Sir, – The generosity of our elected representatives, to themselves, with our money, never ceases to amaze me.
Colm Keena and Pamela Duncan (Home News, November 9th) point out that TDs who are appointed ministers of state (junior ministers) are rewarded with a salary on top of their TD salary of €37,370 per annum. On top of this, they are awarded a pension of 35 per cent of their salary after only five years’ service in the role, amounting to €13,079 per annum, on retirement, once they are over 50 years old, though newer TDs will have to wait until they are 60 years of age for their pension.
Contrast this with the other civil servants. Currently, a person who starts in the civil service at a salary of eg €20,000 and retires on a final salary the same as a minister of state’s, ie €37,370, would have their pension calculated on their average salary over their years of service. Assuming a smooth progression, this hypothetical civil servant’s annual salary would be about €28,685, giving a pension of €14,342 after 40 years, only after they reach 60 years of age. To achieve the pensions junior ministers receive after only five years service, this person would have to serve for 36.5 years. If the same person had served only five years, they would receive a pension of €1,793, in contrast to the junior minister’s €13,079.
Why should politicians be better rewarded for their service than the general body of public service?
While our politicians collect huge salaries and accumulate colossal pension entitlements, these same people tell the poor, sick and disabled in this country that there is no money to provide services to support them, and that the existing ones must be reduced.
Who is going to tackle the enormous sums our politicians are sucking out of our people, through exorbitant salaries, totally unjustified allowances and obscene pension entitlements?
Perhaps we should outsource, or privatise, government, to a cheaper service provider? – Yours, etc,