Former Irish Water boss to be given €300K lump sum as severance package from the State

John Tierney, the former Irish Water Managing Director, will receive a staggering payout of €300,000 for walking away from the maligned utility body last month.

Having spent three years in charge of the controversial organisation, Tierney stepped down last month and is entitled to be paid a severance package that is applicable to all civil servants. Mr Tierney was on a huge salary of €200,000 a year when he was in charge of Irish Water, and his entitled to claim a severance package that is worth one and-a-half times what his annual salary would be.

He will also be able to draw an annual pension based on half his salary once he goes into retirement. A report in today's Sunday Independent outlines the circumstances around Tierney's decision to walk away from the service following the suspension of water charges by Fine Gael last month, although they have kept Irish Water on board as the national utility.

Barry Cowen, Fianna Fáil's spokesperson for the environment, commented on the situation, stating that it will further anger the public.

"It is the sort of carry-on that makes people have very little faith at all in Irish Water," Mr Cowen told the Sunday Independent.

He added: "And it is why we insisted in our arrangement with Fine Gael that a statutory body should be set up to look at the running of Irish Water, including manpower and contractual arrangements, with a view to oversight by the Dail."

Tierney spent three years in charge of Irish Water, meaning his has received €900,000 in total since his appointment in 2013.