By John Moynes
It’s nice to know that we still have some heroes left. At least some politicians are prepared to stand up for what’s right, regardless of what people think. Regardless of how it will affect their careers. Regardless of what the word “right” used to mean.
Take Jim McDaid. He’s not afraid to go against the flow, whether in politics or on a motorway. Despite these lilly-livered TDs giving up the ministerial pensions, Jim’s holding on. He says it’s a matter of principle. He’s bravely, selflessly, brainlessly continuing to pocket €22,487 a year, in order to prevent corruption.
Compared to the billions which we, thanks in part to Deputy McDaid, are pouring into NAMA, his pension barely exists
According to Jim, who is forced to survive on just €98,424 as a TD, plus whatever he draws in as a practising GP, the extra €450 a fortnight “isn’t much.” But he has to take it, because if “we are reacting to this mob-type frenzy now, it will continue until we are brought down to a basic level and that will result in only the very wealthy entering political office.”
Which would be far worse than the current situation, which results in only the very wealthy leaving office.
Dr Jim is probably right to feel that his pension, which on it’s own is more than people on the dole are expected to live on, is only a drop in the ocean. Compared to the billions which we, thanks in part to Deputy McDaid, are pouring into NAMA, his pension barely exists at all. And nobody could seriously argue that twenty two grand either way will make a difference to the fine financial mess we’ve gotten ourselves into.
But unfortunately, this money does matter. It matters because it helps to explain why the government can’t cut a deal with the unions. We all know that belts need to be tightened. We may not be happy about having to this to save the country from an insane gambling spree that spilled out of the Fianna Fáil tent in Galway, but we know it has to be done. We’re all in the same boat.
Sharing the blame
Except that it’s a big boat, and there’s a big difference between steerage and first class. If you’re on the bottom of the civil service pay grade you take a proportionately larger paycut than the people at the top of your department. Even though they were directly involved in the decisions that broke the country. Though I suppose those decisions couldn’t have been implemented unless the people at the bottom of the public sector photocopied all the minutes, put them in envelopes, and sent them back to be signed off by the people whose pay we can’t touch.
And every time we come across one of these pay and pension scandals, whether in the Dáil, the top of the civil service, or the top of the banks, we look to Brian Cowen to see what he will do. Unlike Jim McDaid, Cowen is no hero. He just shrugs and mutters that he’d like to help, but, you know, there’s a law that stops him. If only poor old Brian had some way of changing the law. Maybe he should write to his local TD, and see if he can help.
John Moynes is a broadcaster, journalist and a stand-up comedian.
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