This debacle over the pensions levy for the public service is yet another fine example of the imcompetence of this Government in even the most basic of communication skills, never mind economic management.
We had the leader of our Country stand up in the Dail and read off a prepared statement on a project that they must have been working on for weeks if not months. He then announces that public sector workers are going to pay 3-10% of their salary and this will save the exchequer €1.4 billion a year. Not only is it extremely poor that the first that the workers involved hear about this is on tv (At least private sector employers in the main have the decency to tell the people involved first) but they then cause panic and allow headlines to be created about the cost of the levy to ordinary public sectors without also announcing that the scheme was open to tax relief. Of course this also meant that the €1.4 billion saving to the public finances was a complete lie. Apparently it is only about €900 million. I am not even going to go into the fairness of someone on a major six figure salary effectively paying the same levy as someone on an ordinary wage.
By the way, this isn't about public sector pay or workers etc so don't drag this thread off topic in light of the ceasefire (great idea mods!). This is just about how are we supposed to get out of this mess with such as a blatantly incompetent Government. And I would also love to meet their media and communications advisors.
We had the leader of our Country stand up in the Dail and read off a prepared statement on a project that they must have been working on for weeks if not months. He then announces that public sector workers are going to pay 3-10% of their salary and this will save the exchequer €1.4 billion a year. Not only is it extremely poor that the first that the workers involved hear about this is on tv (At least private sector employers in the main have the decency to tell the people involved first) but they then cause panic and allow headlines to be created about the cost of the levy to ordinary public sectors without also announcing that the scheme was open to tax relief. Of course this also meant that the €1.4 billion saving to the public finances was a complete lie. Apparently it is only about €900 million. I am not even going to go into the fairness of someone on a major six figure salary effectively paying the same levy as someone on an ordinary wage.
By the way, this isn't about public sector pay or workers etc so don't drag this thread off topic in light of the ceasefire (great idea mods!). This is just about how are we supposed to get out of this mess with such as a blatantly incompetent Government. And I would also love to meet their media and communications advisors.