Sir, – A person currently earns €65,504 in the public service. They suffer a 5.5 per cent reduction (€3,602.72) which leaves €61,901.28.
Another person currently earns €64,500 in the public service. They suffer no reduction, which leaves €64,500.
A concrete example of less is more if ever I saw one! – Yours, etc,
A chara, – If the Government is anxious to cut the pay of public servants earning over €65,000, does that include the pay of the “programme managers” et al, who demanded and got pay of €125,000, greatly exceeding the guideline of €90,000 laid down by the present Government when they took office? – Is mise,
Sir, – While I appreciate the need for cutbacks, why is the public sector (an easy target one might say) being targeted for pay cuts,while the apparent primary culprits for the current situation, the banks, appear to be carrying on regardless?
Can it be ascertained what salary cuts, increments, etc, have been put in place at all levels of staff in the banks, particularly AIB and Bank of Ireland, in which the State has a large stakeholding? While staff of both the civil service, public service and banks in Ireland historically enjoyed a “security of tenure”, I have no doubt that the staff of the banks particularly at management levels had higher salaries and bonuses than their counterparts in the public sector.
Now it seems that the public sector at all levels, even the most junior clerical officer, must continue to pay for the banks’ “mistakes” by further pay cuts?
During my career I worked in both the public and private sectors in Ireland – and in both areas worked with very committed, hard-working people. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – With reference to Colm Fagan’s comparison of higher paid public servants with professional footballers Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie (February 23rd), an important observation needs to be made.
If Messrs Rooney and Van Persie, under-performed and scored a number of own goals, they would be immediately placed on the transfer market by Alex Ferguson. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – The Coalition is ever so gently and diplomatically making efforts to encourage certain members of the public service to work more than 32 hours over five days (Home News, February 23rd).
One mile away from Croke Park, in one of the city’s oldest hospitals, the same Government stands idly by as junior doctors work 36 hours uninterrupted and clock up to 100 hours per week.
Such polar double standards are more suited to a comic than your newspaper. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – I understand the Government position is that if the gardaí do not come to an agreement on pay that cuts could be implemented by legislation and a vote in the Dáil.
If TDs can vote to do this then I do not see why we the citizens cannot have a vote to amend the Constitution to cut the pensions of the high- earning members of previous governments who put us in this situation. While we are at it we could vote on another amendment to take money from the pension funds of high earners of institutions who availed of the bank guarantee.
I believe we should let our TDs know that they can give the citizens the vote on this now or that it can wait until the next election when we the people can do to the present Government what we did to Fianna Fail at the last election. – Yours, etc,
