Madam, – Based on the lenient pension valuation multiplier of 20, Brian Cowen’s pension pot is worth €3.66 million factoring in a €150,000 pension and €300,000 lump sum. This is €1.36 million over the limit set by the Government for the rest of us who would have to pay top rate tax on the €1.36 million excess.
If we use the more appropriate multiplier of 40 as suggested by industry experts we would be paying top rate tax on €3.66 million. Unfortunately for us we are also going to suffer the cost of this anomaly for other Oireachtas members and top civil servants.
Factoring in his generous lump sum, our Taoiseach after 35 years as an Oireachtas member enjoys a pension 15 times more than those receiving a State contributory pension for 50 years’ service. These figures do not include the lifetime use of a State car with drivers and possibly other benefits.
How does this compare with our neighbouring countries? If someone wants to show some leadership they might consider making a commitment to abolish these extravagances immediately after the next Government is formed. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – As the worst government in our history terminates, we should ponder its history.
An Taoiseach Brian Cowen should hang his head in shame while the people of Ireland and our future generations will shoulder the enormous debts and pain caused by the mistakes of the most incompetent politicians that were ever known in our land.
The time has now come for the people of Ireland to rise up and have their say in the ballot box and pass judgment with the message never to vote Green or Fianna Fáil again. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I would like to concur with the sentiments expressed by Dick O’Sullivan, chairman of Bord na gCon, (Home News, January 31st). In the presence of our Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, he stated, “If we in this country are not respectful and do not respect our leaders, we do not respect ourselves”.
He said the “silent majority” was angered by the way the nation had treated its leader.
I would like to add my voice to those sentiments. The vilification and personal insults that Brian Cowen has had to endure in recent months should not have to be endured by anyone, let alone the taoiseach of our country. The media in general and, it must be said, The Irish Times with its so-called cartoons, played its part in the process.
I wonder will our next taoiseach get the same treatment or was it reserved just for Brian Cowen? Hopefully, whoever it may be will be shown some basic civil respect, as warranted by anyone, but especially by the taoiseach of our country. – Yours, etc,
A chara, – While speaking at a ceremony to a honour a legendary greyhound, the chairman of Bord na gCon, Dick O’Sullivan, told the gathering that the “silent majority” was angered by the country’s treatment of Brian Cowen. He declared to Mr Cowen, who was in attendance, that “every decent Irish man and woman in this country feels angered and embarrassed by the treatment handed out to you over the past 12 months” (Home News, January 31st). How does Mr O’Sullivan know this and who gave him the mandate to state this?
Does being decent mean uncritically supporting Mr Cowen’s disastrous tenure as taoiseach, during which our economic sovereignty was effectively handed over to the EU/IMF due to the consequences of a flawed bank bailout?
Did Mr O’Sullivan ask the 440,000 unemployed decent Irish citizens their opinion on Mr Cowen’s treatment? Similarly Mr O’Sullivan states that if we are not respectful of our leaders, then we do not respect ourselves. Presumably Mr Cowen’s contemptuous description of the Fine Gael leader in the Dáil as a fool, or his abject failure to communicate properly to the sovereign Irish people the economic measures that were taken and the reasons why, warrant similar criticism? In his public capacity as chairman of Bord na gCon, Mr O’Sullivan would best serve this organisation by concentrating on the area for which he was specifically appointed, namely the promotion and regulation of the greyhound industry. – Is mise,