A FAILURE by senior politicians to provide voluntary, constructive leadership at this time of falling living standards and economic emergency is to be deplored. As the Government calls on the general public to exercise discipline and restraint in extremely challenging circumstances, former ministers along with serving members of the Dáil and Seanad of all parties have behaved in a selfish and egregious manner. Their refusal to accept necessary reforms of a system of unvouched expenses and to forgo ministerial pensions while drawing salaries from the Oireachtas or the European Parliament has angered the public and undermined support for the political system.
A number of former ministers did relinquish their pensions in order to give good example. But others refused. Because of that, Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan has prepared legislation that will initially reduce such pensions by 25 per cent and abolish them after the next general election. In addition, a 10 per cent cut in Oireachtas expenses will be introduced, along with a 25 per cent reduction in travel and subsistence allowances for members. Last April, Brian Cowen bowed to public pressure and reduced the number of Ministers of State from 20 to 15. The number of Dáil committees and their special remuneration arrangements were also curtailed. But the issue of teachers on leave of absence accumulating additional pensions while serving as Oireachtas members was not addressed. The disjointed nature of these political responses suggested to the electorate that the pain of the economic downturn was not being fairly shared. And that may have knock-on effects.
Experience in Sweden, some years ago, showed that the public grudgingly accepted higher taxes and lower living standards because everybody was seen to carry a fair share of the burden. At a time when the net financial worth of households in this State has fallen by almost 50 per cent since 2006, good example from those in positions of leadership was desperately required. It has not been forthcoming. When the Oireachtas Commission was asked to contribute its share of the projected €2 billion in public spending cuts at the start of this year, members revised an allowances and expenses system but left the overall cost unchanged. Mr Lenihan has now been forced to do the cutting for them.
The attitude of former ministers and Oireachtas members shows how out-of-touch they have become. Public service can impose onerous obligations. Leading by example is the most important one.