Does anybody find it a bit weird that Gerry Ryan, Marian Finucane and Joe Duffy are all on a day off on the day that their salaries are made public (http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1400351&issue_id=12509 - registration required )
RTE presenters earnings
- Thread starter biggerry
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z107
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Re: RTE presenters' earnings
From that site:
This is a disgrace. What a waste of public money.
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From that site:
This is a disgrace. What a waste of public money.
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Re: RTE presenters' earnings
How much would you suggest would be a fair rate for the cabinet (bearing in mind the kind of rates that smart people can earn in law, or finance or similar? And let's not kid ourselves - love em or hate em - most of the cabinet are smart people (Minister for Transport excluded of course).umop3p!sdn said:
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z107
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There are also many smart people doing all kinds of work which is low paying. Teachers, nurses, people starting companies etc, etc... Being smart doesn't always correlate to high wages.
A person who works as a TD should probably be on the national average industrial wage. This would ensure a fair and reasonably balanced approach when governing the country. We all know about the corrupting influence of money.
If TDs were on this wage, they would enter into politics because of a passion, instead of a thirst for monetary gain.
Another reason I believe wages should be set a this level is because these people are being paid out of our taxes! - They are not directly generating wealth, but are living off the fat of the land.
(I don't even want to be governed by these people. How about €0? - although this is for another thread)
True - but the corollory generally is true. There are few people earning high wages who are not actually smart. If you want to attract smart people, you're going to have to pay an attractive salary. I'm not suggesting that 'smart' is the only criteria for selecting the cabinet, but it should certainly be a minimum entry criteria.umop3p!sdn said:
Interesting point of view. Joe Higgins of the Socialist Party and the Sinn Fein TD's operate this system, whereby they take the national industrial wage for themselves and pay over the rest to party funds. I presume then you are keen to attract more extreme left and parties with links to private armies to the Dail? I guess the old adage of 'be careful what you wish for' applies.umop3p!sdn said:
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Geegee
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Here! Here! umop3p!sdn, They should be paid the average industrial wage not wages on a level with captains of industry, who don't happen to get a full pension after three years service and are not totally protected from any personal loss. Politics is supposed to be a vocation not an opportunity for avarice.
As for RTE presenters, their salaries should be linked to civil service rates. Whare on earth did their rates of pay get dreamt up from? Where else could they get this sort of windfall? Their salaries/contracts are nothing short of obscene and paid for by licence fee payers. I get incensed when any of these people discuss consumer issues such as "Rip offs" - The gall of them! They are perpetrating the biggest rip off of all. Money for old rope, I say.
As for RTE presenters, their salaries should be linked to civil service rates. Whare on earth did their rates of pay get dreamt up from? Where else could they get this sort of windfall? Their salaries/contracts are nothing short of obscene and paid for by licence fee payers. I get incensed when any of these people discuss consumer issues such as "Rip offs" - The gall of them! They are perpetrating the biggest rip off of all. Money for old rope, I say.
All RTE staff including presenters should be on a salary scale similar to those in the public service. If these high profile? presenters can land a lucrative contract from a another TV or radio station not funded by licence payers then good luck to them. RTE should be trying to encourage new talent onto TV and radio rather than paying through the nose for the usual suspects.
As for the politicians, I think there are too many of them, I reckon there should be half as many but they should be paid 2 or 3 times as much, should not be permitted to hold other employment or run a business while a TD, but a lot more should be expected from them. Many current politicians are barely competent. It seems to me that many politicians put themselves first, their friends second, their party third with the country a distant fourth. I like to see more politicians with a genuine interest in improving things and putting the interests of the country first rather than just trying to cling to power at all costs.
As for the politicians, I think there are too many of them, I reckon there should be half as many but they should be paid 2 or 3 times as much, should not be permitted to hold other employment or run a business while a TD, but a lot more should be expected from them. Many current politicians are barely competent. It seems to me that many politicians put themselves first, their friends second, their party third with the country a distant fourth. I like to see more politicians with a genuine interest in improving things and putting the interests of the country first rather than just trying to cling to power at all costs.
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MissRibena
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And wait for this one;
What about the TDs who have their salaries, allowances, expenses etc. while at the same time hold open their old positions in government-paid jobs. For instance, I know of one case where a TD was principal at a country school years ago (as in, more than twenty years ago!!) and doesn't resign his post but is on an extended sabatical or whatever they call it. In the meantime, the primary school has seen umpteen "acting" principals commence the job, only to leave to take a permanent post elsewhere; leaving the school in a state of flux for more than two decades thanks to the TD and the system.
