Half of all TD's are millionaires

lightspeed

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/revealed-half-of-irelands-tds-are-millionaires-and-heres-how-much-theyre-worth-36901002.html

Well the gravy train is very much full steam ahead. Why do the pensions tds receive have to be so high?

If there was an alternative party that wasnt far left and wanted to implement real reform (drain the swamp), would you vote for it?

It seems people will always vote for a party their family has always voted in or vote based on parish politics.

eeguy

Having assets worth millions doesn't really make you a millionaire.

The study doesn't factor in mortgages and debts.

Jimmy Dags

What’s the weather for the week op?

mikemac2

gold-plated public service pensions

Independent group bingo. They just love this phrase

sabat

I was actually surprised that the figures were that low; if you look at the UK or US parliaments, representatives worth 10s of millions or more are common enough.

Conservatory

You can join a political party. Nothing stopping you.
Then spend ten or so years working locally in football teams and charities. Start working your way through other party members.
Once you have the backing run for a top job.
Then magically become a millionaire it’s not rocket science I’m still amazed how few of us do it.

JohnMc1

lightspeed wrote: »

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/revealed-half-of-irelands-tds-are-millionaires-and-heres-how-much-theyre-worth-36901002.html

Well the gravy train is very much full steam ahead. Why do the pensions tds receive have to be so high?

If there was an alternative party that wasnt far left and wanted to implement real reform (drain the swamp), would you vote for it?

It seems people will always vote for a party their family has always voted in or vote based on parish politics.

I always thought that there should be Term Limits. It would cut down on alot of corruption.

I'll probably vote for the National Party the next election. FF and FG are the exact same as the Democrats and Republicans in the US. Two halves of the same coin.

jimmycrackcorm

JohnMc1 wrote:

I'll probably vote for the National Party the next election. FF and FG are the exact same as the Democrats and Republicans in the US. Two halves of the same coin.

Can't say they are the same when FF weaseled out of the water charges after being the party that first proposed them.

Anthracite

JohnMc1 wrote: »

I always thought that there should be Term Limits. It would cut down on alot of corruption.

I'll probably vote for the National Party the next election. FF and FG are the exact same as the Democrats and Republicans in the US. Two halves of the same coin.

That's the Irish fascist party, isn't it?

Yeah, we're in safe hands with them. :rolleyes:

kneemos

High achievers.

JohnnyFlash

Many of them would be successful high achievers in their professional lives before politics. Some of the usual moaners on the journal etc would prefer if TDs took a vow of poverty before entering their Dail seat. There’s far easier ways of making a 100k salary in Ireland.

Conservatory

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

Can't say they are the same when FF weaseled out of the water charges after being the party that first proposed them.

You say weasled out of like it’s a bad thing. If they were more like Kim yong public opinion wouldn’t matter and we could push through any law we wanted. If only we had a dictatorship.

Pugzilla

Maybe you should move to North Korea if you want everyone to be paid the same.

JohnMc1

Anthracite wrote: »

That's the Irish fascist party, isn't it?

Yeah, we're in safe hands with them. :rolleyes:

The Left calls anyone against their narrative a fascist [even though they're fascist in their own right] so I don't pay attention to that labeling nonsense.

As if we've really been great under FF/FG govts.

AllForIt

What you expect - ppl from working class backgrounds going into politics?

JohnnyFlash

JohnMc1 wrote: »

The Left calls anyone against their narrative a fascist [even though they're fascist in their own right] so I don't pay attention to that labeling nonsense.

As if we've really been great under FF/FG govts.

Is that little oddball, Barrett, the leader of the National Party? I’m no leftie but that lad is a jumped-up little fascist. Blaming everything on immigrants, women, and ‘liberals’. Liberals being anyone who doesn’t share his warped and angry view of the world.

Pugzilla

OP's future vision of Ireland.

Although it does remind me of Aldi/Lidl.

