Sir, – From next year government pensioners, including many former ministers, will begin to see an increase in their pensions in a process which, over a few years, will bring them back to their former payments.
If we live in a democratic state I would expect that the thousands of deferred pensioners and pensioners with private pension schemes would have the pension levy, which was imposed on them over the past five years, returned to them.
Deferred pensioners are in for a particular shock if the anomaly between public and private schemes is not corrected. Since deferred pensioners left their employment for whatever reason, they are of the understanding that their payments into their particular scheme would at a certain time pay them a pension in line with their service and contributions.
Unfortunately the action of the Government over the past five years has ensured that the amount they would be entitled to will not be what they will get, it will be less.
It would be an anti-democratic action by the Government if its treatment of private pensioners is less than that applied to State-paid pensioners.
The levy effect on private pensioners will last until the day they die if it is not corrected. The effect on state-employed pensioners is finite.
– Yours, etc,
PAUL MULHERN
Rathcoole,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – I hope those former taoisigh, TDs, judges and higher public servants who are about to receive an increase in their pensions have the grace to raise a postprandial glass of brandy, in thanks, to the single parents of Ireland.
– Yours, etc,
EUGENE TANNAM
Firhouse,
Dublin 24.