Conor Lenihan on Vincent Browne

Liam Byrne

He says that he's embarrassed by the severance pay levels, but refuses to say that he'd forego the amount when he's no longer a minister!

What a joke! :mad:

Does he even know the meaning of the word "embarrassment" ?

Denerick

Liam Byrne wrote: »

He says that he's embarrassed by the severance pay levels, but refuses to say that he'd forego the amount when he's no longer a minister!

What a joke! :mad:

Does he even know the meaning of the word "embarrassment" ?

Poor Conor, he's always reminded me of a lost puppy. Especially on Vincent Browne. Both he and Conor seem to have this funny relationship, a lot of smirking goes on in both camps.

Have to say, Vincent Browne is becoming must see TV for me at this stage. Its a lot more enlightening at the moment than any political show on RTE.

Liam Byrne

Well tonight he not only did the above, but also blamed Labour for introducing something-or-other 14-odd years ago, and said that people wanted reform and that FF were all for it.

He was, of course, tackled on why FF didn't do a single thing on any of the above for the past 14 years and didn't have an answer, and proceeded to waffle on about how TDs salaries and pensions were only a drop in the ocean.

Can't be too embarrassed there at all, Conor.........I'd go find a dictionary before you start using words that aren't in FF's vocabulary.

littlesthobo

Liam Byrne wrote: »

He says that he's embarrassed by the severance pay levels, but refuses to say that he'd forego the amount when he's no longer a minister!

What a joke! :mad:

Does he even know the meaning of the word "embarrassment" ?

Yeah i saw that. Then he trotted out the old chestnut that we have to pay our politicans big money so they wont be corrupt

jimmycrackcorm

littlesthobo wrote: »

Yeah i saw that. Then he trotted out the old chestnut that we have to pay our politicans big money so they wont be corrupt

The problem is that it doesn't necessarily mean that the won't be corrupt.

I think he is essentially correct - we do have to pay our politicians well because we expect a lot of responsibility from them. I think we can all agree that it's not a minimum wage job - so where is the ideal pay level?

The ministerial/TD pensions are wrong. These should only kick in at pension age like other pensions.. However TD's should get a severance package just like anyone who loses their job after 4-8 or more years.

Monty Burnz

littlesthobo wrote: »

Yeah i saw that. Then he trotted out the old chestnut that we have to pay our politicans big money so they wont be corrupt

Wasn't Bertie Ahern the best-paid prime-minister in the world? Back to the drawing board, muppets.

EggsAckley

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

However TD's should get a severance package just like anyone who loses their job after 4-8 or more years.

The self employed don't - how about we treat TDs like that instead, so they can look after their own pensions out of their own pay and get sweet FA once the electorate have had enough of them?

Denerick

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

The problem is that it doesn't necessarily mean that the won't be corrupt.

I think he is essentially correct - we do have to pay our politicians well because we expect a lot of responsibility from them. I think we can all agree that it's not a minimum wage job - so where is the ideal pay level?

The ministerial/TD pensions are wrong. These should only kick in at pension age like other pensions.. However TD's should get a severance package just like anyone who loses their job after 4-8 or more years.

TDs should be paid a wage that can support a relatively comfortable lifestyle that enables the member to support his/her family. 30-35k seems reasonable since they are based in Dublin. The only expenses permitted should be the cost of running a constituency clinic and mileage. Everything else should be scrapped. Politicians should be serving for the public interest, not for their bank accounts. Pensions should be in line with standard public sector pensions. Ministers should be paid an identical wage as a TD.

Do all of this and the Dáil would dis-spell a lot of public cynicism. I don't like SF but I like their principled stand on TDs pay.

jimmycrackcorm

Denerick wrote: »

TDs should be paid a wage that can support a relatively comfortable lifestyle that enables the member to support his/her family. 30-35k seems reasonable since they are based in Dublin.

A family with three kids will get the net equivalent in social welfare benefits.

