Michael Martin refuses to forsake €90,000 golden handshake

hotmail.com

Front page of the Irish Independent running with the story that Martin won't give up his €90,000 payment.

This issue is going to run and run until he gives it up.

Disgusting amount of money.

for what?

hotmail.com

Papa Smut wrote: »

for what?

For his resignation as a minister. The idea is too soften the blow for the decrease in salary.

Sometimes, (actually a lot of times) I despair for this country.

That money could be used to start one or even two sme's up...


Disgusting.

dickwod1

yosemite_sam

Because he's worth it!

roosh

It's part of his real plan for a better future for himself and "New" Fianna Fáil

Vunderground

Not as cute a hoor as people thought he was then? Greed trumps intelligence/integrity in Fianna Fail shock!

hotmail.com

FF 12% once this gets legs.

proon4

he will hand it up,or more than likely like Michael D Higgins in Galway he will say he is going to donate it to charity, but like Michael D he will refuse to say what charity.... So who will ever know if they give it or not.. These guys are all the same. They really do worship money

Dionysus

hotmail.com wrote: »

Front page of the Irish Independent running with the story that Martin won't give up his €90,000 payment.

This issue is going to run and run until he gives it up.

Disgusting amount of money.

Who's "Michael Martin"? Last I saw he was a British politician. You have a habit of talking about him. What's his relevancy to this election?

zig

Dionysus wrote: »

Who's "Michael Martin"? Last I saw he was a British politician. You have a habit of talking about him. What's his relevancy to this election?

kind of embarrassing that all this time you thought he was referring to a british politician when its obvious hes not

Dionysus

zig wrote: »

kind of embarrassing that all this time you thought he was referring to a british politician when its obvious hes not

Kind of embarrassing that you missed the point, again.

zig

Dionysus wrote: »

Kind of embarrassing that you missed the point, again.

trust me i didnt

Sir Oxman

Time for MM to put our money where his big, fat reforming mouth is.

hotmail.com

Dionysus wrote: »

Who's "Michael Martin"? Last I saw he was a British politician. You have a habit of talking about him. What's his relevancy to this election?

He's the new leader of Fianna Fail.

*I've left out the fada there too.

Dionysus

hotmail.com wrote: »

He's the new leader of Fianna Fail.

*I've left out the fada there too.

No; he's not. No more than Margaret Thatcher is Mairéad Thatcher, to take one of many possible examples.

gallinini

hotmail.com wrote: »

Front page of the Irish Independent running with the story that Martin won't give up his €90,000 payment.

This issue is going to run and run until he gives it up.

Disgusting amount of money.

Just goes to show you how out of touch these politicians are. How many of us would be so lucky to have anything like this kind of money ?

Aishae

thats a lot of them all over, they will promise the sun moon and stars and go on about reform and a new party but when it comes to money, be it the stupid pensions they will eventually get and the silly salaries they start going ah no...

rabbitbrowne

Thousands of Irish people are now trying to survive on unemployment, and this man one of many responsible won’t face prosecution. Instead he apologizes and sticks €90,000 in his pocket along side the thousands we the Irish people worked hard for. The frightening thing is no one can stop them they make and play by their own rules.

Shame on you Michael Martin and shame on the people who will vote for you

The Raven.

Micheal Martin always reminds me of Mr. Burns - in more ways than one.

Reilly616

Dionysus wrote: »

No; he's not. No more than Margaret Thatcher is Mairéad Thatcher, to take one of many possible examples.

Just like Francois Fillon isn't the PM of France, eh? :rolleyes:

bamboozle

not at all suprised, he's a member of Fianna Fail, enough said, integrity does not enter the equation.

91011

dickwod1 wrote: »

not until he retires from politics


and the 90k is taxed at high rate, so net will be around the 50k mark.

still a nice cushion though.


But maybe we should reduce all politicaian earnings by 50% and cut out all severance pay & pensions? - Only probelm with that is the quality of people will diminish dramatically as the likes of Martin and other senior politicians from all parties would receive far greater salaries in the private sector. - I know, I for one would not entertain the thought of being a TD for less than €100k.

GSF

"Do as I say, not as I do"

Is it too late to change the slogan on all those posters with his mug on them?

