Simple ways gov could save money

BoJack Horseman

L1011 wrote: »

Middle to senior IT roles would be my area. Most of the pay scales max out at about 75k for roles that would be pulling solid six figures (and share options in a listed US firm). Starting points on them are even lower.

How did Bertie's benchmarking scheme miss out on this?
And why are these public servants not thronging to the private sector, leaving the PS gasping for talent?

Charles Babbage

BoJack Horseman wrote: »

How did Bertie's benchmarking scheme miss out on this?

You know very well that Bertie's "benchmarking" was not based on such comparisons.

L1011

BoJack Horseman wrote: »

How did Bertie's benchmarking scheme miss out on this?
And why are these public servants not thronging to the private sector, leaving the PS gasping for talent?

That's not how benchmarking worked; and they are.

Benchmarking ended years ago, anyway. IT salaries haven't stopped increasing.

GaryTLynch

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

So TDs from furthest away locations should be penalised ?

Why don't you just cut the salaries based on location.

Dublin TDs are paid less cos they incur less cost in traveling to Dail Eireann.

And pay Kerry or Donegal TDs more as their cost is higher.

So in the world outside of politics, would you consider it fair to base an employee's salary on their location? Should those who live further away be on a higher grade than those who live nearer? The point I'm making is that TDs are paid very handsomely and they can more than afford to cover their day to day expenses on that alone. Nobody forced them to run for election or accept the post. Travelling to and from work is a fact of life and one has to bear the costs of what that entails. I don't expect my employer to cover the cost of my travel because they already pay me (and it's a Hell of a lot less than any TD's salary). The thread is about simple ways to save money, it seems like a reasonable assumption that cutting expenses would save a substantial sum. However, as I pointed out in my original post, it'll never happen. It would be akin to the turkeys voting for Christmas.

GaryTLynch

GaryTLynch wrote: »

So in the world outside of politics, would you consider it fair to base an employee's salary on their location? Should those who live further away be on a higher grade than those who live nearer? The point I'm making is that TDs are paid very handsomely and they can more than afford to cover their day to day expenses on that alone. Nobody forced them to run for election or accept the post. Travelling to and from work is a fact of life and one has to bear the costs of what that entails. I don't expect my employer to cover the cost of my travel because they already pay me (and it's a Hell of a lot less than any TD's salary). The thread is about simple ways to save money, it seems like a reasonable assumption that cutting expenses would save a substantial sum. However, as I pointed out in my original post, it'll never happen. It would be akin to the turkeys voting for Christmas.

What if your employer was based in London, but their requirement was to have someone who was based within 10/15miles of you?

They would be expected to foot the travel bill of course. It's a fairly normal state of affairs.

So long as nobody's abusing the travel expenses, I can't see any other reasonable way of doing it.

RainyDay

GaryTLynch wrote: »

So in the world outside of politics, would you consider it fair to base an employee's salary on their location? Should those who live further away be on a higher grade than those who live nearer? The point I'm making is that TDs are paid very handsomely and they can more than afford to cover their day to day expenses on that alone. Nobody forced them to run for election or accept the post. Travelling to and from work is a fact of life and one has to bear the costs of what that entails. I don't expect my employer to cover the cost of my travel because they already pay me (and it's a Hell of a lot less than any TD's salary). The thread is about simple ways to save money, it seems like a reasonable assumption that cutting expenses would save a substantial sum. However, as I pointed out in my original post, it'll never happen. It would be akin to the turkeys voting for Christmas.

So a well-paid sales rep should cover their own travel costs too, then I guess, by your logic?

The nature of the job for a rural TD is that they need to be in Dublin 3-4 days a week and back home 3-4 days a week. It is reasonable that they are paid reasonable expenses for this travel.

