Why does it take defeat to loosen purs strings?

E

Elk

Guest
Quote from rte news
"Meanwhile, Minister for the Environment, Martin Cullen, said it could now be time to loosen the purse strings."

It show that they had the money for social causes all along but were not willing to spend it!

I hope these election results do help our schools, hostpitals and infrastructure though...
 
Unfairness.

It bothers me that the bloodstock industry is making tax free millions for its owners. It breaks my heart to see the unfairness in this country. Young people cannot afford to buy houses whereas others can own several rental properties. Insurance companies looking for €4k+ for car insurance from young people.
 
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On the contrary, I'd like to see them tighten the purse strings and ensure that greater value for money is achieved in the delivery of all public services, particularly those delivered by local authorities and health boards.

If the past few years have taught us anything, it's that money alone won't solve problems. We need to invest in people, at all levels, to give them the capacity to spend it wisely.

For Cullen to suggest that more money is the answer is, frankly, frightening.
 
Re: cullen

I agree somewhat with Spacer. I find it fascinating that the government are saying they got a clear message from the Irish people. What clear message is that? The only message to be gotten is that people are p*ssed off with the government. They should have another referendum on exactly what the reasons for this are - as we have many.

But from my own perspective I want to see a government make some decisions, tough or otherwise. I want to see action on issues - such as the Hanly report (and I live in a small town that could be affected by this but I would sacrifice certain things for the good of the whole if we are to get a world class - or even a first world - system) and the public transport system, the road network, schools and action too on inefficiency in our beaurocratic system.

I want to be able to respect the government as responsible leaders and decision makers.
 
Re: cullen

How can you respect a government that does this to the ordinary people and won't even tax wealthy people?

Here's how the Government has ripped you off In 2002

1.VAT rose by 8%.

2. Motor Tax rose by 12%

3. Hospital Charges rose by 26%

4. Drug Refund Scheme rose by 31%

5. VHI charges rose by 18%

6. Cigarettes and alcohol rose by 15%

7. Bank and Card Charges rose by 108%

8. Bin Charges rose by 29%

9. ESB Bills soared by 13%

10. College Fees rose by 9%

11. Parking fees rose by 25%

12. Bus Fares went up by 9%

13. Your TV License was up 40%

In the December 2003 Budget, the Government revealed more stealth taxes

14. The Drugs Refund Scheme threshold was raised by €8 to €78 per month.

15. A&E charges went up to €45 from €40

16. There was a 15% increase in cost of private bed in public hospital

17. The Government imposed a €5 increase on cost of overnight hospital stay to €45 per night with a cap of 10 nights per year.

18. The third-level student registration fee rose by €80 to €750.

19. The fee for Junior Certificate Examination is up €10 to €82

20. Leaving Certificate Examination fee goes up €10 to €86.

21. Development Levies of between €6,000 and €30,000 were outlined.

22. The minimum contribution all recipients of Supplementary Welfare Allowance/ Rent/ Mortgage Supplement are required to make towards their accommodation was increased by €1 to €13 per week. The allowance is no longer available to couples, where one of them is in full time employment.

23. The fee for a standard 10-year passport is increasing from March 1st by almost a third from €57 to €75.

24. The cost of a three-year passport for infants (aged up to three years) is rising from €12 to €15, and a five-year passport for those aged 3 to 18 years from €12 to €25.

25. The emergency fee for passport applications processed outside office hours is up €37 to €100 for adults. The price of a 10-year passport for senior citizens, however, has been cut from €57 to €25.

26. Motor Tax went up 5%.

And since the Budget
27. The cost of taking a bus, train and DART went up by over 3%.
 
lame duck government

But from my own perspective I want to see a government make some decisions, tough or otherwise. I want to see action on issues - such as the Hanly report (and I live in a small town that could be affected by this but I would sacrifice certain things for the good of the whole if we are to get a world class - or even a first world - system) and the public transport system, the road network, schools and action too on inefficiency in our bureaucratic system.
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Good point shnaek. It's the trying to please everyone that kills me. If you are the leader then you should lead. What we have now is a government being pulled and pushed in every direction by opinion polls and news headlines and making no attempt to implement policy. They are being lead, not leading and with the election results we have just had they will just get worse as they throw money at everything that comes up.
 
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"What we have now is a government being pulled and pushed in every direction by opinion polls and news headlines and making no attempt to implement policy."

I think the difficulty is that parties don't have any distinguishing policies that set them apart in same way as Labour and the Conservatives have in the UK.

The end-game for parties is this country is to acquire power. They don't decide what they'll do with it until they actually have it. This reactionary approach to public administration isn't consistent with a long-term vision and is the reason we have a range of dragged-out initiatives aimed at following the path of least resistance (the smoking ban being the obvious exception) with the sole purpose of facilitating re-election.
 
Re: ..

I think the difficulty is that parties don't have any distinguishing policies that set them apart in same way as Labour and the Conservatives have in the UK.
Click to expand...

Just not true. There are huge policy differences between Labour, PD's & FG. FF of course have no policies of their own (except possibly on Norn Iron) and will align to whatever policy keeps them in power.

And as for the UK, every utterance out of Blair these days gives me flashbacks to Thatcher in the 80's. I think she has been re-incarnated as Blair.
 
Re: ..

Hi folks,

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Just not true. There are huge policy differences between Labour, PD's & FG. FF of course have no policies of their own (except possibly on Norn Iron) and will align to whatever policy keeps them in power.
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A fair point Rainyday! If you look at FF when they were in coalition with LAB, they were quite a different proposition to the current version with the PD's!

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And as for the UK, every utterance out of Blair these days gives me flashbacks to Thatcher in the 80's. I think she has been re-incarnated as Blair.
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Well apart from his relationship with Mr. Bush and his Iraq adventure (and I think he'll have to go over that!). Hes' actually been a good PM. You should read
"Did things get better?" by Polly Toynbee.

Admittedly there are better ministers in Blair's Government and he should hand over to Gordon Brown. Having said that, it's difficult to see Labour not being in Government after the next UK General Election.

Cheers,

OpusnBill

PS Before anyone asks, I was somewhat disappointed with Ms. Bacik and Mr. Cassels not making Europe! Oh well, can't be right all the time :rolleyes
 
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