Madam, – Donal Casey (Opinion, November 6th) considers that public sector pensions are “gilt-edged, not available to private sector workers”. He fails, however, to point out that unlike workers in the private sector, public sector workers do not get the additional benefit of the old-age pension. This means that the true cost of a public sector pensioner receiving a pension of €500 is really just €270, as, like all workers, they would have received the old-age pension anyway based on their PRSI contributions. – Yours, etc,
KEVIN P McCARTHY,
Killarney, Co Kerry.
Madam, – I am a public servant and am more than happy to do my part and take a pay cut in Brian Lenihan’s December Budget.
However, I am sick of being vilified in the media every day of the week for being paid too much, for being unproductive and for having a super, free pension.
I chose to leave the private sector in the middle of the Celtic Tiger when I had an opportunity to join the public service because job security was my priority. While I took a reduction in pay to do this, I still earn a reasonable salary, but I work bloody hard for it. I also contribute as much as my private-sector equivalent to my pension. I hear many commentators say that it must be great to have a public sector job. If it’s so good, why didn’t they try to get one during the good times? It’s because personal greed means they never want to be on a lower rung of the economic ladder.
However, the fact that AIB staff recently received a pay rise of 3 per cent has been largely overlooked because all efforts seem set on making the public service responsible for the recession. My money (as a taxpayer) was given to AIB to help get it, and therefore the country, out of the economic bother we’re in. Insultingly though, this money is being used for the personal gain of AIB staff.
The media have made it trendy to abuse the hard-working people who provide the services that keep this country going. I’d like to call on the media to behave responsibly and fairly and to use their influence to make the real abuse of public money known. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN O’NEILL,
Colthurst Crescent,
Lucan, Co Dublin.