Hitman3000

Most of those mentioned are millionaires solely by virtue of the non funded pension they will receive.

Anthracite

JohnMc1 wrote: »

The Left calls anyone against their narrative a fascist [even though they're fascist in their own right] so I don't pay attention to that labeling nonsense.

As if we've really been great under FF/FG govts.

What makes you think I'm "the left"? I can tell racist, nativist, reactionary, theocratic fascists when I see them, even if I lean to the right.

Pugzilla

Commie bastard

Pugzilla

Better dead than red

"lightspeed

"lightspeed wrote: »

...drain the swamp...

Bloody nonsense.

Can you not make your point without that rubbish?

FFS.

Maewyn Succat

Conservatory wrote: »

You can join a political party. Nothing stopping you.
Then spend ten or so years working locally in football teams and charities. Start working your way through other party members.
Once you have the backing run for a top job.
Then magically become a millionaire it’s not rocket science I’m still amazed how few of us do it.

Exactly. There are no qualifications needed to be a politician either. With the amount of people out there who seem to think they could do a better job than most politicians I'm surprised there aren't far more people trying to get into politics. After all most politicians do 'nothing ' anyway don't they?

Yer Da sells Avon

JohnMc1 wrote: »

The Left calls anyone against their narrative a fascist [even though they're fascist in their own right].

"People who don't drink tea... now they're the real tea drinkers"

Zebra3

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

Many of them would be successful high achievers in their professional lives before politics. Some of the usual moaners on the journal etc would prefer if TDs took a vow of poverty before entering their Dail seat. There’s far easier ways of making a 100k salary in Ireland.

I wonder how many of our TDs were actually successful high achievers before entering politics.

Inheriting wealth from daddy wouldn’t count on that front.

sbsquarepants

Half of all tds are millionaires

What are the other half? Gazillionaires?

murpho999

Stupid article.

I'd be almost half a millionaire if you were to look at where I live but it's mortgaged to the hilt.

People really shouldn't be worried about these things, it achieves nothing but bitterness.

The more the better if the money is earned honestly. Poor politicians are more corruptible.

dulpit

[Deleted User] wrote: »

The more the better if the money is earned honestly. Poor politicians are more corruptible.

That's the logic of a decent salary and high pension. You need to attract people to the job, and not just have people who can afford to stop working for a volatile job that could last a few months or years...

I think Marx even has it in his manifesto about decent pay for politicians...

dulpit

dulpit wrote: »

That's the logic of a decent salary and high pension. You need to attract people to the job, and not just have people who can afford to stop working for a volatile job that could last a few months or years...

I think Marx even has it in his manifesto about decent pay for politicians...

Yep.

Loads of people have this misconception that politicians and charity bosses should earn peanuts. By doing that, you're just leaving positions like that to the upper classes.

I wonder if the trolling by the Independent and to a lesser extent other media has had its day, the vast majority of the population are too media savvy.

There was a valiant attempt on an RTE radio on a talk show on Sunday re Tony O Brian's pension but nobody would really bite.

Even some politicians have realised that the fake outrage is not doing them any good.

uck51js9zml2yt

Drove through kilgarvan yesterday. Looked like it should have been renamed Rae-ville.

Grayson

Conservatory wrote: »

You can join a political party. Nothing stopping you.
Then spend ten or so years working locally in football teams and charities. Start working your way through other party members.
Once you have the backing run for a top job.
Then magically become a millionaire it’s not rocket science I’m still amazed how few of us do it.

I'd actually be interested in politics except the Indo would have an aneurism when they discovered how many drugs I did in my 20's. And it's just one stupid story after another. And some are very stupid

I really enjoyed myself in my 20's.

