Madam, – The refusal of Irish Nationwide board member, Danny Kitchen, to accept the job of chief executive at the building society will no doubt be the first in a long line of refusals by those unwilling to work for salaries capped by government at institutions covered by the State guarantee.
Limiting executive pay levels will simply encourage talented people to seek work in other industries or other countries and will not solve our banking crisis. Those responsible for the current crisis within the financial system should indeed lose their jobs. But their replacements should be those most qualified to lead us out of this mess.
We should not seek to restrict the talent pool from where we can select these replacements. Bankers’ salaries should be performance related and not restricted to satisfy a public seeking vengeance. That would be counterproductive. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I welcome the decision by Mr Kitchen, the board member of Irish Nationwide to decline to take up the post as chief executive of the company after the post’s salary was capped at €360,000.
Anyone who refuses this kind of salary, viewing it as too low, is not the kind of person we the Irish people want working for the State. I have no doubt that there are many fine employees within Irish Nationwide who could fill this role of chief executive. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I am currently sitting in my office, my stomach lurching, waiting to hear if I, along with many of my colleagues, will be made redundant today.
I have worked in the private sector for more than eight years and and have never earned a high wage. The company has made large profits from our hard work over the years.
We are all highly qualified professionals, but will get only statutory redundancy. This is the new reality. The private sector is sinking, fast.
The public sector needs to wake up and smell the coffee. Now is not the time to strike and I applaud the Impact decision.
We need to stand together and address our problems in a way that shows the world we are serious.
Anger and fist-waving will not keep us from bankruptcy. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – A 90th birthday party ruined. A young fencer’s chance at the Irish championship thwarted. Sons and grandsons in the US now unable to travel here for weekend celebrations and competitions, afraid they will be unable to fly back on Monday next.
How many similar stories? Have a heart Ictu. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I suggest that rather than striking we should follow the Iraqi example of throwing shoes at politicians who offend us morally. I’m sure we all have a few worn runners around the house that could be put to good use. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – As part of the process of removing toxic assets from the financial institutions being bailed out by the taxpayer, could the toxic decision-makers at the core of the whole sorry mess also be removed? It might just prevent them from compounding the disaster they have brought us to. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – In response to the Government’s ongoing shameful handling of the economy, the top bankers and the overpaid public sector, perhaps it is time for an across-the-board taxpayers’ revolt to restore honest and responsible government in this country? This might concentrate minds. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Browsing your website, two headlines stood out starkly: “Irish Nationwide director refuses top job due to €360,000 pay cap” and “Honesty of effort, truth and integrity – Grand Slam” Such contradictions on such a small island. – Yours, etc,