Madam, – The intention of the present Government to reduce the pay of future Ministers is yet another example of their “taking the hard decisions” which disadvantage others while Government Ministers retain their own excessive pay, benefits and considerable perks. Let us hope the next Government takes immediate steps to reciprocate in kind and impose significant reductions on the inflated pensions of these soon-to-be former Ministers. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – With regard to the cuts proposed in the Budget to the salaries of the President, Taoiseach and Ministers, they are far too little too late. They are still vastly overpaid.
These people incur no extra costs upon taking office, in fact the opposite could be argued, and we need to get to a position where those who achieve high public office, accept that serving their country is reward enough. They should not use public office as a means to pay themselves a salary they would never get in the private sector – certainly none of the existing Government would be fit to run a private enterprise.
I bet if the salaries of those at the top were cut by 60 per cent there’d still be a queue around the block of perfectly fine men and women lining up to take their place. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Debt by a thousand cuts. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – The lack of changes in excise duty on alcohol in the Budget is disturbing but sadly understandable as a finance-generating exercise. However, this does not make the move excusable health-wise.
Alarmingly to us at alcoholresponse.com, the budgetary move lacks provision for effective action to counter the inevitable increase in problem drinking which will result. Many experts are already expressing concern about the increase of home drinking due to the financial downturn.
The prospect of effectively reducing alcohol cost without redress measures will ultimately mean a massive increase in alcohol-related problems. Dealing with the consequences is not dealing with the real issue and daily we are reminded of those consequences. Surely they present an ideal opportunity for prospective educational intervention regarding alcohol intake? Brief-intervention at Garda stations, colleges and A E wards would go some way towards at least naming the problem directly with the abuser and giving them the opportunity to take positive action.
And what of those trapped within the ripple effects of someone else’s problem drinking?
There has been enough talk, enough reports, and enough irrelevant studies. Alcohol-related problems increase in periods of economic downturn. Hundreds of thousands of taxpayers’ euro have been spent on projects and policies around this issue. We contend that much of this spending is ineffective it should be reviewed and appropriate, effective action supported. – Yours, etc,