It is for the workers concerned. Then again, any public servants will have to pass your analysis which can't be too good as we well know your point of view on the PS.The State is getting bigger. They are controlling more and more of the national income.
Is that a good thing?
No, it's getting bigger. The State is taking and then spending more and more of the Nations wealth. I'd have no real problem with that if they were any good at it but they aren't. They are grossly inefficient and so as they take more they waste more. Ultimately that will hurt everyone.Is it really getting bigger or has it just got into the practise of outsourcing? Social housing, for example, has largely been outsourced to the private sector, so has chunks of Public Transport as 2 examples. Likewise with care for the elderly.
Yep, so why rush it?Do state's ever get smaller? As I understand it the pattern is generally states grow until they fail.
I agree. The State takes your money and then gives it back to you less their costs. Child Benefit is a great example. They take €140 plus €X from you in taxes, €X being their costs. They keep €X and give you back the rest. I'd rather they didn't take it in the first place.I'm not arguing with you, I would generally like to see the state being as small as possible. But I expect it to keep growing.
Well it’s unquestionably what the population wants , population has swung considerably to the left this past decade and we were always a centre left country economically speaking anywayThe State is getting bigger. They are controlling more and more of the national income.
Is that a good thing?
We all see the consequences of an all powerful state, the Soviet Union being the prime example. Shortages of food and consumer goods , too much focus on military and arms and stupid wars. China now with its zero covid policy when it has been abandoned by everyone else. An all powerful state cannot admit mistakes whereas private businesses cannot afford this luxury therefore they are much better at learning and changing things to the best methods.
Of course we are far from this extreme in Ireland now but we need to be very wary of giving too much power to central government and bureaucracies. They haven't a clue how to produce anything efficiently. Look at the HSE we hardly need more of these state organisations
It's one of the best funded healthcare systems in the world but there are chronic waiting lists and constant backlogs in A&E Departments.What wrong with the HSE? It's doing fine, all thing considered.
Interesting question Purple.The State is getting bigger. They are controlling more and more of the national income.
Is that a good thing?
Is the solution to get bigger or get better? Which is better, bigger bucket with holes in it or the same smaller bucket with fewer or no holes in it?Well it hasn't got bigger in the areas it should have been getting bigger in such as building regulations.
Was that a failure by the State to apply existing regulations properly?Because leaving anything important to the private sector is such a success and in the interest of the citizen...
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Agreed. The building sector is already grossly over-regulated and this has been a major factor in the building cost inflation we have experienced since circa 2010.Is the solution to get bigger or get better? Which is better, bigger bucket with holes in it or the same smaller bucket with fewer or no holes in it?
I'd rather see an emphasis on the State functioning better rather than the State getting bigger.
Obviously. However there is an indisputable need for the State and the State's services. It is 'getting bigger' partly because the private sector has clearly demonstrated that it cannot be trusted to regulate itself.Was that a failure by the State to apply existing regulations properly?
Was is a failure of the State to construct legislation correctly?
Was it a failure of the Banks?
Was it a combination of all three?
There was a regulatory structure in place. It was inadequate and the people charged with overseeing it and making it work were inept. More bad regulation is not the solution to existing bad regulation.
You'll have to explain how the biggest increases in state spending are related to regulation.Obviously. However there is an indisputable need for the State and the State's services. It is 'getting bigger' partly because the private sector has clearly demonstrated that it cannot be trusted to regulate itself.