Shame of leaders refusing to share the pain

The Government has totally lost face in the latest debacle to develop as the effort goes on to sort out the state"s finances...And this time, it"s not just Government party members, but many TDs from across party lines, that are to blame.Brian Lenihan"s budget announcement that TDs who have in the past held ministerial positions would no longer collect a pension for that while still sitting as a TD, and that long service payments for sitting TDs would be axed, seemed like sensible - and long overdue - pronouncements.Most people clearly believed that these measures - like the hikes in levies on workers generaly - meant from the start of May, even if those words weren"t used.And as people listened to the list of 'hits' coming their way, there was some gratification that while we were to feel 'pain', we"d be sharing that pain with people who are already better paid than most of us - whether public or private sector - and who could readily do without the whopping great pension that came with/alongside/on top of their salaries. Especially bearing in mind that so many private sector workers know that whatever pension pots they had a year ago have now more or less shrivelled to virtually nothing.That"s why it was truly incredible to watch as a number of TDs began wriggling and writhing, and then openly declaring that they would not surrender their pensions and long service payments - and that no-one could make them.'But this can"t be right!' we thought. 'Brian Lenihan said....'It turns out that Brian Lenihan has had to come out and qualify his budget announcement, saying that 'future' TDs will be bound by these rules, and it"s emerged that it will require legislation to change the rules.Shamefully, to date, just a handful have said they will give up their ministerial pensions - and fair play to him: Bertie Ahern is among them, despite the fact that he stands to lose more than any other sitting politician. Fair play too to Deputy Mary O"Rourke who had already a while back voluntarily surrendered her pension. But surprisingly, former Labour leader, Ruairí Quinn has said he will not give up his pension payments until legislation requires him to do so, although Labour leader, Eamon Gilmore and Joan Burton have said they are prepared to surrender their pensions. Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny, has, apparently, 'declined to say' if he will voluntarily give up his pension - although he was happy to let us all know some months back about his voluntary 5 per cent pay cut.At a time when public servants have seen their salaries slashed, thanks to the imposition of the five per cent pensions levy; when the recent budget doubled the levies being taken off all workers; doubled the health levy, and made even many low-paid workers liable to pay the 2 per cent levy, the arrogance of those 'legislators' who are happy to see everyone else bear increased pain, while they themselves remain above it, beggars belief.It was always clear that Fianna Fáil was going to get a severe lashing at the polls in the forthcoming local and European elections, but it"s time now that Labour and Fine Gael were called to account as well. If they do truly believe we need to shoulder this burden together, it"s time to do more than stand as the hurler in the ditch.The next time you have a canvasser at your door, ask him or her why those at the top of their parties agree that there has to be pain - but that they shouldn"t have to feel it themselves.