Wanderer78

Grayson wrote:

I'd actually be interested in politics except the Indo would have an aneurism when they discovered how many drugs I did in my 20's. And it's just one stupid story after another. And some are very stupid

I really can't find issues with people doing stupid things in their 20's, I did to, it's called life. I'd say being a politician is a dreadful job

Grayson

Grayson wrote: »

I'd actually be interested in politics except the Indo would have an aneurism when they discovered how many drugs I did in my 20's. And it's just one stupid story after another. And some are very stupid

I really enjoyed myself in my 20's.

I don't think anyone would hold it against you provided you did no harm as the song goes.

"And all the harm I've ever done
Alas! it was to none but me
And all I've done for want of wit
To mem'ry now I can't recall"

CrankyHaus

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

Many of them would be successful high achievers in their professional lives before politics.

Aren't a high proportion of our politicians primary school teachers or publicans? Nothing against either group but it's a bit much to imply our political class put their work with CERN on hold to go and run up a tab in the Dail bar.

Any auld eejit with property in Dublin is a millionaire these days. The pity is that some of them think their prosperity is down to their own skill, rather than down to the fact that they bought a house they needed to live in in the 1980s and, as a result of a variety of external factors which they had nothing to do with, that has now quadrupled in value.

Guy:Incognito

mariaalice wrote: »

I wonder if the trolling by the Independent and to a lesser extent other media has had its day, the vast majority of the population are too media savvy.
.

Maybe have a look at comment sections on social media...........

Guy:Incognito

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Maybe have a look at comment sections on social media...........

Its divided between those with a mental health issue.

Believers in conspiracy theories.

General contrarians and cranks.

And a certain amount of sour nasty individuals.

It's not representative of the general population

sbsquarepants

Deleted User wrote: »

Any auld eejit with property in Dublin is a millionaire these days. The pity is that some of them think their prosperity is down to their own skill, rather than down to the fact that they bought a house they needed to live in in the 1980s and, as a result of a variety of external factors which they had nothing to do with, that has now quadrupled in value.

And unless you have a spare house to sell, or are willing to sell up and move to the arsehole of bogsville, that "wealth" is entirely imaginary.
You sell your house and make a quarter million "profit" the next house you buy is a quarter of a million dearer and you're straight back to being a pauper!

dulpit

Wanderer78 wrote: »

I'd say being a politician is a dreadful job

This. Read the responses to literally any mundane comment a TD puts out on twitter....

TD: "Lovely day today, out walking the dog"
Public on twitter: "Ya, but you suck at everything. Die."

etc etc

I mean, I went to Leo's twitter, he posted a photo from the Darkness into Light walk:

https://twitter.com/campaignforleo/status/995200939870089216

Attached are a selection of the top replies..

Wanderer78

dulpit wrote: »

This. Read the responses to literally any mundane comment a TD puts out on twitter....

TD: "Lovely day today, out walking the dog"
Public on twitter: "Ya, but you suck at everything. Die."

etc etc

I mean, I went to Leo's twitter, he posted a photo from the Darkness into Light walk:

https://twitter.com/campaignforleo/status/995200939870089216

Attached are a selection of the top replies..

thank you, but i just wouldnt be bothered reading comments, some people are just arseholes

Deise Vu

murpho999 wrote: »

Stupid article.

I'd be almost half a millionaire if you were to look at where I live but it's mortgaged to the hilt.

People really shouldn't be worried about these things, it achieves nothing but bitterness.

From glancing at the article the vast majority of the wealth is the pension that they award themselves.Given how low annuity rates are these days and I think a TD only needs two terms to be 'entitled' to an income for life, I am surprised that the wealth figures aren't much higher.

This is despite the fact that, realising the pensions we award ourselves in this country are not sustainable the Govt has already taken steps to limiting Public Service pensions (for new entrants of course) and private sector workers have to work until 68 now (which is a cut of about 20% based on average life expectancy).

If nothing else the article highlights the hypocrisy of TDs in relation to the pension issue. Not that I expect people will care. When it comes to pensions people's eyes just glaze over. Happy days for the TDs, this won't even be a 24 hour wonder.

