Adams targets Taoiseach on AIB pay cap and fuel cuts

THE SINN Féin leader contrasted the Taoiseach’s refusal to reverse fuel allowance cuts for the elderly with his inability to immediately reject AIB’s request to breach the cap on bankers’ pay.

Gerry Adams said Enda Kenny should have used “the same plain language” and rejected breaching the €500,000 cap for the salary of the bank’s new chief executive as in saying “no” to Independent TD Finian McGrath’s demand for a cuts reversal.

Mr Kenny said: “The question was if I would reverse them at this time and I said that I cannot.”

Earlier, Mr Kenny said that he had answered a question on the €500,000 bankers’ pay cap on a previous occasion.

“I said it would want to be a truly exceptional case to warrant breaching that,” he said. “I have not seen evidence of any exceptional case.”

Mr Adams said the Taoiseach should give a straight answer to the question and say that he would not countenance “this outrageous amount of money being paid at this time of dire distress”.

Mr Kenny replied that he extended courtesy to everybody.

“I would like to hear from the Minister for Finance about the case being made by the bank in question,” he added.

Urging the Taoiseach to protect senior citizens before the harsh winter set in, Mr McGrath said the fuel cuts should be reversed for vulnerable older people.

“The Taoiseach knows that these people have served the State for many years, particularly in the 1980s when they took a major hit in terms of taxes,” he said.

“We heard earlier in this House that €500,000 is to be paid to senior bankers at a time when we are taking €3 or €4 in terms of fuel allowance from our senior citizens.”

He asked if Mr Kenny agreed with Age Action Ireland that it was unacceptable to target the elderly.

“Does he share my concerns that many older people could, over the next few months, die from cold-related illnesses such as pneumonia,” he asked.

Mr McGrath said that electricity had increased by 12 per cent, and gas by another 20 per cent in recent times.

Mr Kenny said Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton, had to implement unspecified cuts decided on by the previous government.

“I share the deputy’s concern for all our elderly people,” he said.

“While I am not sure of the weather forecast for next December-January, obviously if this winter is as cold as last winter people will suffer.”

Mr Kenny said there would have to be some measure of priority for the protection of elderly citizens in the comprehensive spending review.

“The Minister for Social Protection will, in so far as is possible, see that happens,” he added.

Pressed further on the issue by Mr McGrath, the Taoiseach said the cuts could not be reversed now.

“The situation is that decisions of the previous government, in respect of unspecified cuts, had to be dealt with,” said Mr Kenny.

The protection of the State’s many elderly citizens would be taken into account in the budget preparation within the constraints imposed on the Government, said Mr Kenny.