Sir, – What am I worth? This is the question we must all ask ourselves. Negotiations regarding Croke Park Agreement II are underway and we hear everyone saying they’ve had enough. Wages have been cut, pension levies applied and universal social charges introduced.
But people are suffering different categories of pain. Low-paid public servants definitely cannot take any more cuts. Higher-paid public servants who were well able to meet their monthly outlays in the past, but because they over-stretched themselves when salaries were higher are now no longer able to enjoy the same quality of life. Meanwhile, we have very highly paid public servants who have taken cuts also, but are coping with the changed circumstances. How do we formulate a new agreement that will be fair to all?
It’s very difficult because you could have two families earning the same decent income but personal financial commitments entered into during the Celtic tiger years by one family make their take-home pay vastly different to the other family’s. I believe the only solution is to introduce a new third higher tax band for higher earners. – Yours, etc,