I think people expect that politicians should be selfless individuals - they should nearly do the job for free....

freewheeler

littlesthobo wrote: »

Yeah i saw that. Then he trotted out the old chestnut that we have to pay our politicans big money so they wont be corrupt

..Which is ironic to say the least considering the party he represents!:rolleyes:

stimpson

As Ministers usually swan off to well paid jobs in the private sector after their time in office, I propose we don't pay then a salary, but give them a loan instead. This would then be paid back as a percentage (say 20%) of their post ministerial salary. Obviously we would have to charge interest on such a loan, I think a shade under 6% would be fair.

kraggy

Denerick wrote: »

TDs should be paid a wage that can support a relatively comfortable lifestyle that enables the member to support his/her family. 30-35k seems reasonable since they are based in Dublin. The only expenses permitted should be the cost of running a constituency clinic and mileage. Everything else should be scrapped. Politicians should be serving for the public interest, not for their bank accounts. Pensions should be in line with standard public sector pensions. Ministers should be paid an identical wage as a TD.

Do all of this and the Dáil would dis-spell a lot of public cynicism. I don't like SF but I like their principled stand on TDs pay.

No, just no.

We need to get away from td's being local politicians and make them concentrate on national issues.

The day for "clinics" must end soon.

Floppybits

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

However TD's should get a severance package just like anyone who loses their job after 4-8 or more years.

But TD's are not being made redundant they are basically being sacked because they didn't do a good job. I know of no employee that gets a severance package when they are sacked and there is no redundancy package that comes near what the TD's get for failing to get a job.

A fair wage to me for a TD would be twice the average the industrial wage, 10K more for a minister and then 20K for Taoiseach. All expenses must be vouched for and must be published every year. Pensions have to contributed to as well.

I was listening to Newstalk on saturday night and on the show there was this young guy on the show, think he is running in the election in Wicklow. Anyway he had this idea that every two weeks or once a month he would hold a meeting in his constituency and invite the other TD's and Councillors in the area to this meeting with the public. He said then if someone from the public brought up the conditions of the roads or something local then the councillors would be there to answer the questions and the TD's could deal with more national problems. At least this shows some creative thinking on trying to seperate Local and National politics.

wee truck big driver

Denerick wrote: »

TDs should be paid a wage that can support a relatively comfortable lifestyle that enables the member to support his/her family. 30-35k seems reasonable since they are based in Dublin. The only expenses permitted should be the cost of running a constituency clinic and mileage. Everything else should be scrapped. Politicians should be serving for the public interest, not for their bank accounts. Pensions should be in line with standard public sector pensions. Ministers should be paid an identical wage as a TD.

Do all of this and the Dáil would dis-spell a lot of public cynicism. I don't like SF but I like their principled stand on TDs pay.

i wasnt aware that all t.d's are from dublin and that the world revolves around dublin. paying t.d's sh1t wages is a stupid idea they have to work ridiculous hours and have no family life no man or woman with any intelligence or ability should have to work as a t.d for less than 80k

Denerick

wee truck big driver wrote: »

i wasnt aware that all t.d's are from dublin and that the world revolves around dublin. paying t.d's sh1t wages is a stupid idea they have to work ridiculous hours and have no family life no man or woman with any intelligence or ability should have to work as a t.d for less than 80k

80k per year? Do you live in the real world? 80k per annum is an outstanding wage. TDs should earn around the average industrial wage - aka 30-35k.

BTW, most TDs do not work ridiculous hours. Jacky Healy Rae works at most 25 per week.

wee truck big driver

Denerick wrote: »

80k per year? Do you live in the real world? 80k per annum is an outstanding wage. TDs should earn around the average industrial wage - aka 30-35k.

BTW, most TDs do not work ridiculous hours. Jacky Healy Rae works at most 25 per week.

if a t.d only worked 25 hours a week they would never be elected fact. so you think somebody gcharged with the running of the country should be getting the same as somebody dishing out chips in mcdonalds or sitting on there ares in tesco ............catch a grip