Consultants earn more than US vice president

As far as I can gather, the US Vice President earns a salary of $198,000, or about €145,000. The main reward of holding that office of course is the honour of serving as second officer in the federal government. Nevertheless, at a certain level, salaries are more a symbol than mere money. For this reason, in the US, all federal salaries are set below that of the president. It is symbolic too that our hospital consultants are rejecting salaries that are some €65,000 higher than that of the US vice president!

Consultants will argue that they are worth more than €200,000.  How much more? What multiple of the average salary do they want? I understand that by international comparisons our consultants are pretty well paid. If that is the case, I would urge Minister Harney to hold the line, and I urge the public to back her. It's our health service, and it's our money.

Ciarán Mac Aonghusa, Churchtown, Dublin 14