Why do politicans get paid so much?

evo2000

Why does for example enda kenny and the likes get so much money? and why hasnt anything been done about it?

michael999999

Because since the fraud squad started nabbing the Fianna fail crooks, they just upped there wages to compensate!

The Backwards Man

They don't get paid that much when you think of what the likes of Pat Kenny and Wayne Rooney earn.

I wouldn't do Kenny's job for double the money he's getting, and neither would you.

ancapailldorcha

They set their own wages and integrity isn't exactly important to them.

evo2000

Could there not be a vote to change the pay scales of our politicans, because they are ridiculously overpaid, its gas how they can implement all these cuts and take home them wages, its worse that there let away with it!

Kermit.de.frog

I know it's not popular to say but being a politician is a very difficult job.

Specialun

Price of coke and hookers gone through the roof

Manach

There does seem to be something awry when city mayors are paid more than some European prime ministers. It had been mooted that the wages reflect the success or not of the economy, but those plans seem to have gone away.

The Backwards Man

evo2000 wrote: »

Could there not be a vote to change the pay scales of our politicans, because they are ridiculously overpaid, its gas how they can implement all these cuts and take home them wages, its worse that there let away with it!

What wage would you work for if you were a politician?

jamesbere

evo2000 wrote: »

Why does for example enda kenny and the likes get so much money? and why hasnt anything been done about it?

Because you touch yourself at night.

dpofloinn

In theory they are set high to keep them '' Honest'' in that if they are getting good wages then they wont feel the need to take bribes, but as we all know theory and practice are two very different things

johnam

evo2000 wrote: »

Could there not be a vote to change the pay scales of our politicans, because they are ridiculously overpaid, its gas how they can implement all these cuts and take home them wages, its worse that there let away with it!

What would you suggest we pay them? Politics is a tough job, I know I wouldn't do it. If you want to attract the right people to the job then you have to pay the right wages. One of the unfortunate parts about democracy in ireland is that people vote for the people they know, or the families they know, or the lad who helped sort their planning permission, and not necessarily the best person for the job.

So we have the wages that attract the top minds, but then elect a bunch of sheep who blindly follow the party whip or get ejected for daring to think for themeselves.

Tail Docker

johnam wrote: »

What would you suggest we pay them? Politics is a tough job, I know I wouldn't do it. If you want to attract the right people to the job then you have to pay the right wages. One of the unfortunate parts about democracy in ireland is that people vote for the people they know, or the families they know, or the lad who helped sort their planning permission, and not necessarily the best person for the job.

So we have the wages that attract the top minds, but then elect a bunch of sheep who blindly follow the party whip or get ejected for daring to think for themeselves.

The rest of Europe and the UK seem to manage alright paying far less. Whatever about the wages, the pensions are eye-watering.

blackwhite

Let's just say we decide to cap politicians' pay at €50k per annum maximum.

Firstly, nobody who is in a permanent job earning more than €40k per annum would go anywhere near politics - why would you give up a permanent position in favour of one which you could lose in 5 years time (or less) if voted out, where you will be subject to intense public scrutiny, and where you will have every idiot under the sun claiming to be able to your job better than you, all for a very small increase in after tax pay?
So instantly you've ruled out roughly half of the people who might possibly stand. Generally people who've progressed to earning higher salaries are those who've been successful in their careers - maybe it might be an idea to try and attract people who've shown a track record of success in their careers?

Secondly, the relative incentive for corruption would be massively increased. Think Fianna Fáil (and others) have been bad in the past? Imagine how bad they would have been if their salaries had been 50% lower? Anyone offering them a few coppers would be getting whatever decisions they wanted made in their favour!

Berserker

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

I know it's not popular to say but being a politician is a very difficult job.

I agree with you. I doubly agree with you w.r.t. the politicians who are in power. I don't know about anybody else but I certainly wouldn't do their job for any amount of money.

sheesh

Well if it wasn't cut after the last shower left it is not going to be cut. Amazing really that people don't get that a certain number of the people are in politics for the money and nothing else. It is the same as any other job. Except you get to give yourself a raise every couple of years.

Like all other jobs you have to pretend that it is not about the money but you are really passionate about <insert job here>.

This is why the people who do the really important work bin collection, maintanence of the sewer system don't get so highly paid nobody wants to employ someone who is passionate other peoples rubbish or poo.

In my experience anyway......

evo2000

People saying politicans have it tough, theres other jobs i can think of that are far tougher and paid much less, i dont think they deserve anywhere near 200k!

Zebra3

The Backwards Man wrote: »

They don't get paid that much when you think of what the likes of Pat Kenny and Wayne Rooney earn.

I wouldn't do Kenny's job for double the money he's getting, and neither would you.

Must be great to know other people's minds. :rolleyes:

Summer wind

They all have the sharp useless look perfected.

