# First 100 days



## Purple (16 Jun 2011)

The coalition is in power 100 days. How have they done?

They have reneged on their promise not to increase income taxes.
They have utterly failed to renegotiate the EU/IMF bail-out deal.
They have reneged on their promise to create 100’000 jobs.
They have failed to take on any of the vested interest groups.

In short it’s the same policies as the last government but with less savvy, more loose cannons and fewer hard decisions.
They have the biggest Dail majority in history but they are acting like a minority government.

So far I’m not impressed but I’m increasingly depressed.


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## TarfHead (16 Jun 2011)

All of which they promised to do in 100 days ?

Wow !


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## Purple (16 Jun 2011)

TarfHead said:


> All of which they promised to do in 100 days ?
> 
> Wow !



Did they? I didn't know that.


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## liaconn (16 Jun 2011)

Purple said:


> The coalition is in power 100 days. How have they done?
> 
> They have reneged on their promise not to increase income taxes.
> They have utterly failed to renegotiate the EU/IMF bail-out deal.
> ...


 In fairness, give them a chance.


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## Leper (16 Jun 2011)

Yes, the government must have a decent chance.  Three months is not an overwhelming length of time for a new government.  Bear in mind the lies and corruption we all had to put up with before the last government called a way overdue general election.


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## MrMan (16 Jun 2011)

I think making allowances for the current govt is the wrong way to go. They are well able to use the 'what a fine mess we've been left with' line themselves without it been offered forward as a defence on their behalf. 
I presume they had some sort of handle on what was waiting for them given the dog in the street knew that FF were on the way out. 
They need to be watched and questioned all the way so as to show that we have learned from our mistakes and to encourage our leaders to lead.


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## michaelm (16 Jun 2011)

Purple said:


> So far I’m not impressed but I’m increasingly depressed.


I'm prepared to give them more time.  I'm optimistic, however my optimism is baseless.  There probably isn't much they can do as the IMF & EU are running the country.  They need to credibly threaten doing serious damage to the euro & the EU project unless Germany and France agree to better terms on the bailout and the ECB agree to debt right-off.  Sadly, I suspect that they will remain 'good Europeans' to the bitter end (don't forget that they conspired with the EU and the previous government to overturn the Lisbon result).


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## callybags (17 Jun 2011)

> They have reneged on their promise not to increase income taxes.


 
What income taxes have they increased?


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## Maggs065 (17 Jun 2011)

Purple said:


> They have reneged on their promise to create 100’000 jobs.


 
They would be miracle workers if they achieved that in 100 days!


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## Purple (17 Jun 2011)

callybags said:


> What income taxes have they increased?



Noonan said that income tax increases were on the cards. Since I posted Enda said they are off the cards.
Enda said that there would be no increase in income tax and no cuts in welfare. That's really depressing as we need both.


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## liaconn (17 Jun 2011)

Purple said:


> Noonan said that income tax increases were on the cards. Since I posted Enda said they are off the cards.
> Enda said that there would be no increase in income tax and no cuts in welfare. That's really depressing as we need both.


 
God, they can't win with you.


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## callybags (17 Jun 2011)

I think it just proves that you can't believe anything they say.

There seens to be two versions of every policy they have.

Maybe they should say nothing and just get on with it.

I agree that we need tax increases and social welfare cuts, along with a whole lot else.


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## cork (17 Jun 2011)

I think that they are a major disappointment. The Jobs Budget was a let down. They are very few courses for re-training or up-skilling. Training Centres are mot-balled while this government back track on promises.

Emphy Promies at a time when the are 440 without work was shameless.


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## Purple (17 Jun 2011)

liaconn said:


> God, they can't win with you.


  Yea well...


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## Complainer (17 Jun 2011)

cork said:


> Training Centres are mot-balled while this government back track on promises.


What training centres have been mothballed?


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## TarfHead (17 Jun 2011)

cork said:


> .. mot-balled ..


 
Ah, _mot balling_  What every young Dublin lad hopes for.

