Pay cut should have been doubled

IT’S odd why Finance Minister Brian Lenihan should expect applause for his proposal to reduce some Government salaries by 10% when, having checked the small print, it is such a typical Fianna Fáil stunt you’d have thought he’d at least have had the grace to blush when he announced it.

It’s almost as good a stroke as the one ‘deferring’ some of the Government pay rises to 2009 when they will be backdated with interest added and pension funds increased accordingly.

The fact of the matter is the top 1,500 public servants, no matter who they are, should have had their income reduced by at least 20% whether they liked it or not. It’s not like any of them will be going on strike and if they don’t like it, then I’m sure the private sector will be waiting with open arms.