Shatter suggests levy on judges may be constitutional

A FINE GAEL solicitor has suggested there is no obstacle to requiring judges to contribute to their public service pensions through the levy introduced on March 1st.

Alan Shatter (FG, Dublin South) asked the Taoiseach during question time if any approach had been made to members of the judiciary “to suggest they voluntarily reduce their salaries by an equivalent of the pension levy, which is being imposed on everyone else in the public service”.

When the public service levy was introduced, the judiciary and the President were precluded from the tax on constitutional grounds.

Mr Shatter said: “I understand there may be constitutional difficulties with reducing judges’ salaries, but I am not sure there would be a difficulty in constitutional terms in requiring judges to contribute towards their pensions”.

But Taoiseach Brian Cowen said “we need to recognise the constitutional position and not say or do or indicate anything that would in any way interfere with the independence in the role and functions of those important public servants in the judiciary who serve us well”.

Earlier Caoimhghin Ó Caoláin (SF, Cavan-Monaghan) queried the necessity of consultants, costing a reported 1.7 million a week or 90 million a year.

Mr Cowen said that if the €90 million was correct, it was around 0.1 per cent or 0.2 per cent of total spending of €55 billion. That was not against expectations, “given the complexity and breadth of the work undertaken by governments”.