I'll get my coat


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## Teatime (17 Jun 2011)

Saying there will be no tax increases or social welfare cuts in the budget is very short sighted. Nothing should be ruled out. Even so, i expect events to overtake all their promises.


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## T McGibney (17 Jun 2011)

Purple said:


> Noonan said that income tax increases were on the cards.



He didn't say that. He said that he could not rule out future income tax increases.



Purple said:


> Since I posted Enda said they are off the cards.



He didn't say that. He said that there would be no income tax increase in this December's Budget.


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## Shawady (17 Jun 2011)

teatime said:


> saying there will be no tax increases or social welfare cuts in the budget is very short sighted. Nothing should be ruled out.


 
+1.


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## werner (20 Jun 2011)

Teatime said:


> Saying there will be no tax increases or social welfare cuts in the budget is very short sighted. Nothing should be ruled out. Even so, i expect events to overtake all their promises.


 
How about the huge increase in stealth taxes!

Water charges
Property Tax
USC tax
Increase of the college registration fee by 500 (another broken promise or lie depending on your viewpoint)
Pension tax (so called "levy")

The welfare cuts ? There are numerous decreased services, it amounts to the same thing

New government same old lies!


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## dereko1969 (20 Jun 2011)

werner said:


> How about the huge increase in stealth taxes!
> 
> Water charges
> Property Tax
> ...


 
None of these have been brought in by this Government. Any chance of sticking to facts?


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## cork (20 Jun 2011)

Complainer said:


> What training centres have been mothballed?




The ITs have gone academic - so there is a lack of practical type courses.

Commumity Colleges seem to offer many leisure type courses.

There seems to be fewer colleges offering PLCs.

All 4 Failte Ireland Centres no longer provide courses for the unemployed.

The Jobs budget was a cheap confidence trick in my openion.

Raiding Private Pensions for minor vat reductions that may or may not be passed on.


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## Complainer (20 Jun 2011)

cork said:


> The ITs have gone academic - so there is a lack of practical type courses.
> 
> Commumity Colleges seem to offer many leisure type courses.
> 
> ...


So no training centres have been mothballed then - right?

Are you sure about Failte Ireland? Is that they they are just flooded with demand for courses, see [broken link removed]


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## cork (21 Jun 2011)

Complainer said:


> Are you sure about Failte Ireland? ]




Can't understnd why courses for the unemployed have stopped at these training centres.

These courses ran since the 1980s.


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## Complainer (21 Jun 2011)

cork said:


> Can't understnd why courses for the unemployed have stopped at these training centres.
> 
> These courses ran since the 1980s.


Are you absolutely certain that they have stopped courses for unemployed people? The link notes that they have stopped doing interviews because they are flooded with demand and have long waiting lists. It doesn't say that they have stopped. Do you have any source for your claim?


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## Sunny (21 Jun 2011)

cork said:


> Can't understnd why courses for the unemployed have stopped at these training centres.
> 
> These courses ran since the 1980s.


 
As Complainer said, they haven't stopped. They have stopped taking applicants because the waiting list is too long. You can't blame FG and Labour for that. They were cut under FF as well.

Failte Ireland has no remit to train the unemployed. Their courses were never explicitly for the unemployed. As far as I know, they moved the emphasis onto upskilling within the industry itself to retain jobs rather than training new people to enter the industry. Fair enough to me. It is up to FAS to help the unemployed.


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## cork (21 Jun 2011)

Complainer said:


> Are you absolutely certain that they have stopped courses for unemployed people?




Currently - skills courses have stopped.

I'll try & get a link to verify this.


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## Yorrick (21 Jun 2011)

Did ye seriously believe that anything would be different ?
In the absence of firing squads operating on a freelance basis against politicians, media and bankers nothing will change


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## cork (21 Jun 2011)

[broken link removed]

The skills shortage looks set to worsen, following the closure last month of the Fáilte Ireland training centre on Amiens St in Dublin. A spokeswoman says 250 people were trained last year in bar, restaurant and culinary skills. But budget cuts mean Fáilte Ireland is moving away from offering training courses.



