Costly proposal to cut public service expenses

YOUR columnist Fergus Finlay (September 2) is mistaken if he thinks he would save taxpayers’ money “by instituting a new rule that would simply recoup public servants the actual expenses they incur” instead of using the existing Department of Finance list of standardised allowances (September 2).

Because it aims to be comprehensive, this list may, as Mr Finlay says, run to 16 pages. It may even, as he also says, have taken weeks to prepare.

Imagine, however, if, as he suggests, every public servant had to submit every detail of every expense incurred. How many people and how much time would that take to examine?

The standardised payment system is simple to administer and ensures major savings in time. Examining expenses for possible savings is right and proper but interfering with the existing standardised system would cost taxpayers more and not less.

Anthony Leavy

1 Shielmartin Drive

Sutton

Dublin 13