"Politicians putting all our hard work at risk by promising expensive 'goodies' to voters"

Politicians putting all our hard work at risk by promising expensive 'goodies' to voters

From today's Indo by Eamon Delaney

"Tánaiste Joan Burton has promised to raise the State pension to up to €24 per week over next few years if re-elected. There is no clarification as to how this will be paid for. It is unnecessary, uncalled for and recklessly generous - pitched to attract the votes of the elderly. As it is, the State will struggle to pay for the existing pension system, given the huge demands expected in the future."

I agree with the article. The entire Dáil is going in the opposite direction to which it should be going. We are borrowing money as it is to pay some of the most generous social welfare rates in Europe and so that we can have the lowest tax rates on lower earners.

Some politician should break with the consensus and campaign to eliminate the budget deficit and to bring our social welfare rates and tax rates towards the EU average.

Brendan

The new EU fiscal compact rules means that borrowing must fall anyways, and that debt must reduce over time.

I can see no justification for increasing what are already relatively generous State pensions when there are much more pressing demands on the exchequer.

Looks like we're right back to short-sighted, auction politics. That didn't take long...

I have to say that much and all as I would love to have a few quid extra every month, I would much rather see this country get back on its feet rather than taking risks trying to buy an election. Are they really that short sighted? Do they not think that we can see through all this BS? It really galls me to see this behavior after 1-2 questionable good years. After what we have been through you would think that even if we did have the money to give away that they would set up some kind of fund whereby if we were to get into this kind of trouble again then rather than having to fleece all the taxpayers the money would be there to help salvage the situation. That probably sounds a bit naive but it is how I would rather see them use our funds.

Hmn !If our (recovery) is predicated on giving pensioners an increase in line with inflation then it is time to really review what our society wants.

Sadly more than 50% of our population have no private pension other than the Old Age Pension.
Sadly our Government hit those who were judicious enough to have other pension provision with a levy, thus frightening people from self providing.

I do not see our state pension as too generous.
By all means bring our Welfare nearer the EU average , after we make a real effort on housing.

I see housing as the ongoing big issue.
Once anyone has secure tenure ,everything else becomes easier.

We are nearly at a stage now where we don't really need to borrow to meet current expenditure. In addition, several important parts of the economy are doing very well. We have a superb opportunity to really drive the country on to the next level. We should park any notion of pay / welfare increases and tax cuts and instead focusing on fixing our infrastructure / reducing our debt.

Alas, it seems we'd all prefer a new car to actually improving the roads, so these politicians are playing into our hands.

This is a pre-election stunt which will be rowed back on if re-elected.

Politicians give the people what they want. That’s what they are elected to do. The people want gravy now and screw the medium to long term interests of the country as a whole.

I’m surprised anyone is surprised. This is the electorate who kept re-electing Bertie, take pride in not paying their taxes and are now going to vote for the Shinners and the Looney Left. Why on earth would anyone expect the Irish electorate to be intelligent and informed and mature enough to do the right thing.

This is a country where we the citizens have rights but no responsibilities, a country where we are on the take or on the make. I hope our children and their children do a better job than we are doing and that they break the long line of gobdaws and mutton-heads who have voted for the governments who have run this country since independence.

Purple - well said! "mutton-heads" (haven't heard that one for a while!) The majority (but by no means all) of the politicians in the Dail are County Councillor types who look no further than the nearest pothole. Statesmanship is in short supply.

hubble said:

Purple - well said! "mutton-heads" (haven't heard that one for a while!) The majority (but by no means all) of the politicians in the Dail are County Councillor types who look no further than the nearest pothole. Statesmanship is in short supply.

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Politicians aren't the root cause, they are a symptom of the problem. We, the electorate, are the root cause.

To be honest, back in the day when Charlie McCreevey was handing money out every year whether it was an extra €100 every month back in tax or the old SSIA scheme I was delighted to be taking full advantage of this but having seen what this (amongst other things) has done to the country I am now prepared to stand back and see that that is not the answer. It might bring in more votes for whoever promises more but in the long-term is it just going to get us back into the same state that we have been for the last 7/8 years.

I just don't get it and can't believe that people are really that shortsighted. Like I said above - maybe I am being very naive but people need to really take responsibility and not just vote for the parties who promise more money in your pocket in the short-term. We need to think a lot further down the line than the next 4/5 years - the length of the average government in this country.

"Politicians aren't the root cause, they are a symptom of the problem. We, the electorate, are the root cause."

Yes, but it is a matter for politicians to give and show leadership.

hubble said:

Yes, but it is a matter for politicians to give and show leadership.

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That's no excuse.
We vote in people who don't give example or leadership. We get the government we deserve.

Purple - but... I look at the politicians available for election in my constituency. I cannot honestly say that one of them will act in a statesman like fashion. Everybody should exercise their right to vote but if we can only vote for people with little ability or leadership skills then how can you blame the People. There was a massive chance for a paradigm shift at the last election but it was not seized upon, unfortunately. So my prediction is ... we escaped the economic hangman without radical change in politics... the politics in this country will not change for the foreseeable future.

The candidates are a reflection of what people have been voting for for the last 90 years. Chance will come slowly, just as most change does, but slow means a few electoral cycles, not another 90 years.
This is a democracy therefore it's up to us, the demos.