Berserker

sheesh wrote: »

This is why the people who do the really important work bin collection, maintanence of the sewer system don't get so highly paid nobody wants to employ someone who is passionate other peoples rubbish or poo.

I know one county council bin man and he mustn't be doing too bad, as he goes to watch his premier league team, in England and Europe, on a very regular basis. I can't comment on poo merchant/engineers or whatever they call themselves.

evo2000

Imagine a politican that worked for the good of his country and the pride of representing his country and took abit above minimum wage! and gave the ridiculous 200k to help a hospital or the poor!

crannglas

The Backwards Man wrote: »

What wage would you work for if you were a politician?

60 grand a year, as all expenses paid when on business trips. No dail bar no alcohol paid for on trips unless paid out of own pocket. I will bet ten grand if the wages came down to that level you would soon see the greedy leave and no greedy ones would become TDs in first place. Also no free ucd or trinity for politicians kids. I would change this country in heart beat. Will you vote for me?

Berserker

evo2000 wrote: »

People saying politicans have it tough, theres other jobs i can think of that are far tougher and paid much less, i dont think they deserve anywhere near 200k!

They don't get paid €200K. Their basic is in or around 90K. Granted some take the proverbial when it comes to expenses.

evo2000

Berserker wrote: »

They don't get paid €200K. Their basic is in or around 90K. Granted some take the proverbial when it comes to expenses.

"In one of his first acts in the top office, Kenny slashed his own pay by €14,000 (a reduction of 7% which leaves his weekly net income at over €2,500). The new government also decided to cut the pay of senior ministers. The Taoiseach's pay was cut from €214,187 to €200,000."

Endas sound tho he said he d round it off to the 200k and make do with that!

dxhound2005

Here's some boys on nice money. No need to go into politics if you are greedy.

http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/our-10-highest-paid-executives-and-their-combined-67m-pay-packets-30220615.html

Owen Killian, the Roscommon-born accountant running Swiss-Irish baked goods empire Aryzta, is a regular pay chart topper and 2013 was another good year, with his pay and stock rewards reaching more than €15.5m.

crockholm

The thinking seems to be

A) they get paid so much because they set their own wages.

the old "if you pay peanuts,you get monkeys" excuse.

C) the non-teachers or publicans,few that there are constantly clam that if they were working in a similar Environment in the Private sector they would be much better renumerated.


They still are overpaid,massively overpaid and stuck to the public teet like a breastfeeding barnacle.

crannglas

blackwhite wrote: »

Let's just say we decide to cap politicians' pay at €50k per annum maximum.

Firstly, nobody who is in a permanent job earning more than €40k per annum would go anywhere near politics - why would you give up a permanent position in favour of one which you could lose in 5 years time (or less) if voted out, where you will be subject to intense public scrutiny, and where you will have every idiot under the sun claiming to be able to your job better than you, all for a very small increase in after tax pay?
So instantly you've ruled out roughly half of the people who might possibly stand. Generally people who've progressed to earning higher salaries are those who've been successful in their careers - maybe it might be an idea to try and attract people who've shown a track record of success in their careers?

Secondly, the relative incentive for corruption would be massively increased. Think Fianna Fáil (and others) have been bad in the past? Imagine how bad they would have been if their salaries had been 50% lower? Anyone offering them a few coppers would be getting whatever decisions they wanted made in their favour!

Like in my post above. That's all a good thing. It would attract people who want the Job cause they want to do good for the people and country.

CarrickMcJoe

I agree it's a tough job but it's the very big pensions they get on retirement that p1sses me off.

smash

The rules should be:

If you want to be a politician then you're not allowed be one. Greedy self serving gob****es! Also, teachers can't be politicians and you must be qualified in the field you are supposed to manage.

crannglas

evo2000 wrote: »

"In one of his first acts in the top office, Kenny slashed his own pay by €14,000 (a reduction of 7% which leaves his weekly net income at over €2,500). The new government also decided to cut the pay of senior ministers. The Taoiseach's pay was cut from €214,187 to €200,000."

Endas sound tho he said he d round it off to the 200k and make do with that!

Aww god help him he only has 200 grand a year bless. And only expenses and free trips.

Wez

Their real job is distracting peoples attention away from topics like this. Even if we paid them a quarter of what they're on, it's still far too much!

People like Donnelly are owed a huge debt from this country for the real work they do. By comparison, what chance would Enda have of earning 200k a year outside of politics!? He can barely string a sentence together without a script in front of him.

This nonsense about attracting the "right people" is bull.. Sure most of them are teachers anyway! And most honest people would pitch in to help this country, not look for a competitive salary. I actually think that paying the average industrial wage would do us a lot of good, regarding the type of people that would run for election. If nothing else, it would also mean they're a little closer to reality when making decisions.

The right people have ran for election, but sure the idiots keep voting in the same aul gob****es who "fixed the road" or sorted planning permission or built a state-of-the-art hospital in a 1 horse town.