Howlin needs to tackle the high earners at the top of the public service - Kelly

A Wexford Councillor has called on Minister Howlin to tackle over pay in the upper echelons of the civil and public sector.  Cllr Anthony Kelly said that the government needed to stop scape-goating ordinary civil servants and instead take real and effective action in capping the abundant pay and exuberant pensions of senior managers and office holders.

Cllr Kelly said;

"The so called Croke Park 2 negotiations offer the government a real opportunity to tackle the over pay in the upper echelons of the civil and public sector.  The people of this country have been disturbed and enraged at the exuberant salaries taken by these elitists for many years now.  Their legitimate concerns have gone unheeded as time and time again senior Ministers have protected the very highest public earners in this state while allowing crude attacks upon low level civil servants and front line staff in the national media."

"Recently Minister Brendan Howlin, who has a remit to reform our broken public service system, said that he had real regrets over the government's failure to tax the wealthy.  However it is Minister Howlin who has protected the highest earners in senior management across the public service.  He has ensured that they continue to receive remuneration far in excess of their European counterparts."

"These negotiations offer Minister Howlin and his government an opportunity to finally reform the system and tackle the inequity in public service pay.  It's time that Labour went back to their roots and took a stand for ordinary workers instead of allowing themselves to be used as a protective shield by the upper elite of the public service."