THE CEO OF the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation has said he thinks there was “a little Machiavelli twist” in Alan Shatter’s decision to donate his severance payments to the charity.

The former Minister for Justice announced on Thursday that he would donate all his €70,000 severance payments to the foundation.

Speaking this morning to Savage Sunday on Today FM, Jonathan Irwin said that Shatter had carried out a lot of work in setting up a regulatory body for charity sector and was potentially part of his decision to make the donation, but he’s “sure there was a twinkle in his eye”.

I think there was a little Machiavelli twist somewhere in that, and I am prepared to say that we were the rabbit in the headlights.

The decision came just hours before the public went to the polls in the local and European elections, and was also toa  charity that is fighting against government cuts to medical cards.

Irwin also noted Shatter’s pause for dramatic effect between announcing that he would be accepting the payments, but then donating them to charity (seen just after the one minute mark in the video below).

“It was a sort of travelling theatre in a way,” Irwin said, “He’s not great lover of the media.”

He stressed that he would have no faith in government to use the money wisely if Shatter hadn’t accepted, and it had been sent back to the Exchequer.

Irwin noted that “not a brick has been laid” at the new Children’s’ Hospital despite millions being spent – “They would have blown [Shatter's money] in unmerciful ways”.

Alan Shatter’s severance payments would have been worth roughly €30,000 to him, but by donating to charity, the value was increased to around €50,000.

These payments, now abolished, were available to Ministers who had served more than two years in office.

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