Sir, – Having read the article on pensions paid to ex-taoisigh and others (“Pensions for former ministers to cost €8.8m”, Home News, November 10th), I felt like throwing up.
Ireland is a small country with a large number of people unemployed and with no expectation of employment in the foreseeable future. We are being told to tighten our belts, prepare for a hairshirt budget, survive without winter fuel allowance for old age pensioners, not to expect a Christmas extra social welfare allowance payment. We, as pensioners and social welfare payment recipients, seem to be the ones who are penalised all the time.
As one who has been born and bred in this country and lived here for well over 60 years, I find it very distressing that we are being treated as second-class citizens by our own Government. If any sort of savings should be made in exchequer spending it should start at the top, Dáil Éireann, Seanad Éireann, senior civil servants (both active and retired) and senior bank officials. Paltry percentages in salary decreases taken and highlighted as great gestures is only a tear drop in comparison with what they are paid in salaries, expenses and travel allowances.
The ordinary citizens are having their noses rubbed in the dirt by these when they say, smirking as they say it, that they are worth it, or find it hard to survive.
People in this country are finding it extremely hard to make ends meet because of the intransigence of mega-investors, uncontrolled banks, and legislators, who over the years had their heads in the sand, while the country was heading towards financial turmoil.
I would strongly advise the Taoseach and the Minister for Finance and all members of the coalition to examine all the above aspects before daring to issue a budget in December which will be detrimental to the lifestyle of the less fortunate in this State. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Former ministers will receive annual pensions averaging €81,000 and costing €8.8 million a year. This could amount to €80 million over the next decade and must be funded by new borrowings and additional taxation to cover interest charges and eventual repayments.
In accepting these pensions, do these former ministers not realise that the State is effectively bankrupt thanks, in some cases, to their mismanagement and incompetence? – Yours, etc,