Yet this government put 0.06% levy on private pensions - while cutting training places in an area that  their own programme for government sees the potential for jobs.


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## Sunny (21 Jun 2011)

Maybe FAS could do what they are supposed to do and fill the gap if there is that much of a problem. Failte Ireland does not have a mandate to help the unemployed. Still not sure why you are blaming FG and labour for this unless you are claiming they told Failte Ireland to close this centre and cut their budget in the last 100 days.


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## Complainer (21 Jun 2011)

cork said:


> [broken link removed]
> 
> The skills shortage looks set to worsen, following the closure last month of the Fáilte Ireland training centre on Amiens St in Dublin. A spokeswoman says 250 people were trained last year in bar, restaurant and culinary skills. But budget cuts mean Fáilte Ireland is moving away from offering training courses.


So one of the four training centres has closed - right?


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## Purple (22 Jun 2011)

Complainer said:


> So one of the four training centres has closed - right?



and I'm sure there's a huge shortage of  qualified bar staff out there 

I see this as a good thing (as long as the staff who provided the courses are made redundant).


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## Shawady (22 Jun 2011)

Looks like they're still in their honeymooon period.
Will be interesting to see how they fare after their first budget.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breaki...action-rating-soars-for-taoiseach-509891.html


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## Sunny (22 Jun 2011)

Purple said:


> and I'm sure there's a huge shortage of qualified bar staff out there
> 
> I see this as a good thing (as long as the staff who provided the courses are made redundant).


 
There is a shortage of chefs though. Why were Failte Ireland ever involved in these courses. What was the €1 billion budget for FAS our so called training agency spent on? Actually don't answer that!


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## JP1234 (22 Jun 2011)

Sunny said:


> There is a shortage of chefs though. Why were Failte Ireland ever involved in these courses. What was the €1 billion budget for FAS our so called training agency spent on? Actually don't answer that!




Interestingly in the last week I have had 2 letters from Fas. One asking if I was still interested in a course I enquired about last year, starting September (subject to sufficient interest). The other one was telling me I had to attend an interview in a few weeks to discuss my options (?) I have no problem with attending the interview, I am glad they seem at least to be doing something. Except the last interview I went to at Fas ( at my request) the woman I saw was beyond useless. First telling me a course I wanted to attend didn't exist, even though it was in their brochure at the office and the only help she offered was I should browse the vacancies and send out my CV.  duuuuh!


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## Purple (22 Jun 2011)

JP1234 said:


> Interestingly in the last week I have had 2 letters from Fas. One asking if I was still interested in a course I enquired about last year, starting September (subject to sufficient interest). The other one was telling me I had to attend an interview in a few weeks to discuss my options (?) I have no problem with attending the interview, I am glad they seem at least to be doing something. Except the last interview I went to at Fas ( at my request) the woman I saw was beyond useless. First telling me a course I wanted to attend didn't exist, even though it was in their brochure at the office and the only help she offered was I should browse the vacancies and send out my CV.  duuuuh!



I’m sure she got a bad assessment, only just scraped through to get her increment, received some training and is a top notch employee now Lol 

The FAS website isn't bad for hiring unskilled labour but skilled staff are still a rare thing. We have to go to the UK or Eastern Europe to find them. FAS don't run courses for what we need. When we need training we end up hiring people from institutes of technology on an individual basis (and yes, we insist that they give us an invoice and we never pay cash).


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## JP1234 (22 Jun 2011)

Purple said:


> I’m sure she got a bad assessment, only just scraped through to get her increment, received some training and is a top notch employee now Lol
> 
> The FAS website isn't bad for hiring unskilled labour but skilled staff are still a rare thing. We have to go to the UK or Eastern Europe to find them. FAS don't run courses for what we need. When we need training we end up hiring people from institutes of technology on an individual basis (and yes, we insist that they give us an invoice and we never pay cash).



