The Tánaiste says he, the Taoiseach and the general public are not happy with the level of pay to some bankers.

It is after it emerged that six former Anglo executives – now working in the state owned Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC) – are earning in excess of €500,000.

The issue was centre stage in the Dáil again today for the 3rd day running on leaders questions.

It was Mary-Lou McDonald who first raised the issue claiming the banks are refusing to engage with the government on pay.

“Minister for Finance Michael Noonan actually asked Alan Dukes in April last to reduce the pay of these bankers, and Mr. Dukes told him to get lost” she said.

“So you think it’s acceptable – Tánaiste – that a former Fine Gael leader who…continues himself to claim a large Ministerial pension who presides over this bankrupt toxic bank and yet tells the government to get lost” she added.

Gilmore: Not acceptable

Tánaiste Gilmore made it clear that he is not happy with the way things stand.

“I do not think it is acceptable that former executives of Anglo Irish Bank….or former executives of any of the other banks that had to be bailed out with Irish taxpayers’ should be on pensions of over 500,000 a year” he replied.

“Neither do I think that it is acceptable that executives of the current IBRC should be on salaries of that scale; and neither does the Taoiseach think that it is acceptable, and neither does the Minister for Finance” he added.

But Deputy McDonald says something has to be done today and in advance of the December budget.

To which Mr. Gilmore laid the blame on the opposition.

“Fianna Fail approved contracts for those people – we have to find a way of addressing that issue” he said.

“I think it is not insignificant…that although the parliamentary question was asked by the Fianna Fail spokesperson on finance yesterday, it is not insignificant that the leader of Fianna Fail didn’t run with this as his leaders’ questions here today because he’s embarrassed about it” he added.

The Dáil Technical Group also asked the Tánaiste what he is was going to do on the issue of bankers pay, to which he replied “There is political will to deal with this, and that is why the Minister for Finance has undertaken the review of the salaries within all of the banks”.

Finally, Mr. Gilmore assured all that “the days of golden circles in this country is over”.

Perhaps we are moving towards silver triangles instead?