From a CO in Dept of Education and Science, you might find it interesting

NOTE: The CO is a post 1995 recruit (6.5% pension contribution)

"I am writing to express my outrage at the Pensions Levy this Government proposes to impose on civil and public servants.

I would like to point out the following information:

-The 2nd Benchmarking Report in 2008 resulted in 300,000 public servants and 100,000 retired public servants receiving a pay award of 0%. This report stated a discount of up to 12.5% was applied because of pension entitlement.

-Because this was not highlighted by the Trade Union movement at the time, the way was left open for the savage attack on our take-home pay which is now being proposed by the Government.

-The failure by Trade Union leaders to state at every opportunity that public servants pay 6.5% of their salary for pension in addition to the 12.5% above, created the impression in the public mind that Public Servants did not pay anything for their pension.

-Benchmarking has been shamefully described as the ATM for Public Servants. The first Benchmarking Report in 2002 was welcomed by IBEC who said at the time Benchmarking has brought reality into Public Service pay and has stopped leapfrogging and relativities.

-This same Benchmarking process replaced our traditional pay review mechanism.

-The Rolls Royce Public Service pensions referred to by Turlough O’Sullivan is as follows:

Public Service retire on pension of ¤500 per week after 40 Years service does not get the State Pension of ¤230 per week. Thus the real additional benefit of the Rolls Royce, after working for 40 years, is €270 per week, NOT €500. Out of this, the pensioner pays VHI, including the levy of €128, and the new 1% income levy (equivalent to €400 per annum).

-The separation of the link between Public Service pay and pensions, evident again in this proposed levy, must be stopped.

-We as public servants are prepared to take some of the pain of this recession, on an equitable basis, even though we did not receive the gain of the private sector during the Celtic Tiger – large bonuses, company cars, expenses.

-Many public servants are on temporary contracts. This is not secure employment.

-It is offensive to Public Servants that the private sector is referred to as the real economy by Turlough OSullivan. The public sector economy is very real to people who are in hospital, children in schools

and people who are rescued by firefighters.

-Unlike a possible pay cut, the proposed pension levy will not be reversed when the economy picks up.

This information must be put into the public domain. We refuse to accept this unfair levy. We demand that our trade union leaders, who are not affected by this levy as they have private, non-contributory pensions, fight this on our behalf. We demand that our elected public representatives stop this Unfair treatment and concerted media campaign against public servants, And represent us equally and fairly as the hard-working, honest, Tax-paying citizens that we are.

Please copy and email to everybody you know, TODAY, especially your elected representatives, newspapers, television stations and your union head office. We must act quickly. Remember that ICTU entered the discussions with the Government on the basis that there will be tax increases. These will follow, and we will be hit again, to pay for a problem that we did not create."

Hope you were all watching the expenses related item on the Week in Politics programme last night, for those who missed it goes like this;

€63 a day travelling expenses if you have the misfortune to only live within 15 miles of the Dáil, if you live outside you can claim this allowance, or, milage allowances, along with a €140 overnight allowance

Perhaps you would like to call them on their mobiles....

TDs also get their mobile phones paid for in full, including the installation of any car kits or additional hardware. They also then get €250 every six months to cover insurance, maintenance or miscellaneous expenses connected with the mobile.

If its their office you would like to call...

All members are entitled to almost €40,000 to cover the cost of their secretarial staff both in Leinster House and in their constituency offices.

It is a common enough phenomenon for members to employ members of their families on their staff.

Perhaps writing/faxing would be a better option....

Other bonuses include office equipment and stationery, a free parking space in Leinster House and free postage of 21,000 envelopes a year.

If perhaps you would arrrange for a meeting with your local T.D., im sure he/she will not mind buying you a cup of coffee...

all that TDs get an additional €5,482 in "miscellaneous expenses" to cover the running of their clinics and advertising.

Anybody have a calulator.....

An analysis of expense claims for the first 10 months of last year shows that TDs claimed a whopping €6.5m, when the Dail sat for just 68 days. That works out at €95,588 for every day the Dail was in session.

If you feel like leaving the country after reading the above, when at the airport you might bump into....

Some 115 of the public representatives bagged junkets to destinations including Australia, Washington, India, Egypt, Mexico and even Kazakhstan.

And finally my all time favourite;

Government Ministers are also entitled to "walking around money". The €240-a-week is paid to reimburse them for money spent acting as a Minister.

The special tax-free expense was not reduced when Ministers agreed to a 10pc pay cut in the October budget.

Please feel free to avail of the e-mail address's of those T.D.'s who you feel might understand the following "We" "Ordinary People" and "Fairness".