Sir, – The usual voices for big business and self-interest will have, no doubt, been rubbing their hands with gleeful satisfaction at the three letters published (September 11th) all uniformly in favour of the plug being pulled on the Croke Park agreement. It seems Goebbels’s Big Lie still does the job effectively.
Thankfully we had a reasoned and reasonable contribution by Impact head of communications, Bernard Harbor (Opinion, September 11th) to act as a counterbalance. Mr Harbor made some valid and pertinent points but the most valid, to my mind, is the eminently logical one he concluded with, to the effect that further spending cuts will only “scupper growth”. It seems to me indisputable logic that slashing the (limited) spending power of the largest group of employees in the State is scarcely the way to boost economic virility.
I have family members who work – yes work – in the public service and all have a worthwhile contribution to make to the fabric of this society. I abhor the way they have been selectively vilified and used as scapegoats by the usual mercenary cheerleaders since the recession bit in 2008. Incidentally, all of their earnings fall into the “less than €40,000 a year” category Mr Harbor refers to. – Yours, etc,
A chara, – Before Pat Rabbitte decides to visit the Croke Park agreement maybe he should carefully examine the €6 million expenses 165 of the 166 TDs claimed from the day of their election to the last day of December 2011. Labour’s Pat Rabbitte and every other TD should follow the actual “lead” of Labour TD for Dublin South West Eamonn Maloney and simply claim no expenses, thereby instantly saving the taxpayer millions of euro annually. George Orwell comes to mind: sometimes the first duty of intelligent men is the restatement of the obvious. – Is mise,
Sir, – Bernard Harbor of the Impact trade union makes a strong case for not abandoning the Croke Park agreement (Opinion, September 11th). He correctly notes that the agreement has delivered efficiencies for the benefit of taxpayers and users of public services.
Hospital consultants have been implementing substantial reforms through the clinical care programmes they have developed. Last year these changes through one programme alone delivered savings of €63 million and this year it has been estimated that the saving will be €90 million. The number of patients treated by consultants has increased significantly each year despite the substantial cuts in hospital budgets.
Meanwhile, these hospital consultants have had salary reductions of up to 30 per cent applied to them since 2008, with a reduction of up to 40 per cent applying to new consultant appointments since the start of 2011. In addition, because they are understaffed, with only two-thirds the number of consultants recommended by Government a decade ago, they work well beyond their contracted hours and, in addition, they provide emergency service, treating patients at night and over weekends. The effect is that Ireland is now finding it exceedingly difficult to recruit consultants as these internationally mobile and sought- after personnel can find much better working conditions elsewhere. Last year more than 20 per cent of the advertised consultant posts were not filled as no eligible applicant was willing to take up the posts.
In these circumstances, it is difficult to understand what Mr Harbor hopes to gain by writing that the earnings of hospital consultants “can soar”. We note his comment that “much of what passes for debate on Croke Park is too poor to help legislators making difficult choices”. Hospital consultants wish to work with the State to make realistic choices that will deliver lasting benefits, so that they can treat more patients in a medically acceptable timeframe. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Is there an alternative to the Croke Park agreement? We need a miracle so I propose the Croagh Patrick agreement; I suspect this would be much closer to the heart of our Mayo Taoiseach. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Minister for Finance Michael Noonan tells us that a 0.5 per cent property tax would be “too high” (Front page, September 11th). Those who would renegotiate Croke Park tell me that my current marginal income tax rate of 67 per cent (including all the various levies and Ryanair-like add- ons) is “too low”.
Which, if any do we believe? – Yours, etc,