# "A modest proposal - ten ways to reduce inequality in Ireland"



## Brendan Burgess (26 Feb 2015)

I have an article in today's Indo which sets out a plan to reduce the grave income inequality in Ireland.

*A modest proposal - ten ways to reduce inequality in Ireland*

Brendan


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## odyssey06 (26 Feb 2015)

Great article! You forgot to ban cars too, and foreign holidays... everyone must take public transport and be rationed a holiday in Mosney once every other year.


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## Bronte (26 Feb 2015)

I did a double take with the 'Christian' comment in the first paragraph.

I think you've been listening to Ruth Coppenger too much - she wanted the state to take over Dell 

And look at the hopeless mess of the IAG takeover at Aer Lingus - what a shambles


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## Mrs Vimes (26 Feb 2015)

BB forgetting his own advice:



Brendan Burgess said:


> We need to adapt Poe's lay to the Socialist Party
> 
> _Without a winking smiley or other blatant display of humor, it is utterly impossible to parody a creationist in such a way that someone won't mistake for the genuine article_




Check out the comments!


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## Conan (26 Feb 2015)

Excellent article Brendan.
Can I add some more suggestions:

Introduce euthanasia at age 65 (so that the former "wealthy" don't live longer than the less "wealthy"). This would also eliminate the cost of the State Social Welfare Pension which clearly favours those who live longer (how dare they).
Prohibit Kilkenny from winning so many All Ireland's. It is grossly unfair to all the other counties.
Ban the building of houses more than 3 bed semi's (in any event in an equal society no one will be able to afford anything bigger)
In the Dublin City Marathon, all runners must cross the winning line together. We cannot have some running faster than others.
All residents will have to wear a common uniform look (as per North Korea, our Glorious Leader should decree)
Attractive or good looking people should be forced to look less good looking for fear of upsetting those less attractive.
Artistic or sporting activities should be banned less those more talented upset those who are less endowed.
Medics should only be to GP level. We don't want specialists who are more skilled that the rest of doctors. This should also help to limit longevity (as in point 1 above)

This should go a long way to satisfy TASC, Ruth Coppinger, Vincent Browne  etc. Long live the revolution. Hail our Glorious Leader.


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## Raging Bull (26 Feb 2015)

Think you missed one with a fair playing field with access to Justice

The Courts are playground of the Rich


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## Duke of Marmalade (26 Feb 2015)

My initial reaction, _Boss_, is that you were a bit OTT and over indulging the cheapest form of wit.

However, I downloaded the report, 144 pages

But all I needed was this bit in the executive summary.  We are thereabouts when it comes to equality at the net level, but before taxes and transfers we are very unequal.  That says it all.  It is not enough that we have a very progressive tax and social protection policy which delivers equality at the net level we must stamp out inequality at the pre transfer gross level.


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## so-crates (26 Feb 2015)

That made me laugh, thanks Brendan


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## Brendan Burgess (26 Feb 2015)

Duke of Marmalade said:


> We are thereabouts when it comes to equality at the net level, but before taxes and transfers we are very unequal.



Hi Duke 

I am doing a longer analytical piece. It's absolute nonsense to suggest that we are very unequal at the gross level either.  We are apparently much more unequal than Greece. Yet they have twice our level of unemployment - so they have many more people with no income. And their Top 10% have a higher share of earnings than our Top 10%. Yet according to the OECD, we are not just a bit more unequal, we are a whole step more unequal that them. It's rubbish.

Brendan


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## Brendan Burgess (26 Feb 2015)

Mrs Vimes said:


> BB forgetting his own advice:
> 
> 
> Check out the comments!



I assume that they are double-bluffing?


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## Firefly (26 Feb 2015)

Great article, Pol Pot would have been proud!


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