Let RTÉ presenters buy own their clothes

THE controversy surrounding the issuing of new work uniforms to “front of house” staff in state-owned Allied Irish Bank has brought the worst of reactions from otherwise rational people, (AIB to spend €1.6m on new uniforms, Irish Examiner, August 5).

This issue was aired extensively on two recent RTÉ Liveline programmes by Joe Duffy.

Throughout those programmes ordinary bank workers, on moderate levels of pay and conditions, were subjected to irrational, inappropriate and undeserved criticism.

Not even those bankers who were responsible for the financial ruination of this country were treated with such naked hostility and contempt.

Ordinary bank workers in this country have been pilloried and debased because of the actions of bank bosses. They are not our enemy.

They are victims of rogue bankers just like the rest of us. I took the liberty of contacting the RTÉ press office and requested information on clothing allowances for front of camera RTÉ staff.

I was informed that in 2009 the sum allocated by RTÉ was €186,000.

Not surprisingly, Joe Duffy didn’t see fit to criticise the taxpayer funded RTÉ clothing issue for the primadonnas in Montrose.

It is scandalous that RTÉ news readers and presenters, in addition to earning salaries most of us can only dream of, are also in receipt of a clothing allowance.

This is a practice which cannot be justified. Pat Kenny, Marian Finucane, Miriam O’Callaghan, Ryan Tubridy and some others are paid about half a million euro per annum for short working hours and long holidays.

What are their wages for? Let them buy their own clothes.

Tom Cooper

Knocklyon

Dublin 16