A number of high-earning HSE consultants shared in a pension lump sum bonanza on stepping down from their posts last year.

New figures show that three medical consultants last year each received pension lump sums in excess of €490,000 after retiring from their roles.

The consultant to receive the highest lump sum pension payment was a male consultant general physician who received €502,420.

The consultants who received the top 10 highest amounts received €4.5 million in total, and eight of the top 10 were men.

That is according to new figures provided by the HSE in response to a Freedom of Information request, which shows that €212.5 million was paid out in lump sums in 2025 by the HSE to retiring staff.

The €212.5 million paid out in pension lump sums last year was a nine per cent increase on the €194.3 million paid out by the HSE in 2024 in lump sums, and the increase is due in part to the slightly higher numbers retiring in 2025.

The figures show that 3,555 staff retired from the HSE last year, and this was an increase of 63 on the 3,492 who retired in 2024.

The average lump sum payout last year by the HSE to the 3,555 staff totalled €59,798.

The two other consultants to receive in excess of €490,000 last year were two male consultants general adult psychiatrists who received €497,436 and €492,079 respectively.

A further eight consultants received lump sum payments between €400,000 and €477,000.

They include a male consultant general adult psychiatrist who received €476,538; a male consultant anaesthetist who received €445,988 and a male clinical director of psychiatric services who received €444,182.

A consultant general surgeon received a lump sum payment of €424,123, a female consultant radiologist received €418,894, while a consultant physician in geriatric medicine received €418,457.

The two others to receive in excess of €400,000 were two females - a consultant histopathologist who received €415,023 and a consultant physician in geriatric medicine who received €402,708.

A further 14 consultants received lump sum payments between €300,000 to €400,000 and that includes

consultant adult psychiatrists (3), general physicians (3) anaesthetists (2), general surgeons (2) a neurosurgeon, a Haematologist, emergency medicine and a consultant in geriatric medicine,

The overall payout in pensions to retired staff continues to be a significant annual cost to the HSE - last year, the HSE made €673.76m in ongoing pension payments to 39,233 retired staff on top of the €212.5m bringing the HSE’s overall pension bill to €886.26m for 2025.

A note attached to the HSE’s 2025 annual financial statements on pension payments states that pensions of retired staff are paid out of current income and are charged to income and expenditure in the year in which they become payable.

The note states that in accordance with a directive from the Minister for Health, no provision is made in the financial statements in respect of future pension benefits and no charge is made to the Statement of Revenue Income and Expenditure in respect of this.