Murt10

This would be the same Mickey Martin who refused to give up his teachers post and pension despite being out of teaching for years.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/martin-in-dark-over-teacher-pension-value-1727346.html


Well done FF, brilliant choice for a new leader. A clean slate?

Owen

This be the same guy on the radio yesterday who discussing the dissolution of the Seanad said "The Seanad didn't cause all our problems" ... eh no buddy, you and your corrupt twisted buddies did. No amount of smiles, or promises of reforms will fix what you did to this country and its people.

moceri

I groan with disbelief that there are people STILL who are prepared to Vote for him in Cork South Central.

BlaasForRafa

91011 wrote: »

But maybe we should reduce all politicaian earnings by 50% and cut out all severance pay & pensions? - Only probelm with that is the quality of people will diminish dramatically

How could the quality of Fianna Fail diminish any more than it already has? I mean, Conor Lenihan ffs, a cabbage has more intelligence than him.

flutered

all his cabinet buddies who retired early recieved this moxey, a fecking discrace, then they claim that the minimun wage had to be cut, then they cut the blind, the disabled, the widows, the old saying the poor get poorer, the rich get richer, this should be one of the questions asked on the doorstep.

Maars

91011 wrote: »

not until he retires from politics


and the 90k is taxed at high rate, so net will be around the 50k mark.

still a nice cushion though.


But maybe we should reduce all politicaian earnings by 50% and cut out all severance pay & pensions? - Only probelm with that is the quality of people will diminish dramatically as the likes of Martin and other senior politicians from all parties would receive far greater salaries in the private sector. - I know, I for one would not entertain the thought of being a TD for less than €100k.

Most Irish TDs wouldn't get jobs in the private sector paying half of what they earn as politicians. Micheál's previous professional experience was as a teacher...as was Enda Kenny's and a bunch of other TDs...what high-powered, high-paying role had you envisaged for them in the private sector?

Sponge Bob

An EU Commissioners job ...like Máire Geoghan Quinn . I think she had to retire as a teacher in 1997 though.

EggsAckley

91011 wrote: »

But maybe we should reduce all politicaian earnings by 50% and cut out all severance pay & pensions? - Only probelm with that is the quality of people will diminish dramatically as the likes of Martin and other senior politicians from all parties would receive far greater salaries in the private sector. - I know, I for one would not entertain the thought of being a TD for less than €100k.

Why do you believe Irish politicians deserve more than, for arguments sake, German MPs who represent constituencies 10 times the size of Irelands and who have much more controlled allowances? Would German politicians not compare well to Irish ones?

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/german-mps-shock-at-level-of-tds-pay-1676069.html

hotmail.com

He was asked about today and said he won't be giving it up. I wonder wil Joe Duffy touch on this issue today.

Lenihan said he won't giving up his either and that whatever he gets will be subject to tax. That was his excuse for keeping it.

Shelflife

wow an income subject to an income tax, its a wonder that its not a tax free lump sum.

total disgrace in any times but esp these that someone would get a payoff because they retired of their own choice.

DISGRACE !!!!!!!

rabbitbrowne

Reducing Politicians salaries to an average workers wage would not only ensure commitment to the job, but ensure the calibre of candidate. On entering the election all are aware the job is based in Dublin, so why are we paying expenses for them to travel to work. The whole system needs radical reform, we need to listen to Joe Higgens and Shane Ross their efforts will be in vain unless supported by the Irish People.

Being a Politician is not a social statement but rather a social endeavour.

Maglight

Statutory redundancy allows for two weeks salary per year of service plus a bonus week capped at a maximum of €600 per week. That's sufficient for us plebs, but not for outgoing ministers. They require a full years salary. Go figure.

And before you start on me. I understand the logic. Politics is a high risk profession, and in order to attract the best and the brightest (ah the irony of that one) you have to offer a cushion for when they get voted out of government.

But the reality is that anyone in the private sector (including the best and the brightest) can be made redundant at any time. And that's all we get.

theparish

Martin is currently 4th for first prefs on the boards poll.Lets try harder and make him 6th.

jmayo

91011 wrote: »

not until he retires from politics


and the 90k is taxed at high rate, so net will be around the 50k mark.

still a nice cushion though.


