Indo - "There is no cost of living crisis for majority of people in Ireland says IBEC CEO"

Because maybe the facts support the proposition that there is no cost of living crisis for majority of people in Ireland and targeting supports for those who actually need them is a better, more just and more cost effective use of public money.

You will, of course, be keenly aware that the administration charges for such egalitarian tosh can often cost a lot more than treating every citizen equally would? But hey! the costs to the taxpayer of depriving them of such small bounties is rarely, if ever, factored into governmental thinking.
 
She should have done a McCoy on it and just pulled figures out of thin air?
Is that useful?
No.
The at risk of poverty rate is a household with an income below 60% of median income. It doesn't take into account the fact that retired households generally have considerable wealth and aren't paying a mortgage, rent or childcare. It's a really stupid way of identifying who needs financial support and who doesn't. If she takes it seriously as an indication of anything real then that's a good indication that she shouldn't be taken seriously.
How many middle income households with a mortgage or rent have savings to eat into? What that's really saying is that without handouts from the State more old people would have to spend a bit of their children's inheritance. Good. More of that please. Children are far more likely to live in real poverty than pensioners (mainly due to social issues faced by their parent) so I'd rather see the money spent helping them.
 
And, if the cost of living crisis isn't over, then why did they stop?
The cost?
Shift to more targeted measures?

Whether you want to call it a crisis or not, it is clear there is a major issue affecting significant numbers of people.
This is supported by real data from multiple sources.
As opposed to the waffle of someone who doesn't have a clue what they are talking about and demonstrates this by pulling figures out of thin air.
 
It would be far more efficient to let them help themselves by keeping more of their own money.
 
You will, of course, be keenly aware that such egalitarian tosh costs much more to administer than treating every citizen equally would?
Yea, I'd rather live in a country where equality of opportunity was the objective rather than equality of outcome. I don't think we should cast aside that aspiration because the State (meaning the employees of the State who work in the Public Sector) are incapable or unwilling to do their jobs properly.
 
Whether you want to call it a crisis or not, it is clear there is a major issue affecting significant numbers of people.
This is supported by real data from multiple sources.


So be a darling and remind me of the halcyon days when there wasn't some sort of crisis affecting significant numbers of people? Because I must have slept right through that happy time.
 
It's never about equality of opportunity nor equality of outcome but keeping the voters happy.
 
The period from 1997 to about 2005 was in retrospect a fantastic time. It was a pity they mismanaged the public finances and economy from then on.

Ah yes, the McCreevy years.

I recall Charlie McCreevy, when he took over as Minister for Finance in 1997, praising his predecessor Ruairi Quinn for handing over an economy in excellent shape. Sadly, Charlie was sent to Brussels by Bertie in late 2004, mainly because he was being too prudent. That's when the problems began.
 
"A new ‘Signed Article’ by Central Bank of Ireland researchers examined Irish household savings trends. It found that since 2023 80pc of Irish households are in a position to save, with average weekly incomes that run ahead of average weekly spend."

 
Looks like the cost of living "crisis" effects up to 20% of the population. Who knew?
Of that 20% those who are retired and who have substantial savings or assets should, for obvious reasons, be removed from the data group.
Those who are comfortable but just about live within their means should also be removed.

Are we talking about 10-15% of the population?
 
One point to remember is that the number of households is not the same as the population.

From the CSO:
After adjustments for seasonal patterns, Irish household consumption and incomes both rose in Q4 2024, and the faster rise in consumption led to a lower saving rate during that time...
While Irish households returned to the same levels of saving before the COVID-19 pandemic, households in many other European countries are now saving a higher proportion of their income than before the pandemic...
So while Irish households used to be above the Euro area rate, they are now below it.


So there's been a significant negative shift in saving patterns here compared to our EU peers.

 
List of crisis;
Cost of living crisis.
Healthcare recruitment and retention crisis.
Teaching recruitment and retention crisis.
Housing crisis.
Rental cost crisis.
...add as appropriate.

I always wonder what would the metrics be for an end to the housing crisis.
 
I always wonder what would the metrics be for an end to the housing crisis.

Residential rents at half the current market level.

House prices at maybe 4x-5x typical borrowers incomes.

New apts for sale in cities at prices similar to prices in the UK. i.e. 80 sqm 2-bedroom apt within the M50 for 300k new.
 
So there's been a significant negative shift in saving patterns here compared to our EU peers.
I wouldn't call it significant but that notwithstanding being able to save less doesn't mean your household is experiencing a cost of living crisis, it means that it has less of a surplus.
 
I always wonder what would the metrics be for an end to the housing crisis.

Renst for a detached house to fall from 4,500 to below the rents in Lux, Paris, Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Berne, Munich.

The rent in Brussels is 2,550. Maybe 3,000 would be more reasonable here, although I still think 3k is high.





Rents for a 2-bedroom apt in a city should be 2,000 max, more like 1,600.

Basically, rents in Ireland should be below the levels in very rich cities, and below the levels in world-level cities.
 
Sinn Fein getting into power.

Mary Lou did actually call it at the average house in Dublin to be 300k.

She then backtracked to say she ment under affordable housing scheme.

It was covered in an IT Politics podcast interview and they were surprised but somewhat respected she put a number on it. I think they had confirmed in the interview what she ment.