Ubbquittious

dulpit wrote: »

This. Read the responses to literally any mundane comment a TD puts out on twitter....

TD: "Lovely day today, out walking the dog"
Public on twitter: "Ya, but you suck at everything. Die."

etc etc

I mean, I went to Leo's twitter, he posted a photo from the Darkness into Light walk:

https://twitter.com/campaignforleo/status/995200939870089216

Attached are a selection of the top replies..

I wonder is it feasible to be a politician and not go on twitter?
After all twitter is just some website made by some US Silicon valley corp.


If I were to run for election would I be putting myself at a serious disadvantage by not bothering with it, or perhaps I'd be gaining ground while the others are still busy wasting time replying to trolls?

dulpit

Deise Vu wrote: »

From glancing at the article the vast majority of the wealth is the pension that they award themselves.Given how low annuity rates are these days and I think a TD only needs two terms to be 'entitled' to an income for life, I am surprised that the wealth figures aren't much higher.

This is despite the fact that, realising the pensions we award ourselves in this country are not sustainable the Govt has already taken steps to limiting Public Service pensions (for new entrants of course) and private sector workers have to work until 68 now (which is a cut of about 20% based on average life expectancy).

If nothing else the article highlights the hypocrisy of TDs in relation to the pension issue. Not that I expect people will care. When it comes to pensions people's eyes just glaze over. Happy days for the TDs, this won't even be a 24 hour wonder.

The pension issue is a non-issue though. Think about it - if you decided to run for Dáil, were elected for 2 terms and then walked away or lost seat. You've theoretically lost 10 years of your main career, which could make it very hard to (a) get back into the career you had and (b) get back to decent earnings.

We have 2 choices:

1. Only have rich people run for Dáil
2. Renumerate our politicians for the work they do, including pensions/etc.

dulpit

Ubbquittious wrote: »

I wonder is it feasible to be a politician and not go on twitter?

In this day and age it's almost a must-have. The only things worse than not having a twitter is having one, but having it publish from Facebook..

Mackerel and Avocado Sandwich

I have worked closely with TDs in the past. They’re pretty much working every waking moment. The compensation isn’t all that for what they do. Most of us wouldn’t touch the job with a barge pole but that’s why only certain types get into politics.

Franz Von Peppercorn

Pugzilla wrote: »

Maybe you should move to North Korea if you want everyone to be paid the same.

Maybe the point is that TDS are hardly that representative.

Franz Von Peppercorn

Hitman3000 wrote: »

Most of those mentioned are millionaires solely by virtue of the non funded pension they will receive.

But so many posters told us they were all entrepreneurs. And to go to North Korea.

Franz Von Peppercorn

mariaalice wrote: »

Its divided between those with a mental health issue.

Believers in conspiracy theories.

General contrarians and cranks.

And a certain amount of sour nasty individuals.

It's not representative of the general population

Social media is probably more representative than here.

Deise Vu

dulpit wrote: »

The pension issue is a non-issue though. Think about it - if you decided to run for Dáil, were elected for 2 terms and then walked away or lost seat. You've theoretically lost 10 years of your main career, which could make it very hard to (a) get back into the career you had and (b) get back to decent earnings.

We have 2 choices:

1. Only have rich people run for Dáil
2. Renumerate our politicians for the work they do, including pensions/etc.

Firstly, a huge chunk of our TDs are teachers on leave or self employed or professional people. I don't think the Healy-Raes will go hungry nor Alan Shatter, nor Michael McDowell etc etc. If you think 10 years in the corridors of power isn't something that can be leveraged into advancing your career, you mustn't read the papers.

One question that has always bothered me about the Teacher TDs who selflessly keep themselves on the Dept of Education payroll in order to preserves teacher levels at their old school (Michéal Martin's explanation) is, do they claim a teachers pension when they retire too? There was zero chance four or five years ago that Enda and Michéal were ever going to go back teaching, yet they were still on leave of absence from their schools. I wonder why?