Madam, – The quandary of judges with respect to the tax treatment of pension lump sums (Home News, April 27th) is a repercussion of high remuneration.
While the number of judges increased by 32 per cent from 2000 to 2009 to a total of 147, the judicial pay bill increased by 166 per cent to €27.5 million, not including State pensions paid in specific instances. Irish judges were reported to be the second highest paid in the world in 2009 and they currently earn, on average, 24 per cent more than their UK counterparts at an additional annual cost to the Exchequer of €5.3 million. British judicial pay is comparable to that in Australia and Canada.
Judges also receive unvouched, non-pensionable and non-taxable allowances, the cumulative value of which is more than €500,000 annually.
While some of them have made a confidential voluntary contribution to the Revenue Commissioners in lieu of the public sector pension levy, the total amount contributed last year by judges was over €1.2 million less than would have been payable if statutory provisions prevailed.
If judges are to be relieved of lawful tax liabilities, who do they believe should be saddled with the fiscal consequences?
Should there be a referendum to align the constitutional right of judges to stable remuneration with the prevailing circumstances and obligations of the Irish State and fellow taxpayers? – Yours, etc,