Contrast between what politicians say and do

If politicians doubt why they are reviled, all they have to do is look at the glaring contradictions between their rhetoric and the facts of Irish political life.

Let them consider the immoral largesse given to retired politicians and presidents against the grave pronouncements of the Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan, on how €60,000 is “enough for any retiree”, provided, of course, that the retiree is the beneficiary of a self-generated pension and not of a part-paid pension product underwritten by the struggling taxpayer.

It beggars belief that a financially crippled state is paying such huge sums per annum, in perpetuity, to public servants who ‘walked off the job,’ such as the former president of Ireland Mary Robinson, and those who crashed the economy, such as the former taoiseach, Bertie Ahern.

The budget has inflicted yet more economic pain on a beleaguered citizenry.

If Mr Noonan is sincere and he believes that €60,000 per annum should be the maximum pension for retirees, he should, as a gesture of solidarity with the ordinary taxpayer, extend this benchmark to all on the public purse, starting at the top of the gravy train.

Failure to do so will only compound the widespread cynicism in the public square.

David Hickey

Blarney

Co Cork