Yes to Jobs! No to elitism.

It has been reported that tensions are mounting within the coalition over the question of caps on salaries for senior civil servants. It seems that a fresh row has erupted over the appointment of a new secretary general at the Department of Finance, a position which is being described as prestigious - see Irish Independent 3/1/2012.

The current Government promised to cap maximum pay levels for higher positions across the public service, but has breached its own guidelines on numerous occasions. The most famous instance involved the Taoiseach himself, when he personally intervened to ensure a higher salary for a political appointee from his own party. Fintan O'Toole's commentary in The Irish Times 6/12/11 reflected a certain public mood on this occasion, as well as raising some highly pertinent issues.

The salary being offered for the position of secretary general at Finance is €200,000 - the same salary that the Taoiseach currently earns. This comes at a time of national crisis and emergency, bourne mainly out of economic mismanagement and greed. Yet it has been noted that Irish politicians and senior civil servants are among the best paid in the world! Is one person's role really worth so much? If so, how come we don't appear to be getting value for our money?

The idea that is being mooted is that, despite all that is being endured under the terms of the ECB/IMF austerity plan, we have no choice but to pay these salaries in order to 'attract the right calibre' of candidates. Nowhere is it spelt out what that calibre is. What individual qualities, skills, training, motivation are being sought? What will Irish people benefit and gain from all of this? Apart, that is, from the 'knowledge' that we have the 'right calibre' of people implementing the decisions handed down to them by those put in charge by the ECB/IMF!

We are even told by the Irish Independent that:

... the pay cap is proving to be a deterrent to attracting the right calibre of person for the job - particularly those candidates living abroad. ... A number of potential overseas applicants have expressed dismay at the fact there is no relocation allowance with the job - a perk that is common in the financial world. The Department of Finance is also refusing to pay the flight or transport costs of those who attend the interview from overseas, which would also be the norm in business recruitment. - ibid

Is this then a reflection on our educational system? Or of a national inferiority complex, perhaps? Are we really so incapable of producing our own problem solvers?

We are interested in hearing from job seekers on this issue. Among the questions that we would like to raise for debate are:

• Should Irish people accept the elitist consensus that is being formulated among some at the upper echelons of our society? 
• Does the forward momentum of our economy and our society really depend upon the cultivation of a highly-paid elite? Persons whose salaries and lifestyles are financed out of the public purse; who may or may not turn out to be our 'saviours', but who always seem quick to take the credit without taking any of the responsibility!
• Are our government and political leaders merely wallowing in the most servile and self-serving justifications, reflective of a moral and spiritual bankruptcy that goes hand in hand with the financial bankruptcy which they are also presiding over?

These are just some views that we are putting out for public debate and consideration. We welcome your own comments.