Policy idea - would it work?

theg81der

Would politicians pay linked to the national average be an equitable and fair way to renumberate our government?

It would be performance related, would ensure that they could never lose the run of themselves and weed out those only in it for the money ie chancers et al in government at present. They would of course get all the practicle necessities also covered - travel and accomodation for state functions.

I`ve heard the argument that "if you want monkeys pay peanuts" but I think the motivation for these positions should come from some other place anyway and also we could never renumberate these brilliant people thats people are refering to in this argument so unless they have some other agenda we`re not talking about them.

I think its very important to resolve this issue so we as a people can ensure we never have this situation again ie. our monkeys payed far too many nuts particularly in comparison to other countries.

dvpower

theg81der wrote: »

Would politicians pay linked to the national average be an equitable and fair way to renumberate our government?

It would be performance related, would ensure that they could never lose the run of themselves and weed out those only in it for the money ie chancers et al in government at present. They would of course get all the practicle necessities also covered - travel and accomodation for state functions.

I`ve heard the argument that "if you want monkeys pay peanuts" but I think the motivation for these positions should come from some other place anyway and also we could never renumberate these brilliant people thats people are refering to in this argument so unless they have some other agenda we`re not talking about them.

I think its very important to resolve this issue so we as a people can ensure we never have this situation again ie. our monkeys payed far too many nuts particularly in comparison to other countries.

I don't have a serious problem with TDs pay in general (but the premium paid to ministers and Taoisigh is too high).

The real problem is pensions (getting a lifelong pension for serving for a few years service), expenses (all expenses should be vouched and published online) and perks (car and driver in perpetuity etc..).

Polititians pay should be broadly linked to pay in the civil service (a TD getting paid the same as a Principal Officer, a minister the same as as Assistant Sec and the Taoiseach getting the same as a Department Secretary).

mikemac

theg81der wrote: »

Would politicians pay linked to the national average be an equitable and fair way to renumberate our government?

I believe it used to be linked to the pay of senior civil servants.
I'm not sure if this has changed in the past few years

theg81der wrote: »

It would be performance related,

Judged by whom?
If a Minister makes an unpopular but necessary decision they may have their pay slashed by the Taoiseach. But in the long run that unpopular decision was correct.

So who judges performance?

Einhard

theg81der wrote: »

Would politicians pay linked to the national average be an equitable and fair way to renumberate our government?

No. We want people who are capable of doing the job, and offering a salary less than they might command in the both the private and public sector is one way of ensuring that never happens. Why would a doctor, a lawyer, or even a teacher or gaurd, accept a drastic reduction in their salary? It would be unreasonable to expect them to.

It would be performance related, would ensure that they could never lose the run of themselves and weed out those only in it for the money ie chancers et al in government at present.

Who judges their performance. Some of Bertie's worst policies were popular at the time, and generally speaking, the best decisions an administration can make are both the hardest, and most unpopular.

I`ve heard the argument that "if you want monkeys pay peanuts" but I think the motivation for these positions should come from some other place anyway and also we could never renumberate these brilliant people thats people are refering to in this argument so unless they have some other agenda we`re not talking about them.

I think that politics is a vocation, but that doesn't mean that people workjing professionally in that sphere shouldn't be financially compensated. Teaching is also a vocation to many who do it; would you suggest that their wages should be slahed too? That they should teach purely for the love of the job? I doubt it.

I think its very important to resolve this issue so we as a people can ensure we never have this situation again ie. our monkeys payed far too many nuts particularly in comparison to other countries.

I think their wages are a bit too high, especially relative to other jurisdictions. However, that's only a minor issue. I think it would be far better all around if the Irish electorate were a bit more responsible in choosing their representatives in the first place, abd a bit more reasonable in what they expect of a government, ie to govern rather than dole out favours to special interest groups.

theg81der

Einhard wrote: »

No. We want people who are capable of doing the job, and offering a salary less than they might command in the both the private and public sector is one way of ensuring that never happens. Why would a doctor, a lawyer, or even a teacher or gaurd, accept a drastic reduction in their salary? It would be unreasonable to expect them to.

But the pay is huge now and who do we have? Surely they are not the best, the most capable of doing the job, so that tactic hasn`t worked.


Who judges their performance. Some of Bertie's worst policies were popular at the time, and generally speaking, the best decisions an administration can make are both the hardest, and most unpopular.

Their pay would be linked to the average in the country so their performance, ie everyones pay going up as the economy does well, would mean their pay increases also. If they perform well their pay (all of them not singularly) goes up.


I think that politics is a vocation, but that doesn't mean that people workjing professionally in that sphere shouldn't be financially compensated. Teaching is also a vocation to many who do it; would you suggest that their wages should be slahed too? That they should teach purely for the love of the job? I doubt it.

You don`t get the right people in the job if the pay is too high thats evident by the mess we are in, if it was that simple everything would be fine now. Yes it should be a vocation and the huge pay is making politics not an option for the people who really should be doing it.

I think their wages are a bit too high, especially relative to other jurisdictions. However, that's only a minor issue. I think it would be far better all around if the Irish electorate were a bit more responsible in choosing their representatives in the first place, abd a bit more reasonable in what they expect of a government, ie to govern rather than dole out favours to special interest groups.

If i wasn`t so lucrative all the rats would jump ship and a bit of honesty would prevail. As for choosing better - a people get the government they deserve ......