Remember this: That Five Point Plan? Where is it now 12 months on?

[greengoose2]

Plans, promises, call them what you will but were they necessary ? A puff of wind would have knocked FF out of government. Only explanation is FG thought they would make it to government on their own. Didnt happen with FG failing to even reach the 78 seats FF reached in 2007.

That's the first time I agree with you. 100% correct. BTW they are now "pledges"!

[stakerwallace]

Its not, though. I don't remember FF proposing Universal Healthcare, I don't remember FF proposing NewEra, and I certainly don't remember FF proposing a referendum on Seanad abolition, for starters.

I don't remember ....FF!

[hiding behind a poster]

Start with the jobs stimulus. Where is it?

Well the NewEra project is getting under way, and there's apparently an announcement within the next few weeks on employment strategy. There was also ringfenced spending on new schools and hospitals that made a difference there, along with the jobs initiative of last July, which has had some effect. And a lot of the details of the Budget were designed to stimulate job creation. But NewEra is the big thing in this respect.

[hiding behind a poster]

After the last government's effort I suppose a group of naked pigmys on crutches would have stood a good chance of forming a government if they'd cobbled together a political party in time.

For me the one thing that stands out like a whale's willy with flashing lights is the 180 degree turn the government did on the question of repaying bond holders. I voted Labour and FG in the hope that one or the other might show some backbone or leadership or maybe just stick to what they'd promised and keep the money in the kitty, at least for a while.

But no, the cash was handed over in return for a pat on the head from Sarkozy. So the feeling that our national humiliation was to continue hasn't gone away, despite Gilmore's brave words that Frankfurt would have to put up with Labour having its way.

When I look back on it now all I feel is embarrassment. For myself and my gullibility, for the country and its aspirations, but mostly for the calibre of wishy-washy, obsequious and spineless men and women who think they're good enough to lead from the front.

There was no u-turn on bonds or bondholders. The government forced losses on junior bondholders like they said they would, and said they'd seek to impose burden-sharing on senior bonds as part of a Europe-wide framework. They haven't got that framework yet, but they're still seeking it. And no, the cash wasn't "handed over in return for a pat on the head from Sarkozy". That's fairly stupid.

[hiding behind a poster]

Tackling waste before tax increases? Care to point out the huge waste savings because there is a plethora of tax increases that effect every walk of life

Did you not read the spending review?

Jobs ... 7 bn where exacly? The jobs budget already became an initiative ( which has been launched on no less than 5 occasions in 1 year!) and was a damp squib to put it mildly

I don't think anyone really cares whether it was called a budget or an initiative, the measures themselves were what mattered. And the €7bn is coming from the remnants of the NPRF, along with proceeds from the sale of State assets - the precise details are still being worked out with the troika. Though the government could of course just not try, if you'd prefer.

Then in "new politics" ...well the advisor pay farce proves FG are no more interested in new politics than FF were

If that was the case then they wouldn't have reduced ministerial pay, wouldn't have cut State cars, wouldn't have cut allowable constituency staff in ministers' offices, wouldn't be proposing reducing the number of TDs, and wouldn't be proposing abolishing the Senate. So while I agree with you up to a point on the advisers, to claim that means nothing is different is just shyte, and I'm sure you know it.

[hiding behind a poster]

The 5 point plan was very clever political marketing that appealed to the politically ignorant ie the large majority. It essentially said we will do more with less while tactfully pandering to mainstream prejudices. The part about the public sector is a delightful little contradiction: We will make it better through redundancies. Fine Gael may have just as well said we'll cut taxes and increase spending like they did in 2007. It's the same bullsh1t just adjusted for a recession.

They didn't say they'd make the PS better through redundancies, though. That's just blatant oversimplification on your part.

[ger12]

Well the NewEra project is getting under way, and there's apparently an announcement within the next few weeks on employment strategy. There was also ringfenced spending on new schools and hospitals that made a difference there, along with the jobs initiative of last July, which has had some effect. And a lot of the details of the Budget were designed to stimulate job creation. But NewEra is the big thing in this respect.

Just wondering about NewEra.

NewERA - Fine Gael
Fine Gael's 2011 General Election Public Sector Reform Policy

I take it Coillte is safe then? And what difference exactly has been made in schools and hospitals? Where has the jobs initiative had an effect? When will the budget stimulate these jobs?

[statsman]

I don't remember ....FF!

Lucky you; I'm not sure I'll ever forget the horror.

[TropicalCandy]

They promised no income tax increases, the reason why I voted for them....

Social Welfare fraud is being tackled, tax evading citizens are being caught, overall it'd been a good start.

You're very easily fooled then. Just call it a 'levy' or a 'charge' and even though it takes MORE out of your pocket than an income tax hike you cheer them on

They did complete U turns on their stimulus plan (which was a joke to begin with in size and focus), on their education plans, on health etc yet the best they can come up with is ''ah we had to talk to labour''....Labours policies were more progressive than yours so the idea that you had to adopt more conservative policies as a result of a coalition with labour makes no sense.