Sir, – Former TD, attorney general, minister and tánaiste Michael McDowell informs us (Letters, October 2nd) that he is not in receipt of any pensions relating to his previous roles and takes pains to point out that he donates all of these monies to various Irish and international charities. While on the face of it this seems extremely generous of him, I believe that he is either being slightly disingenuous or deliberately trying to pull the wool over our eyes.
Mr McDowell’s pensions are being paid by the taxpayer from money raised through taxation. This is all part of the same pot that has to go to fund our schools, hospitals, carers’ allowances and old- age pensions.
Unfortunately, rather than simply inform the relevant department that his pension is no longer to be paid and that the funds can be redirected to a more deserving underfunded area (of which, thanks partially to his involvement in government, there are many), he has decided to donate it to whatever he sees fit.
In addition to his pension still being a burden upon the taxpayers of the country, I would also suggest that by donating his pension to charities he is also benefiting by being able to write this off against his other income thereby reducing his tax bill and thus depriving the State of even more money.
If all of us were in a position to determine exactly where our taxes go, I believe we would have a first class health and education system for all, our elderly would not be forced to stay in their beds so as to avoid having to put the heat on, our youth would not be forced to emigrate in search of jobs and politicians and senior public servants would not be in receipt of pensions and perks that are the envy of all of their foreign colleagues. – Yours, etc,