But maybe we should reduce all politicaian earnings by 50% and cut out all severance pay & pensions? - Only probelm with that is the quality of people will diminish dramatically as the likes of Martin and other senior politicians from all parties would receive far greater salaries in the private sector. -

What a load of bullsh**.
You must be a ff supporter if you think martin is "quality". :rolleyes:
His only real positive achievement in all his years as high ranking minsiter is the smoking ban.
He was the guy in Health who presided over the creation of the quangoe to beat all quangoes, the HSE.
He was in Enterprise at a time when Fás lavishly spent 1 billion euro even though the country in all essence had full employment.

All we ever hear about politicans and indeed high ranking public servants is that we must pay them a lot or we won't get quality.
Well look at the state of our country and tell us how much quality we got for the price we paid. :rolleyes:

You claim he would get more in the private sector.
How pray tell ?

He like, a lot more of the politicans, was a teacher, a public sector worker.
What skills set do most of these politicans have bar being a politican and a former public servant ?

Where in the private sector would these people get the wads of cash they enjoy as elected representatives ?

91011 wrote: »

I know, I for one would not entertain the thought of being a TD for less than €100k.

He isn't gettting less than 100k salary. :rolleyes:
And the salary does not include his unvouched expenses either.

This is a type of severance package for resigning as a minister.
Then there is redundancy he gets if he fails to get elected.

Then there is his ministerial pension and his TDs pension.

He would want ot be doing very well in private sector to be anywhere near to the perks he has and will enjoy.

Buceph

jmayo wrote: »

What a load of bullsh**.
You must be a ff supporter if you think martin is "quality". :rolleyes:
His only real positive achievement in all his years as high ranking minsiter is the smoking ban.
He was the guy in Health who presided over the creation of the quangoe to beat all quangoes, the HSE.
He was in Enterprise at a time when Fás lavishly spent 1 billion euro even though the country in all essence had full employment.

He may not be quality, but he is from a different wing of FF than Bertie and Cowen. It's been known for years that Bertie was trying to screw him out of it because he was a threat. He was put into the Health Ministerial position precisely because he could do nothing but **** it up, it was a move by Bertie to undermine his popularity. He was moved to ET&E at a time when we had maximum employment, so it would be extremely difficult to attract new business. When he was moved to Foreign Affairs it was so he would be ignored but managed to confound that effort by getting Ireland massive respect on the international stage by being one of the first government representatives in the world to demand the Gaza flotilla be left through. FF are corrupt, and deserve to be hurt badly in election, but MM is from a different side of FF than the two main chancers. For the past number of years he's hinted as much as he can while remaining under the whip that he disagrees with Bertie, McCreevy and Biffos economic policies.

I won't vote for him, but equally, he's the furthest from the Bertie years you can get while still picking from the FF frontbench. I do understand why FF members could support him while trying to reshape the party for the future.

Mr. Presentable

He's not the first, won't be the last. Maybe if it was less well compensated we'd get a more ethical type of politician.

charlemont

**** you Michaél Martin, You greedy bastard..:D

jmayo

Buceph wrote: »

He may not be quality, but he is from a different wing of FF than Bertie and Cowen. It's been known for years that Bertie was trying to screw him out of it because he was a threat. He was put into the Health Ministerial position precisely because he could do nothing but **** it up, it was a move by Bertie to undermine his popularity. He was moved to ET&E at a time when we had maximum employment, so it would be extremely difficult to attract new business.

Just because he didn't get on or wasn't particularly liked by the top two doesn't equate to quality, either in ability or ethics.

Well if the Enterprise Dept wasn't trying to attract new business and there was maximum employment why were they spending so much ?
Yeah he showed true quality in watching the spending of Fás. :rolleyes:

Buceph wrote: »

When he was moved to Foreign Affairs it was so he would be ignored but managed to confound that effort by getting Ireland massive respect on the international stage by being one of the first government representatives in the world to demand the Gaza flotilla be left through. FF are corrupt, and deserve to be hurt badly in election, but MM is from a different side of FF than the two main chancers. For the past number of years he's hinted as much as he can while remaining under the whip that he disagrees with Bertie, McCreevy and Biffos economic policies.

