Will Fianna Fail raise taxes and make cutbacks before the local elections?

[kellsangel]

Given that Fianna Fail will borrow the entire cost of the Public sector pay bill and that there are many options open to take corrective action, will they have the balls to take action before the locals on June 4th.

They have already botched one budget, a property market and an entire banking sector, a banking recapitalisation scheme, as well as the compeditive foundation on which our export sector was built.

Unless they start to take corrective action they will not have the credability as a Government to borrow any money for the exchequer.

[markeys]

What, you mean will they put the country first rather than the party? You've got to be joking.

[Factorem]

What, you mean will they put the country first rather than the party? You've got to be joking.

I feel this is going to be a recurring theme in much of the political debate over the next 6 months.

[Goldwater]

Certainly public spending must be slashed. It was far too high during the good times; it is totally unaffordable now. Many public sector employees must be sacked. Many of them do little work and will not be missed.

But the government must NOT increase taxes! To do so would choke off any hope of an economic recovery. Instead, taxes should be slashed to increase consumer and business confidence and encouage spending.

This downturn provides us with a once-in-a-generation chance to smash much of the power and influence of the state. With any luck the chance will be taken

[kellsangel]

Imported luxury cars
Cigarettes
Wine
Setting up a loan scheme for third level education as opposed to current funding
Increasing CGT Tax, CAT tax, Gift tax, and inheritance tax
phasing out mortgage interest relief
Cutting tax relief on AVCs

End tax relief on pension contributions invested outside the state (ie ring fence funds with tax relief on contributions to investments in this economy)

[BodyofEvidence]

Given that Fianna Fail will borrow the entire cost of the Public sector pay bill and that there are many options open to take corrective action, will they have the balls to take action before the locals on June 4th.

They have already botched one budget, a property market and an entire banking sector, a banking recapitalisation scheme, as well as the compeditive foundation on which our export sector was built.

Unless they start to take corrective action they will not have the credability as a Government to borrow any money for the exchequer.

Really? Link please. Or do you mean "borrow, in total, for all purposes, a sum equivalent to the public sector (all 300k of them) pay bill"

[Factorem]

Imported luxury cars
Cigarettes
Wine
Setting up a loan scheme for third level education as opposed to current funding
Increasing CGT Tax, CAT tax, Gift tax, and inheritance tax
phasing out mortgage interest relief
Cutting tax relief on AVCs

End tax relief on pension contributions invested outside the state (ie ring fence funds with tax relief on contributions to investments in this economy)

There'll be plenty of opportunities for "the boys" out of that one.

I'd be in favour in theory, but only with reform of the 3rd level sector. The quality of the vast majority of 3rd level education in this country is atrocious.

We need to shut down at least 50% of the ITs and shut down at least 2 universities.

Make them compete for funding on a number of publications/number of patents/size of trust fund basis.

[kellsangel]

There'll be plenty of opportunities for "the boys" out of that one.

I'd be in favour in theory, but only with reform of the 3rd level sector. The quality of the vast majority of 3rd level education in this country is atrocious.

We need to shut down at least 50% of the ITs and shut down at least 2 universities.

Make them compete for funding on a number of publications/number of patents/size of trust fund basis.

I have experience of students being given a rundown of the type and nature of the questions coming up of their end of year examinations, including model questions being provided with different figures.

[BodyofEvidence]

Certainly public spending must be slashed. It was far too high during the good times; it is totally unaffordable now. Many public sector employees must be sacked. Many of them do little work and will not be missed.

But the government must NOT increase taxes! To do so would choke off any hope of an economic recovery. Instead, taxes should be slashed to increase consumer and business confidence and encouage spending.

This downturn provides us with a once-in-a-generation chance to smash much of the power and influence of the state. With any luck the chance will be taken

any chance of a few links to facts on this maybe? Or is this surmise and supposition? Do you propose to save the entire 8b via this method? If so, how many public serveants would be required to be fired?
By what metric was PS too high? European median spending per head of population? Your perception?
Do you think perhaps that instead of slashing taxes we might be able to rebalance them away from indirect (regressive) taxes towards a more balanced mix of taxes on labour-capital-land like other western democracies? Or do you want to become arizona with more rain?

[Robespierre]

One of the interesting ones will be water charges. The infrastructure is currently crumbling in Dublin (Vartry for instance) and needs massive investment to avert major public health issues potentially occurring.

They have not been charged since the late 70's but I can't see a green government eschewing the pay for play principle of natural resource consumption. If you thought that there was murder over the bin tax wait until Iris Hinglebury-Ramsbotham can't water the s in Rathfarnham next summer and the revolt will be something else.

This will happen - just not before the locals.