Sir, – While it is understandable that private companies will want to head-hunt and retain the best staff to lead their organisations, as a health care worker, I am disappointed to learn that many of our respected managers and lead clinicians are being paid additional payments to agreed salary scales with the knowledge that these were in breach of Government policy, and funded from income that could have been used to improve patient care or hospital facilities.
Hopefully all concerned will return these over-payments as a means to restore their reputations and relevant hospital boards will appreciate that while there is a risk talented people may leave the country, creating a bidding war within our health services for talent is hardly affordable or wise in the current economic climate. – Yours, etc,
FRANK BROWNE,
Ballyroan Park,
Templeogue,
Dublin 16.
Sir, – The hysteria over supplementary pay for CEOs of voluntary hospitals is unreasonable and unfair. These are exceptional and very hardworking individuals who make our public hospitals work as best they can in very difficult circumstances. As such they are poorly paid compared to private industry and certainly compared to the baying politicians who now attack them. – Yours, etc,
JOE DUIGNAN,
Orwell Park, Dublin 6.
A chara, – I was horrified to read your article regarding the pay of senior managers in voluntary hospitals, in particular that of the Central Remedial Clinic, €242,865, of which €116,949 was funded solely by the CRC. The CRC was founded by Lady Goulding and began treating disabled children, on the top floor of No 6 Hatch Street, in the 1950s. I was one of those children who attended the clinic twice a week for three years. A large amount of running of the establishment and the transporting of children to and from the clinic was carried out by volunteers.
I am not suggesting we return to those distant days, but simply question the justification for paying such a substantial salary with “top-up payments” to a senior manager of what is after all a charitable organisation. How can an organisation as important as this, and which relies on Government assistance as well as the generosity of the public through donations and flag days, etc, pay its senior manager such an obscene amount of money? – Is mise,
JOAN PARSONS,
Gurteen,
Bantry,
Co Cork.
Sir, – James Reilly is about to tackle the breaking of the salary cap in the health services. Might he also walk down the hall in the Dáíl and demand that his Taoiseach and Tánaiste obey the salary cap for their for advisers. Four advisers on nearly twice the current salary cap of €92,000, averaging €165,000 each. This is our money being thrown around. – Yours, etc,
CONAN DOYLE,
Pococke Lower,
Kilkenny.
Sir, – Following the latest revelations about hospital salaries and the funds from which they are paid many of my friends and acquaintances have said that they will not give a red cent should they be approached for “charitable” donations by these institutions.
I disagree and, in mitigation, will write a cheque for precisely that amount to the first hospital that applies to me. Please specify whether I should make it payable to the hospital’s account or the CEO’s. – Yours, etc,
PAT Mc QUAILE,
William Street,
Drogheda,
Co Louth.
Sir, – I was both horrified and disgusted to read your article regarding the top-up allowance paid to the chief executive of Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin.
While we the general public listen daily to the heartfelt pleas asking for a contribution towards the upkeep of Crumlin from our meagre salaries, which would be a far cry from the chief executive’s, perhaps the hospital should look closer to home. – Yours, etc,
MARY KELLY,
Ardmore Park,
Bray,
Co Wicklow.
Sir, – As we deal with the ludicrous revelation that hospitals were quietly topping up CEO salaries with tuck shop profits, the Swiss are preparing to vote on the “1:12 referendum”. This is a proposal that the best paid in an organisation should be paid no more than 12 times the pay of the lowest grade in the same organisation. Essentially the proposal would roll back the widening gap back between pay at the top and bottom of society to what pertained before neo-liberalism took hold in the 1980s.
For 30 years we have been told there would be increased growth if we unleashed the risk-taking gifts of a new meritocratic aristocracy by throwing money at them. The increased growth never materialised and instead the proceeds of ordinary growth went to this new aristocracy.
The Swiss have copped on that this new aristocracy takes no risks and generates no wealth except for their own enrichment. There is a striking parallel with the way their ancestors came to a similar revelation when they invented modern democracy in the 1400s. Then the Swiss peasants copped on that the aristocrats they lavished with wealth in supposed return for their protection, actually retreated to their castles when enemies approached and simply let the invaders slaughter the peasants. If by chance an aristocrat was captured in battle, his fellow aristocrat would simply wine and dine him till a ransom was paid, while his unfortunate foot soldiers would generally be slaughtered. The Swiss simply got rid of its indispensable aristocracy and never looked back.
We can learn from history, that is if Ruairí Quinn will let children study something beside basic programming. – Yours, etc,
TIM O’HALLORAN,
Ferndale Road,
Dublin 11.