Sir, - There has been some correspondence recently concerning pensions being paid to ex-taoisigh and ex-ministers at the expense of taxpayers. I agree that it appears unjust to see such large sums being paid out to individuals who have served the said taxpayers so badly causing many of them to lose their jobs and all of them to suffer in some way. To add insult to injury many of those receiving these overgenerous pensions are well below the age at which we ordinary citizens become entitled to claim a State pension. Even worse, some are still in full employment in State, semi-State and lucrative EU positions.
Accordingly I suggest that the present Taoiseach introduce a Bill in the Dáil to stop payment of State pensions to anyone under the current approved pension age. If the individual involved is unable to find suitable employment he/she could be paid a jobseeker's allowance, as many of us have been forced to do. While such a proposal might be unpopular in the Dáil, I am sure it would be enthusiastically supported by the electorate - Yours, etc,
Sir, - What is the difference between a nurse who becomes matron, a teacher who becomes headmaster and a TD who becomes Minister? Answer: the TD who becomes Minister gets two pensions. - Yours, etc,