Taoiseach Brian Cowen has stated, with not so much as a blush, that the Government’s revised €39bn Capital Investment Programme will lead to 270,000 jobs being provided between now and 2016. However, overall spending on infrastructure is being cut by up to 40%, when compared to the 2007 National Development Plan.
Announcing his plan, the Taoiseach confirmed that Metro North and the €2.5bn Dart Underground will go ahead in Dublin.
Nice one Dublin, and whilst we accept that investment of this kind is welcome, using current estimates, we must keep in mind that it costs €200,000 to construct a simple bus stop.
We continue to over developed and over balance our east coast, while neglecting most of the rest of Ireland. It seems that despite the country being in ruins, Dublin must continue to be nurtured, and rural Ireland must “Eat the crumbs which fall from the masters table“, (Matthew 15:27). In rural parts of Ireland you can damaging your car by taking a short drive on our roads, but we are told there is no money to repair them. In Dublin there is a Railway service, there is the Luas, there is a Bus service, there are Taxi’s, but now they require an Underground as well. Dublin does not need an Underground, Thurles does need a ring road, but it would appear that Fianna Fail are borrowing to buy the next election and the gullible Irish electorate will fall for it again, if there are three successive declines in the unemployment figures in late 2011 and early 2012.
There will, we are informed, be more capital investment in Water Services which really means “lets get those water metres in place, and get our €350 minimum from every household, in water charges, to prop up the City of Dublin, County and Local Councils“. This whole plan fails to realise that people can only spend money if they have it. Soon 80% of all incomes will disappear in stealth taxes before each taxpayer is allowed to pay the “candle maker” and the “shoe maker”.
Stealth taxes crept in during the boom years with National Car Testing Centres (NCT) in 2000, then Waste Charges, then a tax on electrical goods to cover disposal costs without providing, in a lot of cases, places to dispose these cast offs. Then came Parking Charges, then Water Charges, which were paid only by the few before being abolished. Next came NRA Toll charges and now we are preparing for Water Charges once again. Soon it will be the air we breathe, which will be deemed necessary to have filtered. What has the government done with our taxes – PRSI no longer covers health – Road Tax and Fuel Tax no longer cover road repairs – We are embarrassed into giving donations to assist under funded Charities and Children’s Hospitals – Criminals are no longer punished because we have no prisons to put them in and you can’t even get a passport to leave this God forsaken, greedy, corrupt State, because Unions have ruined our Civil Service.
There is no stimulus in this plan for indigenous, innovative companies rather it’s the same old problems complimented by same old wasteful solutions. Perhaps there will be jobs created in the construction industry, with, for a brief period, some spin off in services, but what happens after that? A well connected few people will once again make a lot of money at the taxpayers expense. The government’s inexplicable attachment to construction interests is written all over these plans. It would have been much fairer to have small local projects given this funding. Repairs to local roads, school building, development of tourist infrastructures, which would immediately bring about much needed confidence to our local economies, while employment potential in the short term would rapidly increase.
One of the biggest capital spending Government projects in Dublin presently has been contracted out to foreign companies who will not employ Irish workers, choosing instead to employ foreigners who accept cheap rates and are prepared to reside in sub-standard accommodation for the duration of their stay. This does not stimulate our economy and these people because of low pay will not be obliged to contribute tax.
Progress with IT and Broadband have in the past been deliberately curtailed here in Ireland, to support Telephone Companies – “those damned peasants will use Skype and Google Mail to communicate for free, if you give them broadband, so lets stick our hands directly into their stupid pockets and steal as much cash as possible from them, before Europe begins to govern our ridiculous pricing programme.”
It would now appear that all prayer books will have to be reprinted to correct a spelling mistake in the Marriage Ceremony. New version will read “Till debt us do part.”
Is it just me, or do others have similar views? Your comments please.
Remember they also want to take water from The Shannon to Dublin. Supposedly only during the winter months, but once that pipe is in place I doubt the tap will be turned off during the dryer Summer months. So I guess any water charges will go towards paying for that project should it go ahead. Not that I have anything against Dublin or it’s residents, just the gombeen political cronies that make decisions there while also claiming ludicrous expenses to ‘get to work’.
Whenever I see politics at play here I’m reminded of that scene in Braveheart when the Scottish ‘Nobles’ turn their backs on their fellow countrymen in favour of keeping their titles, power and wealth (Yes, the same happened here as well, I just haven’t seen the movie).
A revolution of sorts is long overdue, but no one can afford to miss a days work to take part! Although with the Summer holidays here and no one able to afford a foreign holiday…….
Hi Derry,
Heavens be praised, I have found an ally. With regard to missing the days work, the way things are going we will all be on permanent holidays shortly. Where the hell are our overpaid public representatives?
Its time to implement the McCarthy report in full. But lets start with his recommendations on proposals for local government reform include the abolition of town and city councils. Maybe together we could set up a political party, any suggestions for a name – Rural Reform Party – Rural Workers Party – Thurles Progressive Party – Tipperary Rural Concerned Citizens Party or The Tipperary Grassroots Party.
With regard to Water lets sell them Shannon Water in containers and cut out the pipes.
I’m not sure about a party name referring to just one segment of society if the objective is to effect change on a national level. I think it would play into the hands of the politicians who benefit from the age old tactic of divide and conquer. Pitching public v private, urban v rural, rich v poor, employed v unemployed, etc. etc. ensures that the status quo is maintained as each group battles to hold onto their own diminishing resources. While we’re busy fighting among ourselves decisions are being made that benefit The Insiders (as David McWilliams calls them)leaving us to pay the bill.
The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men. – Plato
How right was Plato.