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It all boiled down to one question last night

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  • 24-02-2011 4:39pm
    #1
    dolphin city
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,210 ✭✭✭


    a rep from all the parties on tv last night- FF, FG, Lab, Greens and SF.

    Pierce Doherty said that one of their first things they would do would be to cut TD's salaries by 40 percent and no one person would earn over 190,000.

    He put it to the other parties - woudl they back him on this.

    they blatently refused.

    For me - that was the deciding factor - I will NOT be voting for a party who has no problem taking money from the poor but shows complete abhorrence when asked would they take a 40 percent cut.

    game over.


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    #2
    InchicoreDude
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,443 ✭✭✭InchicoreDude


    So who exactly are you voting for?


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    #3
    dolphin city
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,210 ✭✭✭dolphin city


    it certain will not be tweedledum (ff), tweedledummer (FG) and tweedledummest (Labour) anyway.
    :D


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    #4
    meglome
    Registered Users Posts: 7,980 ✭✭✭meglome


    How many billions will cutting TD's salaries save? (Not that I'm against the notion)

    I'm amused though, you're voting for a party (SF I think it's safe to say) who wanna cut TD's salaries but who are also lying about most of their economic policies.


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    #5
    Pauleta
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,778 ✭✭✭Pauleta


    Cutting TDs salaries is just an LCD policy to get votes. Reducing TDs salaries is hardly gonna rescue the country.


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    #6
    Monty Burnz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,455 ✭✭✭✭Monty Burnz


    dolphin city wrote: »
    a rep from all the parties on tv last night- FF, FG, Lab, Greens and SF.

    Pierce Doherty said that one of their first things they would do would be to cut TD's salaries by 40 percent and no one person would earn over 190,000.

    He put it to the other parties - woudl they back him on this.

    they blatently refused.

    For me - that was the deciding factor - I will NOT be voting for a party who has no problem taking money from the poor but shows complete abhorrence when asked would they take a 40 percent cut.

    game over.
    It's a bit disingenuous to claim that you decided last night who you would vote for when you've been on here banging the drums for Sinn Fein since the election was announced.

    Edit: Actually, I've confused you with another poster so I WITHDRAW SIR!


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    #7
    dolphin city
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,210 ✭✭✭dolphin city


    meglome wrote: »
    How many billions will cutting TD's salaries save? (Not that I'm against the notion)

    I'm amused though, you're voting for a party (SF I think it's safe to say) who wanna cut TD's salaries but who are also lying about most of their economic policies.

    hi meg, although I am tempted to vote for SF I am more an "independent" supporter. I do have to say tho, that SF have really impressed me with their campaign. They are also the only party that is anywhere close to what the economists are saying. Maybe I am just sick of the same old jaded faces behind door number 1, 2 and 3 for the last few years - labour is not labour - they will roll over and forget everything once they get in, just like the yellow party did - they are certainly not the left wing party they like to claim they are.


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    #8
    Permabear
    Closed Accounts Posts: 39,022 ✭✭✭✭Permabear


    This post has been deleted.


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    #9
    meglome
    Registered Users Posts: 7,980 ✭✭✭meglome


    Voted Independent and FG at the last elections, Tony Gregory was my local guy. I implore everyone to not be fooled by people telling them what they want to hear. I'm not on my high horse about SF, I really don't particularly care who they are associated with as long as their policies make sense and they'd carry them out. The problem is they know some of their policies won't work as stated and they know it's very unlikely they'll get into power so won't have to explain that. They are lying to our faces, please please don't be fooled.

    Read this thread. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056188964


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    #10
    AndywK
    Closed Accounts Posts: 148 ✭✭AndywK


    Pauleta wrote: »
    . Reducing TDs salaries is hardly gonna rescue the country.

    Well thats a given obviously, but maybe when we see Politcians working on a lower wage it will show they are actually interested in their Job and not their paycheck.

