Politicians should have to wait for pensions

WHY only a 25% pension cut for politicians? Everyone else has to wait for their pension until they are 65.

I have no issue with TDs or ministers getting a pension, but they should receive nothing until they reach retirement age.

How can TDs expect everyone else in Ireland to make real sacrifices to dig the country out of the mess they had a major part in creating if the only sacrifice they are willing to make is to give up 25% of something they should not be receiving anyway. If the rest of us are made redundant, do we get an automatic pension? We have 166 TDs which, when compared to Britain, represents four times as many parliamentarians per head of population.

Our TDs, ministers and senators are among the highest paid politicians in the world, thanks to the generous increases they have given themselves.

Between 1997 and 2007 they increased their salaries by 120% while the average industrial wage increased at only half that level.

Why not scrap the pensions until they have reached retirement age and reduce the number of TDs to make some real savings? If the Government is not willing to do so, let the opposition take the lead. Let us see who are the real people’s champions and who is just riding the gravytrain.

Mark Snell

Sperberstr.93A

65812 Bad Soden am Taunus

Germany