Sir, – Reports that public servants who struggled through the pandemic (not yet over) should be rewarded with an additional one off payment or additional leave are difficult to understand.
It has clearly been forgotten that this cohort not only held on to their jobs through this upheaval but did not suffer pay cuts/short time/or have the worry of an uncertain future unlike so many in the private sector.
The current spending spree by the Government will be brought to a halt one way or the other! – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL GILMARTIN,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – I note that there is growing alarm within the Government over the potential cost of extra pay or leave for public sector workers as a reward for their services during the pandemic. I am of the view that rewards such as these border on moral hazard.
Who qualifies for these rewards and where is the line drawn between those who receive them and those who don’t? After all, public servants already enjoy a myriad of benefits attached to being employed by the State.
What about the countless thousands of people who, during the pandemic, lost their jobs and businesses and had to survive on the assistance offered by the State.
Offering benefits to certain cohorts of workers (no matter how deserving) will only cause rancour and bitterness among those who will not receive any reward. – Yours, etc,
SEAN FLEMING,
Ballycotton,
Co Cork.
Sir, – As a health worker just doing my job and participating at the “frontline” of the pandemic, please spend my “pandemic bonus/dividend” on improving our crumbling hospital infrastructure which was not fit for purpose during the pandemic and contributed to hospital transmission of the virus to patients and healthcare workers.
It would be a more appropriate use of taxpayers’ money.
– Yours, etc,
Dr MICHAEL O’MAHONY,
Consultant respiratory
physician,
Oughterard,
Co Galway.
A chara, – I couldn’t agree more with the letters published yesterday on this subject.
The notion that one of the most indebted nations (per capita) in Europe would now spend an additional €500 million (minimum) rewarding certain sectors in society “for their efforts” during the pandemic is ludicrous in the extreme.
There is no such thing as free money. We, along with our children and our grandchildren will pay for the pandemic for decades to come.
So let’s not add to our own woes. Let’s stop this nonsense now before it gets traction.
Every union worth their salt will have the bowl out for their members: teachers, nurses, dockers, etc.
Talk of rewarding those who “donned the green jersey” is divisive. The time to don the green jersey is now! Let’s get back to work as a collective and put this nightmare behind us as quickly as possible.
If the Government wants to spend our money, might I suggest a scheme similar to that in Northern Ireland where every adult citizen applies for a €100 voucher to spend locally?
– Yours, etc,
SEÁN O’TOOLE,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 14.
Sir, – A new bank holiday? St Brigid’s Day
– Yours, etc,
TIM HEALY,
Bray,
Co Wicklow.