    I have always had the thought that Politicans should be treated as working people and they should not be put on a stage and have so many people brown nosing them.

    a cut in TDs salaries is a step in the right direction for political reform, as only people who actually want to be politicians and work for the people would then still take the job.

    Ya dig?


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    #11
    meglome
    Registered Users Posts: 7,980 ✭✭✭meglome


    Permabear wrote: »
    This post had been deleted.

    Well said. Nothing wrong with people getting excellent wages for an excellent job. Of course goes without saying our previous government didn't earn their wages.


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    #12
    Riskymove
    Registered Users Posts: 10,885 ✭✭✭✭Riskymove


    dolphin city wrote: »
    They are also the only party that is anywhere close to what the economists are saying. .

    WHAT??????:eek:


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    #13
    Chucky the tree
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,341 ✭✭✭✭Chucky the tree


    Pearse should really be directing this question to his parliamentary collegues who all voted for pay increases.
    In a touching scene, deputies across all parties suspended hostilities and agreed to the estimates without a single objection.

    The cost of salaries for TDs, senators and secretarial assistants will increase, while salaries of staff like those in catering and behind the Dail bar will decrease.

    http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/john-drennan/john-drennan-divided-dail-unites-to-give-itself-a-pay-rise-2410792.html


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    #14
    dolphin city
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,210 ✭✭✭dolphin city


    Permabear wrote: »
    This post had been deleted.

    I would adamently differ with you - when the ordinary person sees these people who get paid to show up to work, who has a car and driving waiting for them, who cannot walk two or three steps at the one time before claiming expenses while they cut a minimum wage, junkets galore, as well as their massive wages and pensions (double and triple in some cases) - its a very big issue. Of course people are obsessed with it when they can't make ends meet. It is one of the central gripes people have unless you have not been listening to what people are saying. And the fact that when pinned on it, none of the other parties would even consider it. Shameful.


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    #15
    dave1982
    Registered Users Posts: 4,604 ✭✭✭dave1982


    Pauleta wrote: »
    Cutting TDs salaries is just an LCD policy to get votes. Reducing TDs salaries is hardly gonna rescue the country.


    Yes so they cut low income families instead.My welfare was cut by 8 euros as were many more.

    How many 8 euros would 40 % of a TD's salary make up?
    Bertie Ahern (FF)
    Basic salary: €106,581
    Expenses: €54,705
    Secretary Allowance: €40,090
    Total: €180,376
    PAYCUT? NO

    Joe Costello (LAB)
    Basic salary: €106,581
    Expenses: €33,693
    Secretary Allowance: €40,090
    Total: €180,364
    PAYCUT? NO

    Cyprian Brady (FF)
    Basic salary: €100,190
    Committee Vice-chair: €10,241
    Expenses: €29,210
    Secretary Allowance: €40,090
    Total: €179,731
    PAYCUT? NO

    Dublin Mid-West

    John Curran (FF)
    Salary: €139,266
    PAYCUT? Took 10% cut at time of budget.

    Paul Gogarty (GP)
    Basic salary: €106,581
    Committee Chair: €20,023
    Expenses: €33,622
    Secretary Allowance: €40,090
    Total: €200,316
    PAYCUT? NO

    Mary Harney (IND)
    Minister for Health
    Salary: €230,000
    PAYCUT? 10% at time of budget.

    Joanna Tuffy (LAB)
    Basic salary: €1000,190
    Expenses: €23,650
    Secretary Allowance: €40,090
    Total: €163,930
    PAYCUT? NO

    Dublin North

    Michael Kennedy (FF)
    Basic salary: €100,190
    Committee vice-chair Chair: €10,241
    Expenses: €44,615
    Secretary Allowance: €40,090
    Total: €195,136
    PAYCUT? NO

    Trevor Sargent (GP)
    Junior Minister
    Salary: €139,266
    PAYCUT? Took 10% cut.

