THE government signed off on a €473,000 pension deal for the ex-boss of Irish Water only after consulting with the Attorney General.
Documents released under FOI have revealed how Irish Water also had to pay for external legal advice over arrangements for their former managing director to retire on full pension at age 57 and with a €100,000 severance payment.
Speaking notes prepared for Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy explained that the retirement deal could not be sanctioned without sign-off from him and two other ministers.
A list of “redline issues” was prepared for Mr Murphy included an explanation of how the retirement package meant an internal pension scheme had to be amended and a new severance gratuity scheme created.
Mr Murphy was told to prepare for opposition comment suggesting he would be asked about the “extraordinary high costs involved in the establishment of Irish Water”.
The speaking notes said that the department should also be prepared for questions on whether the state would be “vulnerable to any potential legal challenges”.
The Department of Housing and Department of Public Expenditure had on several occasions refused to release documents relating to Mr Tierney’s pension.
Read the documents below.