To be fair and for balance, my Fas Supervisor when I was on a CE scheme was superb, visited us each week to see if everything was ok, got us on numerous short courses.

I agree about the Fas website, I look at it everyday and have only seen 1 job in my field and that was gone the same day I applied to them. 

The course I am looking to do is something I already have plenty of experience in but it seems that some employers are now only focusing on actual qualifications/completed courses than the 20+ years work experience I have under my belt!


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## Purple (22 Jun 2011)

JP1234 said:


> it seems that some employers are now only focusing on actual qualifications/completed courses than the 20+ years work experience I have under my belt!



Strange, I'm far more interested in experience. I don't really care what qualifications people have.

Mods, can we split this into a different thread?


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## cork (22 Jun 2011)

Complainer said:


> So one of the four training centres has closed - right?




I think the 4 are not running skills courses at the moment.

They don't seem even to be running part-time courses.

Where we have 440k+ people out of work - this is shameless.

The government raided private pension funds to fund training - yet it is not utilising training facilities.


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## Pope John 11 (22 Jun 2011)

I totally agree with what is said here previously.

FAS is suitable for persons with either no skills and require upskilling.

I have to ask why are there not courses for Irish persons to learn different languages.

Also there is a shortage of software and bio Engineers, why has this gap not been filled


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## cork (22 Jun 2011)

Again - we have language labs in our colleges not used over the Summer.

Why doesn't the government show a bit of iniatative?


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## Complainer (22 Jun 2011)

cork said:


> I think the 4 are not running skills courses at the moment.
> 
> They don't seem even to be running part-time courses.
> .


Source please?


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## cork (22 Jun 2011)

I find it crazy that there is no massive push to re-skill or re-train.


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## Ceist Beag (23 Jun 2011)

So cork let me get this right, the previous government is responsible for the suspension of these training courses, members of the current government are raising this as an issue to be addressed, and you're disappointed in the current government for the fact the training courses are suspended? Perhaps you need to re-evaluate who you are disappointed with here!


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## cork (23 Jun 2011)

0.06% was taken off private pensions by this government to fund training.

Yet in an area that the current government sees jobs growth - they are no courses in the area for those without work.

I know many without work that are on massive waiting lists for courses.

Yet we have training centres being mot-balled.


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## Sunny (23 Jun 2011)

cork said:


> 0.06% was taken off private pensions by this government to fund training.
> 
> Yet in an area that the current government sees jobs growth - they are no courses in the area for those without work.
> 
> ...


 
Are you trying to set a record for repeating the same point over and over? Why don't you address the issue that the mot-balling of anything has nothing to do with the new Government of 100 days and everything to do with FF.


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## cork (24 Jun 2011)

Sunny said:


> Why don't you address the issue that the mot-balling of anything has nothing to do with the new Government of 100 days and everything to do with FF.





I think blaming won't create any solutions for those without work.

But after putting a levy on private pensions raising 400 million - for training.

Training facilities should be utilised. 

I would even get courses in the colleges over the Summer months.

I know many who are without work & putting down down is hard.

So, it is now up to govt. to use the 400 million  they took from private pensions for training.


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## Shawady (30 Jun 2011)

Looks like FG have performed a bit of a U-turn on cutting the number of TD's. Instead of cutting the number by 20 , they are saying the can only cut it by between 6 to 13. This is because the Constitution requires a TD per 20,000 to 30,000 people.

Why not hold a referendum to change the constitution to reflect this? It could be done on the same day as the Judges pay issue.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/fine-gael-denies-td-cuts-re-think-511012.html


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## Ceist Beag (30 Jun 2011)

Disappointing alright Shawady, looks like FG are going to hide behind the constitution to save a few jobs rather than bite the bullet and do what is right (and what they promised to do). As you say, a referendum on the matter could easily be held on the same day as the Judges pay issue.


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## Purple (30 Jun 2011)

Before the election they were going to introduce a partial list system and reform the whole electoral process. 

Talk is cheap.


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