Joan Burton in storm over €128k aide pay.

anymore

The Indo carries a story that Labour Minister for Social Protection was embroiled in controversy after breaching guidelines and securing " largest salary above the Government's pay cap for a spin doctor."
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/budget/news/disability-uturn-joan-burton-in-storm-over-euro128k-aide-pay-2957761.html

The interesting thing about this labour spin doctor's CV is that it includes spells with " a Spanish energy company, a cable TV company and two leading Dublin solicitors firms. "
Perhaps the Minister is particularly in need of advice on special allowances for paying SKY tv subscriptions ? presumably she didnt ask for advice on cut backs in disability allowances ?
Also in the article are the comments : "
New figures released to the Irish Independent show Ms Burton's special adviser is on a salary of almost €128,000 -- €35,000 more than the Coalition's pay cap.
He advised the Labour Party on economic policy in a voluntary capacity before the general election, when Ms Burton was the party's finance spokesperson "
Older members may remember the slogan that the " seventies will socialist " and the remarks about the then labour really being 'smoked salmon socialists'
Well those days are gone and even the plebs buy thier cut price smoked salmon in Lidil. No looks like today's Labour Socialist prefer pâté de foie gras .. at least they can certainly afford it given the salary that the poor irish taxpayers are paying them.
Recession, what recession ?
:)Happy days are here again,
:)the tax payer is paying again,
:)happy days are here again !:)

So is this the ' New face' of labour and is it very much different from FF ?

Arfan

I'd say the core issue here is the salary cap breach. Does anyone have an exact figure on the number of reports we've had about breaches, I vaguely recall this being news about five times by now. Why have a cap if you're not going to enforce it?

professore

This is a disgrace, plain and simple.

flutered

have / will we hear her moaning about this

MagicMarker

I wish I was paid over 100k for voluntary advising people.

anymore

MagicMarker wrote: »

I wish I was paid over 100k for voluntary advising people.

That is a point, are we really jsut paying for past services rendered to the party or individual politicians ?

thebman

Arfan wrote: »

I'd say the core issue here is the salary cap breach. Does anyone have an exact figure on the number of reports we've had about breaches, I vaguely recall this being news about five times by now. Why have a cap if you're not going to enforce it?

I'd say the core issue is accepting voluntary services from someone then rewarding them handsomely when you get access to the taxpayers purse.

Isn't that corruption

bmaxi

For €120000, you'd think he could have put a better spin on the bollox she made of things on Tuesday.
I've said it before, this is the last time we'll see Labour in Government for a long time but of course that won't bother the current mob, who'll retire on a fat pension at the expense of Seán Citizen.

thebman

I don't know, I'm surprised there isn't more being made of this in the media, there should be a good bit of pressure on her to resign right now over this IMO.

You can't go around accepting voluntary services then rewarding people with above pay ceiling wages when you get into power.

That is just as bad as political donations.

walshb

This is not at all surprising. Simple: Same gravy train just different passengers aboard.

Or, should I say, other passengers aboard.

hallelujajordan

For me, the serious issue here isn't the breach of the salary cap . . I can understand why someone may be worth more than a certain cap under specific circumstances. .

However to go from 'Voluntary worker' to 'Overpaid Aide' stinks of corruption and is certainly worthy of a resignation call . .

Let's wait and see how committed Gilmore and Kenny are about removing corruption in politics.