    Darragh O'Brien (FF)
    Basic salary: €100,190
    Vive-Committee Chair: €10,241
    Expenses: €26,539
    Secretary Allowance: €40,090
    Total: €177,060
    PAYCUT? NO

    James Reilly (FG)
    Basic salary: €100,190
    Expenses: €54,746
    Secretary Allowance: €40,090
    Total: €195,026
    PAYCUT? NO

    Dublin North-Central

    Richard Bruton (FG)
    Basic salary: €106,581
    Expenses: €28,288
    Secretary Allowance: €40,090
    Total: €174,959
    PAYCUT? Yes (5%)

    Sean Haughey (FF)
    Junior Minister
    Salary: €139,266
    PAYCUT? Yes 10% cut

    Finian McGrath (IND)
    Basic salary: €106,581
    Expenses: €29,975
    Secretary Allowance: €40,090
    Independent Allowance: €41,152
    Total: €217,798
    PAYCUT? Yes

    Dublin North-East

    Tommy Broughan (LAB)
    Basic salary: €106,581
    Expenses: €25,000
    Secretary Allowance: €40,090
    Total: €172,571
    PAYCUT? No

    Terence Flanagan (FG)
    Basic salary: €100,190
    Expenses: €21,334
    Secretary Allowance: €40,090
    Total: €161,614
    PAYCUT? No

    Michael J Woods (FF)
    Basic salary: €106,581
    Expenses: €41,212
    Secretary Allowance: €40,090
    Committee: €20,023
    Total: €207,906
    PAYCUT? No

    Dublin North-West

    Roisin Shortall (LAB)
    Basic salary: €106,581
    Expenses: €40,482
    Secretary Allowance: €40,090
    Total: €187,153
    PAYCUT? No

    Dublin South

    Tom Kitt (FF)
    Basic salary: €106,581
    Expenses: €33,499
    Secretary Allowance: €40,090
    Total: €180,170
    PAYCUT? No

    Olivia Mitchell (FG)
    Basic salary: €106,581
    Expenses: €29,672
    Secretary Allowance: €40,090
    Total: €176,343
    PAYCUT? No

    Eamon Ryan (GP)
    Minister For Energy
    Salary: €230,000
    PAYCUT? Yes, 10%.

    Dublin South-Central

    Sean Ardagh (FF)
    Basic salary: €106,581
    Expenses: €36,487
    Secretary Allowance: €40,090
    Committee Chair: €20,023
    Total: €203,181
    PAYCUT? No

    Michael Mulcahy (FF)
    Basic salary: €106,581
    Expenses: €33,664
    Secretary Allowance: €40,090
    Total: €180,335
    PAYCUT? No

    Mary Upton (LAB)
    Basic salary: €106,581
    Expenses: €35,166
    Secretary Allowance: €40,090
    Total: €181,837
    PAYCUT? No.

    Cathrine Byrne (FG)
    Basic salary: €100,190
    Expenses: €27,090
    Secretary Allowance: €40,090
    Total: €167,370
    PAYCUT? No.

    Works out at about 4140000 for Dublin only


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    #16
    paul71
    Registered Users Posts: 3,116 ✭✭✭paul71


    OP, re your first post, what does the 190,000 refer to? Politicians, civil servents, semi-state bodies, private sector or all of these?


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    #17
    Riskymove
    Registered Users Posts: 10,885 ✭✭✭✭Riskymove


    dave1982 wrote: »
    How many 8 euros would 40 % of a TD's salary make up?

    how many TDs are there?

    How many on welfare?


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    #18
    omen80
    Registered Users Posts: 639 ✭✭✭omen80


    dolphin city wrote: »
    a rep from all the parties on tv last night- FF, FG, Lab, Greens and SF.

    Pierce Doherty said that one of their first things they would do would be to cut TD's salaries by 40 percent and no one person would earn over 190,000.

    He put it to the other parties - woudl they back him on this.

    they blatently refused.

    For me - that was the deciding factor - I will NOT be voting for a party who has no problem taking money from the poor but shows complete abhorrence when asked would they take a 40 percent cut.

    game over.

