Quote Originally Posted by FutureTaoiseach
B: We need smaller government in terms of the size of the public-sector.
I'm in favour of liberalising the services sector to some extent. However, if Aer Lingus is to be privatised I think the state should hold onto the ports in Heathrow. Also, Bord na Móna have so many environmental concerns and their product has to be priced controlled to an extent and so I don't think it should be privatised at all.

Quote Originally Posted by FutureTaoiseach
C: The state should provide incentives for the building of private-hospitals.
Never! Private hospitals, like private schools, are divisive. When the decision making classes- political elites and bureaucratic high-flyers, have access to private services, they are less inclined to reform the public equivalent accordingly. Sure isn't it better to invest €5000 in little Johnny's education than pay €5000 in taxes for education when some of that will be redistributed amongst the bus-classes.

Private healthcare, like education, can be of benefit by providing competition, but those who want such a service should pay the full whack. Remember, we're not talking mobile-phones or air-travel here; health and education are services required by all, and the state should not subsidise them unless they are open to all.

I am aware that the nature of education in Ireland has left us with the pragmatic reality of state-funded private education and all the inequalities and injustices that throws up- but that is not a good enough reason to build into healthcare those very same inequalities and injustices.