Sir, – The recent budget confirms a clear decision to leave State pensioners behind.
Look at the last 14 years in cash, not percentages. I have picked a teacher’s salary as an example of public pay, but the pattern is the same across the public service.
A newly qualified teacher earned €30,702 in 2012. That starting point is now €47,417 – a gain of €16,715 per year.
A person on the maximum State contributory pension got €230.30 per week in 2012. It is €299.30 today. That is a gain of €69 per week, or €3,588 a year over 14 years.
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Put that against inflation. Cumulative inflation from 2012 to today is 30.7 per cent. In real terms, a pensioner has stood still, while a teacher – again as just one example of public service pay – has gained 54 per cent and comfortably beaten inflation.
And what did the recent budget offer pensioners? This year we are offered €10 again. The living alone allowance is to be increased by a whopping €3 a week. Will public service unions accept a €10-a-week increase? I doubt it very much. The bodies representing State pensioners failed miserably once again.
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael promised before the election to bring the pension to €350 a week. At €10 a year, that promise will never be met in the term of this Government.
We are told the State cannot afford to link pensions to wages or inflation, as is done elsewhere in Europe. We can afford to link public service pay to both, and more. The grey vote counts for nothing in the eyes of politicians. – Yours, etc,
FINBARR DOLAN,
Knocklyon,
Dublin 16.