It is NOT reasonable that Sean Barratt's driver was paid expenses to travel from Wexford to start his work in Killiney.

http://www.kenfoxe.com/2016/03/ex-ceann-comhairle-sean-barrett-approved-e11k-in-overnight-expenses-for-driver-to-travel-to-dublin-to-bring-him-on-short-commute-from-killiney-to-leinster-house/

RainyDay

RainyDay wrote: »

So a well-paid sales rep should cover their own travel costs too, then I guess, by your logic?

The nature of the job for a rural TD is that they need to be in Dublin 3-4 days a week and back home 3-4 days a week. It is reasonable that they are paid reasonable expenses for this travel.

It is NOT reasonable that Sean Barratt's driver was paid expenses to travel from Wexford to start his work in Killiney.

http://www.kenfoxe.com/2016/03/ex-ceann-comhairle-sean-barrett-approved-e11k-in-overnight-expenses-for-driver-to-travel-to-dublin-to-bring-him-on-short-commute-from-killiney-to-leinster-house/

Wow. Some fairly criminal looking stuff there.:mad:

The Oireachtas would not comment on whether it was economical to bring somebody on a journey of more than 100 kilometres to bring somebody on a short drive to Leinster House.

A spokeswoman said: “All such expenses are paid in accordance with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform regulations.”

A driver for former Ministers Pat Rabbitte and Aodhán O Ríordáin has also paid overnight expenses, even though both of those ministers were based in Dublin.

Kevin Eager received more than €10,000 in just over a year for driving from his home in Co Wicklow, based on the fact that he lived “more than 22.5km from the GPO” and was therefore eligible for an overnight stay.

Regulations obviously need tightening.

The premise behind that privilege is so sound that I can't actually believe that politicians have the gall to abuse the privilege.

There are names there that I would have thought would not be involved. Crazy

Tabnabs

RainyDay wrote: »

The nature of the job for a rural TD is that they need to be in Dublin 3-4 days a week and back home 3-4 days a week. It is reasonable that they are paid reasonable expenses for this travel.

What about a "Dublin TD" living in a rural area? Every ****ing trick in the book!

Yesterday we learned that Senator Katherine Zappone is pulling the same stunt. Her commute from Brittas to Leinster house is a distance of 21k, however she claims it as 25k which entitles her to an annual allowance of €20,795. That’s €15,545 more than the allowance she should receive based on the location of her place of residence.

That’s one hell of a lucrative detour!

Interestingly, Senator Zappone appeared on RTE’s home renovations show Room to Improve last year, where she and her partner renovated a rustic forest dwelling they had recently purchased. Nice to know that the taxpayer effectively footed the bill for that piece of work.

https://bigmacandwhys.wordpress.com/tag/travel-expenses/

GaryTLynch

[Deleted User] wrote: »

So long as nobody's abusing the travel expenses, I can't see any other reasonable way of doing it.

But it's regularly abused, and not just for travel expenses. It's extremely wasteful with little to no accountability in place.

GaryTLynch

RainyDay wrote: »

So a well-paid sales rep should cover their own travel costs too, then I guess, by your logic?

The nature of the job for a rural TD is that they need to be in Dublin 3-4 days a week and back home 3-4 days a week. It is reasonable that they are paid reasonable expenses for this travel.

It is NOT reasonable that Sean Barratt's driver was paid expenses to travel from Wexford to start his work in Killiney.

http://www.kenfoxe.com/2016/03/ex-ceann-comhairle-sean-barrett-approved-e11k-in-overnight-expenses-for-driver-to-travel-to-dublin-to-bring-him-on-short-commute-from-killiney-to-leinster-house/

A travelling sales rep is a very different occupation to that of a TD. They're primary function is to travel in order to sell for their employer, largely on a commission basis.

What irks me with the expenses system is the outright abuse which is largely unaccounted for and even accepted. And not just for travel expenses.

RainyDay

GaryTLynch wrote: »

A travelling sales rep is a very different occupation to that of a TD. They're primary function is to travel in order to sell for their employer, largely on a commission basis.

Yes, it is different in terms of function, but similar in terms of travel, with a job requirement to be away from home for 3-4 days per week.