly after her pension is cut off.

#6 Jaker commented, on April 26, 2010 at 4:16 a.m.:

Time to wipe the greedy grin off her face; & likewise to all the rest of them whom with our trust they have all debased. They're each & everyone one of them, a thundering disgrace.

#7 Kevin Artt commented, on April 26, 2010 at 9:16 a.m.:

I don't know what all the fuss is about....houses in Ireland, Spain, Luxembourg....what a wonderful European she is! Plus a place in the land of the free too..sure we're all just jealous!

#8 Paddy McG commented, on April 26, 2010 at 10:59 p.m.:

Perhaps Kevin is right- maybe we are just jealous. Let's be honest if the system gives stacks of cash to the political elite- why should any politician hand it back.. After all it's their entitlement. Looking after four homes is not easy and you need the extra money to keep them all up to the best standard...
So I do feel poor Maire is being unfairly singled out here as she has done nothing wrong... We are told that Maire's best friend Cowen has managed to secure his own personal pension pot at 7 Million Euro... Now that could easily run five homes- Lucky Brian- sure it's like winning the Lotto...

#9 Jim O'Sullivan commented, on April 27, 2010 at 8:44 a.m.:

This just goes to prove that the elephant in the room is the system that allows individuals to amass limitless wealth. We need a progressive tax system that properly taxes high end income so as to control distribution. Unfortunately weak and greedy government Ministers have allowed individuals to become extremely powerful to the point where it will now be difficult to bring in necessary changes.

#10 John Mol commented, on April 30, 2010 at 3:17 a.m.:

Go Sunday Trib. Go Indo. Go Free Press. Get after them all. Find them. Name them. Shame them. Politicians, Bankers, Public and Private Sectors Elites. Double Jobbers. Golden Handshakers. All forms of "legalized" corruption. At least some journalists can tell their kids and grandkids "We tried"
Not like the rest of us who stood, watched and (in some cases) pocketed.

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