Howlin merely “paying lip service” over Boucher’s Super Wage

Wexford Sinn Fein has condemned both the Bank of Ireland and the Government after revelations of the outrageous salary received by Bank Chief Ritchie Boucher. Cllr Anthony Kelly described local government TD’s condemnation remarks on the hugely controversial issue as merely “paying lip service” to the Irish tax payer. The Wexford Borough Councillor was particularly critical of Minister for Public Reform Brendan Howlin's refusal to accept any responsibility for the issue.

Cllr Kelly said;

“Minister Howlin should have intervened earlier and insisted that Bank of Ireland and Richie Boucher comply with the Government cap on bank official’s salaries. The Governments acceptance of this unacceptable salary and remunerations is a direct slap in the face to the public. It is entirely unacceptable to allow tax payers money to be abused at a time when the majority of Irish citizens are expected to live under austerity measures imposed by this Government.”

“Brendan Howlin is the Minister in charge of imposing wage caps on senior civil servants and top level bankers. The Ministers government made a huge fanfare of setting a €500,000 price cap on senior bankers. Mr Boucher’s basic salary exceeds this amount by €123,000. With benefits his package is worth €831,000. This is at a time when the people of this country are being threatened with fines if they refuse to register for the household tax. Once again it is remarkably straightforward to see the two tiered Ireland of haves and not-haves in existence.”

“The Government will attempt to camouflage the turning of a blind eye to Mr Boucher’s payment by blaming this on the last Government. People will remember that it was the Fine Gael and Labour parties that gave a solemn promise to the Irish electorate that these golden handshakes to high ranking bank officials at the expense of the tax payer would never again be tolerated under their watch. For a government TD to say that Mr Boucher’s wages upsets them is merely paying lip service to long forgotten election promises.”