Madam, – Thomas Farrell (May 3rd) writes “those over 50 . . . have destroyed this country”. The vast majority of “those over 50” did nothing of the sort. A very tiny number of people destroyed the economy, mostly bankers and builders and regulators and politicians who did not prevent them. Hardly grounds for Dr Farrell’s rant against teachers and the pensions they receive.
He ignores the fact that teachers pay dearly for their pensions – 13.5 per cent of salary for 40 years (the recent pension levy makes that 21 per cent).
Furthermore, he does not know or acknowledge that from 1970 to 2005 secondary teachers’ pension contributions were €5 billion greater (in today’s terms) than what was paid out to retired secondary teachers. The State has been profiting handsomely from secondary teachers’ pension contributions for years, possibly paying Dr Farrell’s college fees as well as social welfare and other payments from that excess. So much for a “self-serving” older generation!
He says pensions have been untouched in the past 12 months. Retired teachers, like other public service retirees, pay tax, the health levy and the income levy like everyone else. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I am a retired lecturer, which puts me on a par with retired principals, rather than with Dublin 4 doctors or newspaper editors. I have no problem taking a cut in my income in the present circumstances, provided I consider that I am being treated fairly. If the government raises income tax rates, rather than cutting my pension, then I will not complain about the consequent reduction in my income, because in that case I am not being singled out for unfair treatment. I will then pay more than an executive officer in the Civil Service, and doctors and newspaper editors will pay more than me.
That seems a lot more sensible to me than what Dr Thomas Farrell (May 3rd) and a lot of media commentators have in mind, namely that private sector workers be exempt from all further contributions, no matter what their circumstances, while public sector workers, past and present, all have their income reduced. – Yours, etc,
