Are you for real? But then again who needs publicly funded defence forces, Gardai, Doctors, nurses Teachers etc. I'm sure the private sector will supply all this at a very reasonable, value for money cost to the taxpayer.......NOT!
A perfect example of the kneejerk comments made by some posters!
The reason we are in this state is because of the grossly overpaid, bonus- and target-driven upper echelons of the private, public and political sectors. NOT the PAYE sector, public or private.
And most posters reaction is to throw the toys out of the pram and shout at the top of their voice 'SACK THE WORKERS! They're all lazy b***ards who wouldn't last 2 minutes in the private sector.'
Yes I am for real, what is the value the defence forces bring to us that can not be done with other parts of the existing public service. Escorting money trucks should be done by the police force not the army. Sending troups overseas if we have to borrow for their pay and action is the other thing that needs to go.
I'm not saying that we need to slash the whole defence forces, but we most certainly should bring it to a level that can concentrate on the core business.
Maybe we should install a mandatory service provision for 18 month or so giving youngsters the option to either join the defence forces or work in social institutions for that time like it's done in several continental countries. That why we get teenagers off the street, free professional healthcare workers to do the important task and let the youngsters deliver the home care or food delivery. Saves money and allows at the same time to bring some work manners into the youngers.
And if you read my 1st post you know that I am actualy thinking that gardai are not paid enough for their job.
I'm all for a public service delivering the core business defence, security, education, infrastructure and guidance to ensure that a free market does not run amok (which it did with the banks recently and that despite several regulators looking after them).
Your argument that the upper echelons are responsible is correct but we can't currently do anything to cut the pay of a bank CEO until the state takes ownership and even than nothing will come out of it. And I'm actualy against taking ownership.
We can't do anything against the echelons in the public service because we don't have the option at present to change our goverment because his majesty thinks he does not need to listen to the people.
The solution is a slick public service concentrating on the core business, delivering value for money and that is accountable to the public in an open way.
But if I day after day see my local council service parks and garden department parked down the road for 4 hours on a field that is not even theres doing nothing than I realy question your theory that it's only the upper echelons.
Of if I see the local planing inspector going from house to house to check the satelite dishes on the front of the house for planing permission but when he see's you are Irish he let's you off with a "now you should have had a permission" but to the non nationals he's like "take it down or you go to jail" than I question his value.
Or if the local council stops a private company from collecting glas because it's not waist but at the same time waists money to tell me that I should choose them because they offer better service by collecting glas than I really question why we have them at all.
Sure these examples are just out of the top of my head but I think they show it's not only the upper echelons.