Former Irish MEPs have been paid nearly €1.8m in pension payments since the beginning of 2017.

They include former Irish presidential candidates Mary Banotti, 'Dana' Rosemary Scallon and Gay Mitchell.

The current Leas-Cheann Comhairle of the Dáil, Pat 'the Cope' Gallagher, is also on the list.

According to details released under the Freedom of Information Act, 33 former Irish MEPs or their spouses have been paid a total nearly €1.8m in pension payments since the beginning of 2017.

Mary Banotti, who was a Fine Gael MEP for the Dublin constituency for 20 years, has received more than €130,000.

Pat 'the Cope' Gallagher, seen here in 2016, is the only current TD to receive a pension from Brussels | Image: Dail Press

Her party colleague Gay Mitchell, who was in Brussels for 10 years, has been paid €30,200 during the same period.

Another former Irish presidential candidate, 'Dana' Rosemary Scallon - who was an MEP for five years - has received nearly €32,400.

Leitrim's Joe McCartin was an MEP for 25 years - he has pocketed €144,000 in pension payments since 2017.

While the Leas-Cheann Comhairle of the Dáil, Pat 'the Cope' Gallagher, is the only current TD on the list.

Since 2017, he has received nearly €54,000 in pension payments for his three terms as an MEP.

Reporting by Eoghan Murphy