Sir, – I hope the moaners and whingers and blame-someone-else-ers read the article by Dan O’Brien (“Time to face bubble-era public sector pay anomalies”, Business, March 8th).
I would particularly recommend it to Diarmuid O’Flynn of “Ireland says No” (March 8th).
The previous government allowed a standard of living to evolve which was not sustainable, during the boom years.
When the boom went bust we ended with the highest paid politicians, public sector workers and social benefits on the planet and the wherewithal to meet the cost gone west. Economic lunacy on a grand scale.
All those services are still being paid for, to a large extent, with borrowed money. Any cuts have been from a height to which public spending should never have been allowed to reach.
What is required is a comprehensive benchmarking exercise against the rest of the EU, to include politicians, public sector workers and social benefits.
I’ve no doubt it would show Ireland way above average. If this were not the case the unions would be screaming for such an exercise as they have all the statistics from the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
To declare my own situation, as a pensioner, I’ve benefited greatly from the economic lunacy. — Yours, etc,
JAMES MORAN,
Knockamure,
Bunclody,
Co Wexford.