According to Government guidelines, in order to qualify for a full pension and pension lump sum, a former member must be 50-years-old, while a reduced pension may be paid at any time between 45 and 49.
Because she is not of pension age, Ms Keaveney is entitled to draw-down termination payments including a termination lump sum, the equivalent of two month’s salary.
Cecilia Keaveney was first elected to Dáil Éireann for Donegal North East in a by-election on 2 April 1996 following the death of Independent Fianna Fáil TD Neil Blaney.
She was re-elected at the 1997 general election and 2002 general election but lost her seat at the 2007 general election.
Keaveney lost her seat in a tough 2007 election battle where all three outgoing TDs were Fianna Fáil members.
Under the Single transferable vote proportional representation electoral system used in Ireland, it was virtually impossible for all three to be elected.
This arose when in July 2006 outgoing Fianna Fáil TD James McDaid reversed his earlier announcement that he would not seek a nomination to contest the election.
In the intervening period Independent Fianna Fáil and its sole TD Niall Blaney had been absorbed into Fianna Fáil.
As a result, Joe McHugh from Carrigart of Fine Gael won a seat at her expense.
She then stood successfully for election to Seanad Éireann on the Cultural and Educational Panel at the 2007 election.
However, she did not contest the recent 2011 Seanad election.
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