Sir, – May I offer a simple solution to the current €300 million deficit. A referendum, offering one of two choices to the electorate. 1. An imposed Croke Park II on the civil and public service or, 2. All private land to be taxed, including profit- producing State and semi-State lands. I am struck by many contradictions in the new property tax laws and the fact that there are many small business people who pay both income tax and commercial taxes on their premises, while all around them, other land-owners,have walked away scot-free. – Yours, etc,
PAUL MULHERN,
Beechwood Lawns,
Rathcoole, Co Dublin.
Sir, – Then: Croke Park won. Now: deal croaked; parked too? – Yours, etc,
PATRICK O’BYRNE,
Shandon Crescent,
Phibsborough,
Dublin 7.
Sir, – It appears to me that the right-wing party in Government is unhappy with the rejection of “Croke Park II”. Fine Gael seems surprised as well! – Yours, etc,
JOHN MEANEY,
West Road,
Westport,
Co Mayo.
A chara, – Unsurprisingly our Government has dramatically changed the tone of its language towards public servants since the rejection of Croke Park II.
Rather than Brian Hayes, Brendan Howlin and others threatening public servants’ premium pay, overtime and legislating for a 7 per cent pay cut, maybe if they had kept completely silent, respected the public servants’ voting process and most importantly demonstrated true leadership by taking a 30-40 per cent pay cut on their own enormous salaries at the start of this whole process they might have succeeded where they have now failed.
"Do as I say, not as I do", in John Selden's appropriately named book Table Talk comes to mind right now. – Is mise,
JASON POWER,
Maxwell Road,
Rathgar, Dublin 6.
Sir, – Surely benchmarking might now be the solution for the failed Croke Park II agreement? Comparing the costs of the public service with its European counterparts might be interesting. Is Jack O’Connor listening? – Yours, etc,
BILLY GLEESON,
Orwell Road,
Dublin 14.
Sir, – Well done to the trade unions. It’s about time for a significant group to stand up and tell this Government that we have had enough of their attacking the lower- and middle-income sections.
When I voted for this Government, I expected austerity and hard times, but I also expected it to go after the fat cats who caused the problems. What about not paying, or at least substantially reducing the amounts paid to the developers who are “advising” Nama on €60,000 per annum, or retired politicians on their second or third very large pensions? Also, the very obviously overpaid ministers, and their consultants! An example was the reported 30 per cent pay cuts meted out to higher paid RTÉ presenters – and these guys seem to be doing a better job than the present Government.
While these cuts would not be enough to save the money needed to be saved, there might be an acceptance from the rest of us to go along with the hard decisions needed to be made. Once more this Government gets it wrong. – Yours, etc,
FRANK McKENNA,
Longwood,
Enfield,
Co Meath.