Why should bankers be rewarded for failure?

GIVEN their spectacular failure, and the present economic climate, how can banks justify giving their employees a pay rise and continuing to dish out bonuses to directors?

If bonuses are supposed to be a reward for success, then directors should be paying negative bonuses from their own pockets and staff should be receiving a pay cut.

Why should the plain people of Ireland have to subsidise failed businessmen, those trying to live beyond their means and fat-cat directors because of the incompetence of banks?