Howlin's failure to tackle high earners will fall back on most vulnerable - Kelly

Cllr Anthony Kelly has criticised the Minister for Public Reform Brendan Howlin for failing so spectacularly to tackle excessive pay across the upper echelons of the public sector.  The Sinn Féin rep said that Minister Howlin's failure to make the promised €75 million of savings by cutting allowances paid to high earning public servants will now fall back on the most vulnerable members of society in the next budget.

Cllr Kelly said;

"Minister Howlin promised reform of allowances and premium payments which would result in savings of €75 million.  Instead these savings are now only likely to reach about €3.5 million.  Unfortunately it is the most vulnerable members of society; the unemployed, the elderly, the sick and disabled, and the working poor, who will end up paying for the Ministers short fall in the next budget."

"Fine Gael and Labour entered government with a promise of change.  The upper echelons of the public service was to be radically reformed.  There was to be no more wasting of tax payers money on excessive wages and over generous allowances.  That promise of change is now a distant memory for our government TDs."

"Instead of scaremongering the Irish people with threats of cuts to the most disadvantaged in the state in this year's budget, the government needs to immediately get serious and tackle the high earners in the top levels of our public service.  Secretaries’ General, hospital consultants, special advisors and indeed Government Ministers are all in receipt of annual salaries way above and beyond what their European counterparts earn.  An annual saving of €265 million could be generated through the capping of the wages of these high earners."