Let’s have referendum on benchmarking

REGARDING Lisbon, I think it is far more important to have a referendum on the benchmarking of average public sector pay to average private sector pay and the numbers of public workers as a percentage of private workers while guaranteeing that any perk or penalty applying to one sector also applies to the other.

Equality is a basic principle of primary law and I cannot think of a better way of establishing that principle.

If the result of such a referendum was Yes, it should have immediate effect bearing in mind that all revenue originates in the private sector.

If you are an ardent trade unionist (whether or not your job is on the line) or an ardent capitalist working in the private sector (whether or not your business is thriving or is likely to go bust), you have one thing in common if average public sector pay is greater than that in the private sector – you are paying for someone else’s privilege.

I suggest we vote No to the Lisbon Treaty in the absence of a referendum on benchmarking.

Paddy Fitzgerald

Loughloher

Cahir

Co Tipperary