Government calls for wage restraint

Seagull I think you'll find that the €38,000 given to Bertie is in or around the figure often quoted as the average wage.
 

Firstly, there is already an official Taoiseach's residence - the "Steward's House" at Farmleigh, which however Bertie has declined to use.

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Secondly, who needs an official residence when you've friends like Bertie's?
 
on Matt Cooper yesterday one of the guests was explaining how 'they' came to recommend this pay rise. got to do with comparing with outside employment. went on to say that he didn't know who they were actually comparing with as very very few people in outside employment actually earn this kind of money. vast majority in business don't anyway. basically as I see it they were comparing salaries of those people who earn vast amounts but pay little or not tax. couldn't be comparing it with like for like in most industries or employments. one of the biggest jokes is the minister for the Gaeltacht, with a relatively tiny staff, now earns more than the Japanese prime minister. Definitely taking the p out of the taxpayer.
 
Does anyone find the Bert's comments yesterday
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offensive ? I know this is going on and on, but to any person or family on the real poverty line coming up to Christmas this must just take the biscuit. Does the man have an honours degree in Bushisms or what !
 
I think Bertie looks like good value when you consider Stan the apprentice football manager was on €450k per annum.
 
The average industrial wage is somewhere in the mid 30k bracket-I remeber some commentator stating that bertie's pay hike exceeded the av industrial wage. Had to laugh when bertie put on the poor mouth yesterday talking about yachts and cups of tea..it's a great shame the pay rise wasn't awarded prior to the election...

daithi
 
It's the fact that Bertie has enjoyed a 130% pay rise since taking office that really gets me. Who else, in the private or public sector, without having accepted new roles/change in job circumstances, can boast a percentage rise like this?

I heard some commentator saying that given that we all know he will not be taoiseach come next election, we are now seeing the real Bertie - prepare for further arrogance and offensive justification for all sorts of decisions/stances!
 
I think Bertie looks like good value when you consider Stan the apprentice football manager was on €450k per annum.
I am not paying for Stan's paycheque so I don't care what sort of value he is. I only care about the guys who's salary I am working to pay.
 
I am not paying for Stan's paycheque so I don't care what sort of value he is. I only care about the guys who's salary I am working to pay.

Fair enough then you weren't comparing Bertie to other leaders in the pay scales as other posters have been.
 
I think Bertie looks like good value when you consider Stan the apprentice football manager was on €450k per annum.

Stan got fired for being incompetent, but other than that your comparison between the two gents looks good alright.
 
its only right that the TEAseach should pay for the odd cuppa anyway. lot of cuppas in €38,000 though.
 
I saw on the front page of one of today's papers in the shop that Sarkozy has come out and said that Bertie was talking rubbish about him having a yacht and so on. He can't have been too happy about claims like this coming out in the middle of their Transport strike!