Rebecca
What about the TDs who have their salaries, allowances, expenses etc. while at the same time hold open their old positions in government-paid jobs. For instance, I know of one case where a TD was principal at a country school years ago (as in, more than twenty years ago!!) and doesn't resign his post but is on an extended sabatical or whatever they call it. In the meantime, the primary school has seen umpteen "acting" principals commence the job, only to leave to take a permanent post elsewhere; leaving the school in a state of flux for more than two decades thanks to the TD and the system.
Rebecca
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Geegee
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I remember reading some time back that Ireland has the highest number of public representatives per capita in the world and double what the US has. Do we get added value for this high level of representation? I think not! Better to spend the money on public services rather than representatives.
I actually agree with this, pay peanuts get monkeys (ie the opposition).If you want the best you need to pay the best. You can be sure that Bertie as head of govt. is geting far less than the CEO of AIB etc. this is a crazy situation. I remember when Ray McSharry left Irish politics as he could earn far more in Europe and then in the private sector than he ever could in the dail. We need to attract these people and keep them.michaelm said:
Do you know the workload of many politicians? I do and the time that they put in is unbelivable high, it is a 7 day a week job, late hours, meetings after meetings clinics etc. I wouldn't do it myself for any money. Even though I am involved in "THE PARTY" and have canvesed quite a lot.michaelm said:
If this is the case why did you elect them, yes you, everyone has the same vote and power to decide who should be in the dail and in govt. Don't cod yourself I would say that 99.99% of the td's want to do what is right. Everything doesn't go smoodly, there is the permanent govt. to get around in many cases as one thing the civil servents don't want is change particularly those in Govt. departments. Belive it or not much of the goings on in the tv program Yes Minister while made funny etc was/is quite true. Likewise A Very British coup was in its own way accurate.michaelm said:
Indeed. Well I didn't vote for a FF/PD government but I'm sure I got the government I deserved. I must admit the did well getting a comfortable majority of seats on less than 50% of the votes from a turnout of 60 odd percent. I believe that they were elected not on the strength of their manifesto or their track record but rather on the weakness of the opposition facilitated by the apathy of many people who didn't bother to register their vote.jem said:
One thing that really annoys me is the way the main parties can dip their hands into the pockets of taxpayers to fund themselves. It's not just FF but because FF get the most votes the get the most taxpayers money and can run the biggest election machine and it becomes political perpetual motion machine. This cosy consensus was agreed under the smokescreen of the Flood tribunal revelations. At the same time the parties put their cap out to business for funding. Do you think the taxpayer get value from the compulsory funding of established parties? If the party members believe in the party then let them fund it. If anything voting should be compulsory with a 'none of the above' box added. End of rant.
Crikey !
It a good job you lot dont like to keep to the initial topic
In case anyone cant remember it was
"Does anybody find it a bit weird that Gerry Ryan, Marian Finucane and Joe Duffy are all on a day off on the day that their salaries are made public"
They have all been around for so long it cant be long before they will need sheltered accommodation. Maybe they took the day off to go looking ?
It a good job you lot dont like to keep to the initial topic
In case anyone cant remember it was
"Does anybody find it a bit weird that Gerry Ryan, Marian Finucane and Joe Duffy are all on a day off on the day that their salaries are made public"
They have all been around for so long it cant be long before they will need sheltered accommodation. Maybe they took the day off to go looking ?
So let me get this straight michaelm, you don't want the political parties to be funded by business donations and you don't want them to be funded by the taxpayer either.
You do want them to be funded by their members only.
I must conclude then that you wish to see politics become the reserve of the very rich who can not only sustain the very expensive business of being a TD but also fund their party and the massive expense of running elections.
It's an interesting idea and much like the house of commons functioned a couple of hundred years ago but since I think that government should be (and I quote) "of the people, by the people and for the people" for me it follows that it should also be funded by the people in order to remove the influence that big business and other interest groups have.
It's good to see people with well thought out strong views on how the system should work though so good luck with it if you decide to launch a national campaign.
You do want them to be funded by their members only.
I must conclude then that you wish to see politics become the reserve of the very rich who can not only sustain the very expensive business of being a TD but also fund their party and the massive expense of running elections.
It's an interesting idea and much like the house of commons functioned a couple of hundred years ago but since I think that government should be (and I quote) "of the people, by the people and for the people" for me it follows that it should also be funded by the people in order to remove the influence that big business and other interest groups have.
It's good to see people with well thought out strong views on how the system should work though so good luck with it if you decide to launch a national campaign.
I agree that the pensions benefits for our politicians are excessive and that the holding open of public service positions, particularly teaching posts, is very damaging for schools. But the idea of paying cabinet ministers the average industrial wage is ludicrous.
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z107
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RainyDay said:
Why?
What's so special about them?