Pensioners facing unnecessary stress

THE prospect that the Revenue Commissioners might pursue 115,000 pensioners for back taxes — and possibly even penalties — because two arms of government have just begun to speak to each other on pensions is alarming and disheartening.

It is alarming for so many retired people who face uncertainty about historical liabilities until a ruling on the situation — not of their making — is made. This is especially so as the great majority of pensioners believe they have met their tax obligations in full. Wealthy pensioners will be able to pay, but others are barely making ends meet and a backdated tax bill would be all but impossible for them. That alarm is all the greater as so many of what were once considered the barest comforts of old age — heat, light, food and medical provision — are becoming ever more expensive and possibly beyond the reach of some people dependent on moderate pensions.

It is of little comfort that early statements from government suggest that the vast majority of pensioners will not be greatly affected. Until the situation regarding retrospection is clarified it will be a cause for concern amongst older people and their families. Indeed, the Revenue Commissioners deserve some criticism for raising the issue before they were in a position to offer absolute clarity about retrospection. Needless stress has been inflicted on many of our senior citizens.

That the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Social Protection have just begun to share information on occupational pensions and state contributory pensions is hard to believe. Or, at least it should be, but in a country where child benefits cannot be means tested we should not be surprised. That situation has led to terrible waste and some considerable inequity and it seems that this latest adventure in maladministration will do so as well.

Far, far too much of our public discourse is taken up with the failures, rightly or wrongly laid at the door of our public service. It is divisive and disheartening for public servants and for those in the private sector too. Earlier this week we were presented with a €40 million bill — at least — because regulatory authorities did not prevent the development of an illegal dump in Cork Harbour. Next week it will be something else, yet there is no acknowledgement that things need to radically and urgently change if we are to have a future beyond genteel poverty.

Many of the organisations working on behalf of older people have expressed unhappiness at this latest development as have, laughably, Fianna Fáil who more than anyone else are responsible for our too-often dysfunctional public service.

How much more uplifting it would be if some of the organisations so protected by the Croke Park deal — the various public sector unions and, say, the Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants — acknowledged that some pensioners have been unnecessarily distressed by failures on their part, that they recognised that things must change and that they will change them without delay or prevarication.

That suggestion only seems bizarre because we have become so used to the tail wagging the dog.