So that's it, you simply cannot read basic English. see exclamation marks.

No one is calling for one group to take the reductions, everyone realises we all will probably have to. But the facts remain, those who will almost certainly have to do so, will be those who's employers are facing a shortfall in revenues, and with certaintyl, those whos employers are losing money.

That applies to ALL, both private and public sector....

So, level tax changes at all and leave it at that ? You keep saying this as if it is the solution to all our woes, it is not, and it has significant drawbacks if it is implemented as such. Imposing taxes does not drive down costs, and this needs to be done across all sectors. If we follow that model across the private sector, then companies losing revenue, should charge more for their services. See how long that'll last....

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The greens..... "Got a problem ? There's a tax for that!!"

You are the one that spends your entire existance advocating that PS workers must have huge cuts in pay etc etc. I have stated that in the face of the crisis we all, we all, must share the pain equally. The best way to do that is to have a faif and priogressive tax on all income in place,
Regarding spending, we will spend what we have in pursuit of a society that is fair and balanced. Funny I never once saw a post from you attacking those at present who are still taking huge salaries or the likes of Fingleton who has walked away with a €28 million pension. Strange that.

Not really, I'd need to know more about labour market structures in other countries. It may that our workforce as a whole has a higher proportion of lower-skilled, lower-paid workers than other EU states. Or our public sector has a higher proportion of higher-skilled, higher-paid workers.

Alternatively, you could consider the difference between Finnish and Irish teachers. Adjusted for cost of living, Finnish teachers earn more per hour, but work fewer hours, so overall they're lower paid jobs, and plenty of them. You'd see a significant wage disparity between Finnish and Irish teachers, and probably in the local disparities between teachers and private-sector averages, but it's plainly not without justification.

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Nothing will motivate the lazy / apathetic / Americanised / west-British types to embrace their culture and the Irish language.

Many private workers had to take “voluntary” pay cut. Now they have to pay increased taxes in order to keep number of PS workers constant. Why not to reduce number of PS workers, around 20% of administrative/clerical/management staff can fired without significant downgrading of public services.
I think that it will more fair to keep numbers of PS workers in relation with number of people on dole. 7% from private sector on dole, the same number must be fired from public services.

You obviously spend your time with wexford behind the bike shed too. Jaysus wept.

That is simply ridiculous.

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Voters don't decide issues, they decide who will decide issues.

George Will

Why is the lack of free services reflected only in public sector pay?

Do private sector workers not suffer equally from low quality service provision?

One Hopi does not a trend make.

All incomes are being reduced.

See the data here if you're interested in some reality.

A progressive tax system will not make up the gap between spending and revenue.

We're talking a 30 billion shortfall this year. If this was to be made up in extra taxation from the those earning over 100k (i.e the top 6%), it would require an average contribution from them of 250k!

Leanest? By virtue of that doctored OECD report?

Cmon, anyone who has lived in another developed European country knows that Irish public services are of low quality.

Where have I advocated huge paycuts ?
Pay cuts yes, byut care to mention where i have said or indicated huge paycuts, please do point it out, I will be the first to calrify it, I would hate to have something like that levelled against me .

The cost of the delivery of the service, must be in line with the employers ability to pay. How those costs are implemented would range across job cuts, overtime reductions, pay cuts etc etc.

And you keep stating it, and conveniently ignore the elephant in the room, which is the cost of delivery of services must also come down. Part of that is a factor of wage costs, public and private, they must come down.

Employers are struggling because revenue is down and costs need to come down also. Increasing taxes does not adress it.

Do you agree that employers in reposnse to declining revenues should simply increase thier charges ? PLease answer that one question.

Not really, first off, you prob need spread your wings outside of ps related posts, I do (the odd time ). Secondly, I dont bank at INBS, if I did I would take my business elswhere, at least I have some level of control here, unlike where my taxes are spent

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The greens..... "Got a problem ? There's a tax for that!!"

Your arguments are falling asunder for one simple reason, you set out on this road to scapegoat and not to seek logiocal and fair answers to our plight. You reject the idea that many are not having thier incomes reduced by dismissing the fact. And the fact remains that sharing the burden is best achieved by the introduction of a fair and progressive tax system that particularly taxes adequately high end income. Spending will fall in line with wealth generated, but that too must be spread and tailored so as to avoid unfairness and getthos of people living on scraps, hardly what you would want I assume. The bottom line is that ythe wealth that we generate must be fairly distributed in this recession if we are to avoid a total breakdown.