    In fairness the only reason Pierce Doherty and Gerry Adams etc can talk all day about how they are going to cut TD's salaries and reversing budget cuts is because they know they won't be in the next government. They can't seem to back their proposals with other ways of sourcing money! At best they will be leader of the opposition (which is also unlikely).


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    #19
    Lockstep
    Registered Users Posts: 9,029 ✭✭✭Lockstep


    dolphin city wrote: »
    This post had been deleted.

    Labour agree on public sector pay to be capped at €190k, Fine Gael want to cap it at €200k.
    Permabear wrote: »
    This post has been deleted.

    Massive +1, if a politician does a professional job, they should be paid as such. Sadly, the previous lot didn't deserve their high salaries.

    Politician pay realy comes across as a red herring that distracts from the other issues.


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    #20
    Pete_Cavan
    Registered Users Posts: 6,741 ✭✭✭Pete_Cavan


    dolphin city wrote: »
    a rep from all the parties on tv last night- FF, FG, Lab, Greens and SF.

    Pierce Doherty said that one of their first things they would do would be to cut TD's salaries by 40 percent and no one person would earn over 190,000.

    He put it to the other parties - woudl they back him on this.

    they blatently refused.

    For me - that was the deciding factor - I will NOT be voting for a party who has no problem taking money from the poor but shows complete abhorrence when asked would they take a 40 percent cut.

    game over.

    I watched that and I thought it was absolutely ridiculous for Doherty to ask other parties to support his policy when they are all putting forward their own wide ranging policies for politican reform - not just cutting salaries. It is just another case of SF looking for the populist vote. The man is a clown.


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    #21
    meglome
    Registered Users Posts: 7,980 ✭✭✭meglome


    dave1982 wrote: »
    Yes so they cut low income families instead.My welfare was cut by 8 euros as were many more.

    How many 8 euros would 40 % of a TD's salary make up?

    Works out at about 4140000 for Dublin only

    I don't think anyone is arguing that TD's salaries (just like everything else the government pays for) shouldn't be cut. I think the point is most of the those calling for the salaries to be cut are doing so for populist vote getting reasons. We are many billions in a spending hole which cutting TD's salaries won't fix. As Permabear said top CEO's get paid well for doing a good job and there's nothing wrong with paying politicians well if they do a good job, especially now that we're in trouble.


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    #22
    Permabear
    Closed Accounts Posts: 39,022 ✭✭✭✭Permabear


    This post has been deleted.


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    #23
    gandalf
    Registered Users Posts: 26,458 ✭✭✭✭gandalf


    I agree that politicians wages need to be brought in line with the average across Europe as do PS wages as well. But unless you tackle the overall cost of the state carrying out its business even getting TD's to work for free would not change things one little bit. I am currently unemployed and if it takes another cut in that to ensure the majority still get some benefit so be it.

    This country is extremely damaged and I would prefer someone to be honest with me and say we are going to have a lot of pain before there is a recovery than play fantasy economics with my families future like Sinn Fein are. That is why I am giving my vote to FG because out of all the parties I believe that they will create the environment for job creation and getting me and people like me back to work.


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    #24
    paul71
    Registered Users Posts: 3,116 ✭✭✭paul71


    gandalf wrote: »
    I agree that politicians wages need to be brought in line with the average across Europe as do PS wages as well. But unless you tackle the overall cost of the state carrying out its business even getting TD's to work for free would not change things one little bit. I am currently unemployed and if it takes another cut in that to ensure the majority still get some benefit so be it.

    This country is extremely damaged and I would prefer someone to be honest with me and say we are going to have a lot of pain before there is a recovery than play fantasy economics with my families future like Sinn Fein are. That is why I am giving my vote to FG because out of all the parties I believe that they will create the environment for job creation and getting me and people like me back to work.


    Thank you gandalf, I am currently unemployed too and am tired of people assuming that I and others here supporting cuts in social welfare and government spending are part of a privilaged elite.

    I want these cuts now so that an envirionment is created which allows businesses to create employment.


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