We've loads of general threads about the provision of services by the State. Can we keep this to whether posters think the State can provide those services better (quality and value for money) than the private sector.
My view is that I would love it if they could but I don't believe that they can deliver either better quality or value than the private sector.
I think that the State should regulate, not run, when it comes to most services and that transparent taxation such as a TV licence (Public Service Broadcasting Tax), water charges etc are a great idea and that everyone who consumes a service should pay for it.
So just like every other State or Semi-State body. The difference with Irish Water was we saw behind the curtain.the whole IW debacle stank of corruption and semi-state feather bedding
Agreed. Although I think the state should own, if not directly run, key infrastructure.I think that the State should regulate, not run, when it comes to most services . .
€20 billion a year in Healthcare Spending, amongst the highest per capita spend in the world, especially if we adjust for our very young population and yet we have dreadful levels of services (but of course nobody who actually works in the healthcare sector is actually at fault; it's all the fault of the particular minister of the day).Electronic voting machines
€1.3bn overspend on 2018 Health budget
€1bn write off on PPARs
Motorway Programme Cost €16bn against a budgeted €6bn
National Stadium plan abandoned with a €200m cost to the taxpayer
National Children's Hospital....
The above headline items would indicate that the state has poor project spend controls / skills.
As the state does not yet run a budgetary surplus there are additional borrowing costs associated with the above amounts.
It's here already https://whereyourmoneygoes.gov.ie/en/Wouldn't it be great if each tax payer got a statement of account each year from the government outlining exactly where all their taxes went. It would be useful if that statement also outlined how much the state spent on them too.
I was looking at that yesterday. It tells us where all our money goes. I would like a breakdown of where my money goes.It's here already https://whereyourmoneygoes.gov.ie/en/
The vast majority of us are net recipients, even if we work and pay taxes all our lives.@Purple
This "Do I put in more than I get out?" question is almost impossible to answer.
You pay income taxes obviously but lots of indirect taxes like excise and VAT. What about the business rates paid by businesses you purchase prodcuts from? How should that revenue be allocated?
Working how much benefits you receive is easy, but the majority of expenditure is collective in nature.It's impossible to answer how much benefit you (individually) gain from having a defence force for example.
Finally there's the dynamic element. Lots of people will take more than they pay in when they are unemployed. But over a lifetime it may be the opposite.
The vast majority of us are net recipients, even if we work and pay taxes all our lives.
While people don't pay any tax on their first €17k it is hard to see how PRSI and USC are anywhere near equally spread.Maybe so.
High earners pay a very big share of income tax.
PRSI and USC obviously much more equally spread.
whether posters think the State can provide those services better (quality and value for money) than the private sector.
The benefits of competition do not apply to most public services. If a private sector company does a bad job it goes out of business and another one comes along, if that does a better job it carries on.......
There are some excellent public sector organisations, Revenue and the CAO, and there some disasters, The HSE and most local authorities.
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