Sir, – This country is either in financial crisis or it’s not!
“Ministers of State’s pensions would cost almost €20m at market prices” and “Gilmore criticises top salaries at IBRC” (Home News, November 9th).
To see these sums being paid to people who got this country into the mess it is in would suggest that there is no financial crisis. To see the effect of cutbacks to essential services for those most acutely affected would suggest that there is a financial crisis. So which is it?
What is there to fear in taxing high earners and placing that money in a separate fund for specific purposes, such as home helps or special needs assistance? Lowering salaries would make that money unaccountable, taxation would be one way of ensuring continuity of funds for those specific purposes. – Yours, etc,