Kenny’s pay cut - Provocative symbolism

FINE GAEL demeaned themselves and the political process a few weeks ago when they refused to take part in well-established pairings agreements with government deputies.

Thankfully, yesterday’s symbolic gesture by Enda Kenny and a few of his party colleagues, when they announced they were going to take a 5% pay cut next year, is a horse of an altogether different colour.

Launching FG’s budget proposals, Mr Kenny proposed 5,000 voluntary redundancies in the civil service and a freeze on pay rises and increments for public sector workers earning more than €50,000 a year.

The public sector measures may be the least of what is required but the pay cut proposal has put it up to the rest of the incumbents of Leinster House.