Irelands Economy Long Term

[Universal_001]

Traditionally these have been credited with Irelands success...

1. EU Free Trade
2. Social "Partnership"
3. 12.5% CGT

...in both government and rainbow proposals , I see very very little, if anything, to look after our long term competitivness, all we hear is the usual (and it's really getting old now) mantra about low tax and partnership.

((not to mention Brian Cowen hysterically trying to tell us at every oppertunity that the rainbow, despite having identical policies to him, will mean the end))

The forces of Globalisation continue to turn the world into a single (all be it a very unfair and botched) marketplace...so economic changes will happen very fast.

I've said again and again that no genius designed a careful roadmap to the celtic tiger, they didn't even see it coming, yet they tell us that they planned it (it was Ruri Quinn or CJH or Des O'Malley depending on who you beleive), well if they did...where the future vision to stop our downward spiral into uncompetativness? All I see is the usual tired mantra?

Since any gob************************e country can lower it's taxes and impose wage controls...is anyone in govt or outside of it coming up with better ideas for the long term to replace the FDI manufacturing as it leaves, what to do when everyone and their mother has low CT (most are already starting to lower theirs), and deal with our decaying education system and poor infastructure?

[Fr. Hank Tree]

Don't be fooled by Brian Cowen. He's just trying to look mean to impress the party faithful. Nobody wants FF to lose the election more than cowen..

[Sidewinder]

Since any gob************************e country can lower it's taxes and impose wage controls...is anyone in govt or outside of it coming up with better ideas for the long term to replace the FDI manufacturing as it leaves, what to do when everyone and their mother has low CT (most are already starting to lower theirs), and deal with our decaying education system and poor infastructure?

Eh, did ye actually read the FG/Lab joint policy this morning? Pages and pages of it were on precisely these points. All sorts of stuff about encouraging indiginous exporters, encouraging applied R&D both in corporations and in the universities, a centre of excellence in Alternative Energy Research, the need to rebalance the economy away from property/construction, continuous training/upskilling for the employed not just the unemployed, critical infrastructure fast-tracking, reform of the planning system, reform of public sector hiring practices....it made the very point that other countries are busy reducing taxes too and we can't be relying on that any more...

I just skimmed through it and I saw all of that, all present and correct!

[Universal_001]

Don't be fooled by Brian Cowen. He's just trying to look mean to impress the party faithful. Nobody wants FF to lose the election more than cowen..

of that I have no doubt, then when the property bubble bursts and the FDI manufacturing drops over the next few years they can blame the Rainbow Goverment.

(and it won't be their fault, unless Pat show'd Dick Spring style incompetence...)

My point tho is we didn't get where we are today (according to most commentators) by sticking to the same tired old policies, we got results with bold and radical moves (SP and low tax WERE radical in their day..). wheres the radical moves now?

We hear alot about "don't rock the boat".

A man buys a ship, it's in bits, he and his gallant crew pimp it and fix it up, and it's going great, the boat gets to the middle of the ocean and starts to get some holes in the hull....the ship is slowly sinking, but so slowly it's passengers dont' notice, and think the cruse is going very well and the crews doing a fantastic job.

The crew notice the holes, and the lookouts say theres an iceberg on the horizon that almost looks like a bubble in the sea... but instead of fixing the holes and charting a course around that ever growing bubble, they think that doing the same things they did before the holes appeard will keep the ship afloat...

[Universal_001]

I had in mind more radical action than the mild tinkering FG and Labour proposed today Sidewinder, I have so far only read the summary and skimmed the main text, but I'd have thought that if they were proposing anything radical it would have been front and centre.

[TheBear]

<Mod>Moved to Economy forum.</Mod>

[FutureTaoiseach]

What is needed to ensure our competitiveness going forward is a crackdown on the main sources of inflation i.e. inefficient semi-state monopolies. Labour - funded by the unions - cannot be relied on to undertake the necessary reforms. Only a govt with the PDs can be. FG will do what Labour says and crack down instead of the private-sector e.g. Kenny's pledge to scrap co-location of private-hospitals on public-sector land.

[Seos]

What is needed to ensure our competitiveness going forward is a crackdown on the main sources of inflation i.e. inefficient semi-state monopolies.

What are you on about? And what are you on?

[liberal logic]

What is needed to ensure our competitiveness going forward is a crackdown on the main sources of inflation i.e. inefficient semi-state monopolies. Labour - funded by the unions - cannot be relied on to undertake the necessary reforms. Only a govt with the PDs can be. FG will do what Labour says and crack down instead of the private-sector e.g. Kenny's pledge to scrap co-location of private-hospitals on public-sector land.

I agree only the liberal PDs like me will help fight for our economy not just cave in to populist demands I like the PDs.

[FutureTaoiseach]

What is needed to ensure our competitiveness going forward is a crackdown on the main sources of inflation i.e. inefficient semi-state monopolies.

What are you on about? And what are you on?

The ESB/VHI price hikes are an example of what happens when you don't have competition or where the market is distorted by forced-subsidies from one commercial rival (BUPA/Quinn Insurance) to another. That needs to stop.