Sir, – Resources are limited, so choices have to be made. That’s what we elect politicians to do.
The immediate issue facing our elected leaders is whether to use the limited funds available to us to benefit all income earners (including public servants) by reducing our punitive income tax burden or to give salary increases to about 300,000 on the public payroll. I use the term “salary increases” quite deliberately. Let’s get away from this “restoration” nonsense.
I fully respect the right of trade union leaders to make outlandish demands on behalf of the members they represent and who pay them. I also understand Jack O’Connor’s interest in grabbing publicity before the commission on public sector pay reports. But it is the duty of Government to look out for the reasonable interests of all taxpayers.
Even if our politicians have only a hazy grasp of economics, I am certain they can count votes. Micheál Martin appears to be hearing the message. – Yours, etc,
PAT O’BRIEN,
Rathmines,
Dublin 6.
Sir, – Stephen Collins ("Some home truths about public sector pay claims", Opinion & Analysis, November 19th) has expressed admiration for serving public servant Arthur Boland, who recently wrote to The Irish Times (November 17th) stating that "when I retire I will receive a lump sum and a guaranteed pension", which would make him more fortunate than most.
There is no doubt that Mr Boland is a most decent and sincere person and I wish him well, but I was told the same thing and when I retired I was given a “guaranteed” pension having paid into it for over 40 years and, being the simple chap that I am, I thought that that guaranteed meant, well, guaranteed.
Not so, for Brendan Howlin came along and slapped a pension levy on me, as a result of which I was not getting what I had paid for. But it’s okay, it’s only a temporary measure. Now the question is what does “temporary” mean? – Yours, etc,
BRENDAN CASSERLY,
Bishopstown, Cork.
Sir, – Vincent Hibbert (November 19th) asserts, in essence, that the Irish financial crisis was the result of "populist" and extravagant public sector pay and conditions.
Yet, we two ordinary citizens, working respectively in the private and public sectors, seem to share a peculiarly vivid recollection that the crisis was instead the direct result of reckless lending by private sector banks to private sector developers, mired in an extravagant private sector “bonus” culture that went extravagantly broke, leaving an extravagant debt on the public purse. – Yours, etc,
COLETTE McNAMEE,
BARRY McMULLIN,
Foxrock,
Dublin 18.