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E-mailWhy shouldn't the unions refuse to budge an inch when it comes to cutbacks?
Not one of the people responsible for the mess Ireland is in has been held to account. All the Fianna Fáil politicians who gutted laws and regulations at the behest of those giving them dig-outs, and who appointed unqualified people to quangos, are still taking their outrageous Oireachtas salaries, pensions, allowances, expenses and perks. Not one single bank board member has been sacked, sent to jail, lost their pension or been disbarred from holding any such position again. Not one of the developers has been declared bankrupt and had their home repossessed for non-payment of bank loans – unlike the thousands of people they conned. Not one of the thousands of professionals who stoked the fires has been held to account.
Until the penny drops with these people and they step up to the plate and prove they have substantially lowered their salaries and pensions, completely scraped expenses, allowances and the bonus mentality, they have no right at all to ask people on the average national wage, in the public or private sector, to pay more tax for less services.
If the likes of Brian Lenihan want the rest of us to meet him halfway, and avoid civil and industrial unrest, then let him provide proof that those at the top have taken their share of pain. He could start by scrapping, not slightly reducing, the pensions his aunt Mary O'Rourke takes on top of her Oireachtas salary, cancel the state pension she also takes, scrap the expenses she takes even though she can well afford to pay her own costs and scrap the accommodation allowance she takes even though she has no mortgage or accommodation costs in Dublin.
Then do the same for every single TD, senator, councillor and MEP. Also include the president, judges and every single employee of the state paid over €100k each year be they a political crony or a hospital consultant.
Also, is it so unreasonable to feel the entire generation of Fianna Fáil politicians, elected from 1977 onwards, to publically apologise for the cronyism and corruption their direct support for, or silence towards, party leaders in that period? Facing up to their role in providing the most corrupt governments Ireland has ever had in its entire history of governance has to be the first step before rebuilding any trust in the political process can begin.
Desmond FitzGerald ,
Canary Wharf ,
London
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Excellent letter, the elephant in the room, to use the latest cliche, is that Cowan and co are still hanging in there solely in the interests of self preservation. Cowan is like a rabbit caught in the headlights, afraid to take any significant action due to the threat of possible legal action because of the outdated legal complexities of the Constitution. I believe we need to suspend the constitution, and allow a national government to take the required corrective actions over the next 3 years or so. Transfer the real power back to a reformed parliament, away from the disfunctional judiciary and the grossly overpaid barristers. Cut pay across the entire public sector including ministers, politicians and judges to a maximum of €100K, and reduce all professional fees like doctors, lawyers etc. by 50%. Eliminate the Johnny Cash - O'Donohue type expenses.
Fast track the snail - like investigations to make an example of those politicians, bankers and developers responsible for bankrupting us.
Finally, for ours and for God's sake, get that ubiquitous waffler, Mary O'Rourke off the airwaves.