Unemployed ministers cost the state €150,000 a month

The state is currently paying €89,000 a month in unemployment benefits to former ministers and that is set to go up to €150,000 when the new government takes office on Thursday.


At the moment, 14 former ministers are being paid full or partial benefits – known as wachtgeld – because they have not got a job and seven of the 10 outgoing ministers will join them, Nos tv reports. The tv station did not give any names.
Former ministers are entitled to 80% of their salary of €120,000 for the first year of unemployment, followed by three years at 70%. If they get a job at a lower pay level, they can claim top-up benefits.
MPs who lost their job at the June election are entitled to the same ruling, based on their salary of around €80,000.
This year, MPs amended the wachtgeld rules so that ex ministers and MPs are now required to apply for jobs and accept any suitable offers.

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