Pensions on the double

Madam, – Let me be among the first to applaud Dr Jim McDaid for his devotion to democracy

Madam, – Let me be among the first to applaud Dr Jim McDaid for his devotion to democracy. In the face of overwhelming numbers of other TDs giving up their additional pensions, it must have been difficult for him to hang on to the additional €22,000 of taxpayers’ money. It takes a brave and noble politician to hang on to €22,000 entirely for democracy’s sake, and without a single thought for himself or his own bank balance. Once again our politicians feed us their lines and, just as pathetically, we gobble them up. – Yours, etc,

DAN MOONEY,

Slugaire,

Dooradoyle,

Limerick.

Madam, – The Government claims it is legally prohibited from removing ministerial pensions from serving politicians. Yet successive governments had no qualms about removing pensions from elderly nursing home residents. Double standards? – Yours, etc,

Dr JOHN DUDDY,

Mary Street,

Cork.

Madam, – Brian Cowen is being criticised unfairly for showing a lack of leadership. With regard to curtailing ministerial pensions Mr Cowen cannot act because, he said, the Attorney General’s legal advice was that there was an entitlement under existing law because the pension was a property right (Home News, April 28th).

This is not the first time the Attorney General’s advice has been allowed to override every other consideration. It appears that he is treated, in effect, as not merely judge and jury in every difficult issue, but defendant and plaintiff. The Attorney General, it appears, is the ultimate arbiter of what can and cannot be done by this Government; the real power in the land. What need have we of a taoiseach, Supreme Court or anything else?

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It is all, of course, a nonsense. The pensions should be withdrawn, in the same way that the levy should have been applied to the salaries of judges. If anyone wants to make a court challenge, that is a separate matter. – Yours, etc,

JOHN STAFFORD,

Dargle Wood,

Knocklyon,

Dublin 16.

Madam, – I cannot put into words the incredulity and rage that came over me when I was subjected to Dr Jim McDaid’s words on the radio on Wednesday. He mentioned principles, what principles? The same principles that his ilk have used to line their pockets at the ordinary taxpayers’ expense over the last number of years? Had I the wealth available to me currently, I would purchase a new home in the beautiful county of Donegal. I would then ensure that my address change was reflected in the electoral register. I would bide my time until the next election and take what little satisfaction I could from putting Dr McDaid at the bottom of my order of preference for public office.

Our political elite have become used to their lifestyle, and have no understanding of the struggle of those now unemployed. Nor the fear of those still in employment – who knows when their jobs will go? Not one of these politicians will lose their home. No matter how long this recession lasts they have nothing to fear. They have lost all touch with reality and the people they are supposed to serve.

The only good that can come of it is that these people are slowly but surely exposing themselves to the electorate, and we are slowly coming to the realisation that they are driven more by greed than by a need to serve.

I hope that we will see an election sooner rather then later. I can’t say that I’m overly impressed with the calibre of the opposition, but it is simply impossible to be any worse. – Yours, etc,

MICHAEL BARRY,

Hacketstown,

Co Carlow.