If he was truly the great crusader and different from biffo and bertie then he would not have stayed in the party never mind being a high ranking cabinet member. :rolleyes:
I don't remember any grand stands taken by him or even any little ones taken by him against the policies of either of the men he loyally backed as leader ?

Buceph wrote: »

I won't vote for him, but equally, he's the furthest from the Bertie years you can get while still picking from the FF frontbench. I do understand why FF members could support him while trying to reshape the party for the future.

Some recommendation that. :rolleyes:

That is like recommending Albert Speer as been one of the least nazi nazis. :rolleyes:

kincsem

These guys and gals are not quality. I was in the same Leaving Cert class as one of the leading lights. My qualification afterwards is as good or better. I never trousered the vast amounts these people vote themselves.

In business they would not be employable, doubt they would be management (without "jobs for the boys" help.) They are not commercial. Just look at the mess. That is their CV.

sxt

Severance pay of €90k also for Hanafin, Lenihan, Carey, O Ciuv, Smith, and Coughlan


Michael Martins closing sentence in Cork Election Rally, Jan 28 2011

"And most of all, we will ensure that Ireland Fianna Fail will return to the prosperity and hope for the future that is our common cause"

opinion guy

91011 wrote: »

But maybe we should reduce all politicaian earnings by 50% and cut out all severance pay & pensions? - Only probelm with that is the quality of people will diminish dramatically as the likes of Martin and other senior politicians from all parties would receive far greater salaries in the private sector. - I know, I for one would not entertain the thought of being a TD for less than €100k.

:eek:

:rolleyes:

Only response I can muster to this is:
AAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHHAAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHA

***gasp****

AAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHHAAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHA

Buceph

jmayo wrote: »

Just because he didn't get on or wasn't particularly liked by the top two doesn't equate to quality, either in ability or ethics.

I never said it did. Although being opposed to Bertie, even if it's only in regards to internal party politics counts for something.

Well if the Enterprise Dept wasn't trying to attract new business and there was maximum employment why were they spending so much ?
Yeah he showed true quality in watching the spending of Fás. :rolleyes:

It was mainly about attracting very specialised industries, low numbers of highly skilled employees. And they cost a lot to court. Ireland at that time couldn't support another ten Dells even if we could get them, we just didn't have the available workers.

If he was truly the great crusader and different from biffo and bertie then he would not have stayed in the party never mind being a high ranking cabinet member. :rolleyes:
I don't remember any grand stands taken by him or even any little ones taken by him against the policies of either of the men he loyally backed as leader ?

I do, he never fully engaged with the housing bubble/soft landing crap. He was always looking to be leader after Bertie so he couldn't step down to the backbenches or make a grand gesture, he had to remain in there. I'm in his constituency, and it's always been known that he courted a different side of FF.

Some recommendation that. :rolleyes:

That is like recommending Albert Speer as been one of the least nazi nazis. :rolleyes:

Yeah, it's not much to give to him.

I've made a longer post elsewhere about this, and while I want FF to do extremely badly, I don't want to see them wiped out as I think in the long term that would be bad for Irish politics. I'd prefer to see some of the younger guys with no association to the Bertie/Biffo years come through and "cleanse" the party, and hopefully in 15 years we get something resembling a decent party. Because if we get down to just FG v Labour, and god forbid Sinn Fein, it'll get even worse.

Although I'm not even 60% certain on that. Complete annihilation could see something better rise from the ashes.

bdeb

"Bring on the REFORM but let it start with somebody else"!
Old F Fail proverb.

Zubeneschamali

Buceph wrote: »

Complete annihilation could see something better rise from the ashes.

This.

Annihilate FG too, and the current versions of Labour and Sinn Fein. Then form a left wing party, a right wing party, and a Republican party.

Deepwell

You can work for +45 years, paying all your taxes and qualify for a state pension of c.€10k or you can become a Minister and walk away with bonuses and pension each worth 10x that while "steering" the county to economic oblivion. Thats a no brainer decision.

We wonder why the county is in such a mess and people are still proposing to vote for these cynical creeps.

I'm voting for whowever promises to tax these obsene payments (assuming they can't be withdrawn / repaid)!!

rabbitbrowne

Let’s try harder and see him queue at hanover street