Tax revenue is €7.4bn behind target for the year up to the end of November. VAT was €2.1bn behind target, with Capital Gains Tax €1.7bn less than expected. Corporation Tax was €1.5bn below target, with Stamp Duty figures also €1bn less than projected.I suppose they will just have to throw on a few percent extra in taxes and a couple of new levies in another emergency budget. People still have money the government could take, after all they are still spending it, just in Northern...
I'm sick of hearing in radio interviews how government ministers and executives from Fás did nothing wrong because they only got what they were entitled to as part of their trip. Does no one in the civil service or government realise that telling people that they only spent money because they were entitled to spend that money is bloody annoying.I don't care if Mary Harney was entitled to get her hair done when on a government trip. I don't care if Rody Molloy was entitled to bring his wife with him because he downgraded from first class to business class. Those entitlements are wrong, just plain wrong. Why couldn't Mary get her hair done before she went, or does she need her hair washed and blow dried every day? Why did Rody have to bring his wife, would he have been kicked out of what...
Foreign Affairs Minister Micheal Martin is off to Georgia to assess the security situation on the ground there following the recent conflict between Georgia and Russia. I'm sure the Georgians will greet him like Parisians welcoming Charles De Gaulle in 1944. Their troubles are over the Irish have arrived. What possible help can we be? We don't have the money to help our own country out of recession never mind rebuild Georgia and from a military point of view the most we can do is send a couple of hundred lightly armed soldiers to pad out the peace keeping forces from larger nations. Unless Martin has some wonderful brain for military strategy and tactics he's wasting our money and their time trying to portray himself as an international...
If Obama accepts Cowens invite to visit Ireland he will make our Taoiseach look and sound like The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Unfortunately right now in Ireland we have a choice between the three stooges so there is no real chance for change. Still there is hope. Just 5 years ago hardly anyone knew who Barrack Obama was, even in the Democratic Party. Now as the whole world knows he is President elect in the United States. Here's hoping for some new politician to appear here as well.For those who don't remember where Obama came from here is the video of an unknown politician from 2004....
In two hospitals in Ireland between August 2006 and August 2007 people with treatable lung cancer were misdiagnosed and given the all clear. As a result eight of the nine people misdiagnosed are now dead.Health Minister Mary Harney has expressed her sympathies to the families of the deceased patients.But don't worry, the Minister is on the job, action will be taken.As a result of this review, the HSE, the Department of Health and the Faculty of Radiology of the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland are to develop an agreed protocol and guidance around complaints of error in radiology, the minister said.So if anyone out there finds themselves dying as the result a cancer misdiagnosis they can rest assured that there will now be an official form they can fill out to express their...
At a press conference this morning the Government announced plans to cancel Christmas. Minister For Social and Economic Entertainment Mary MacLenihan said today that in today's tightening economic conditions people can no longer expect the same level of festivities and parties as in previous years. "The obvious source of wastage in the party sector is Christmas." said the Minister. "Other festivities such as Halloween and Easter are just as much fun yet do not drain as much from the state coffers. Look at the strain Christmas puts the public sector areas such as An Post. Every year Christmas results in massive overtime bills, tired backs and worn shoes for postmen and postwomen up and down the country. Pint glass size inspectors are run off their feet visiting every pub in Ireland to...
Here is a clear example of why the government should stop getting involved in the property market. Houses on sale under the affordable houses scheme are now more expensive than houses on general sale. Buyers can save €10,000 on €245,000 two-bedroom apartments in Phibblestown Wood, Ongar, Dublin 15, and €5,000 on €205,000 three-bedroom homes at Parnell Drive and Parnell Green, Ladyswell, Mulhuddart, by purchasing on the open marketinstead of through Fingal County Council It seems no matter how well intended most government schemes in the property market just end up profiting the property developers. The government should release their grip on the idea of massive tax income from a property boom and focus on encouraging a property market that is profitable for developers yet...
In the budget this week the government decided to scrap automatic medical cards for over 70s leaving around 100,000 people wondering where they will get the money to go to the doctor. Some GPs charge €60 a visit never mind prescriptions or other medicines like say the flu vaccine, which cost my girlfriend €35 during a recent visit to her GP. So imagine if you were 70 years old retired, trying to scrape together enough money to buy food, pay the increased ESB and gas bills, then save a little money to buy Christmas presents for the grand kids and not doing anything fancy like foreign holidays. Just gettin by in Ireland today. €95 would be a good chunk out of your weekly income of say €241 which would put you over the limits.Being over 70 there is a reasonable chance you may need to...
So President Sarkozy is on his way to Dublin today in an attempt to find out why we voted No to the Lisbon Treaty. I don't know why he thinks coming here will help him understand why we said No considering he didn't understand it when the French voted Non to the original EU constitution. He didn't let his own people vote again and just pushed through the Lisbon Treaty so it is generous of him to say we should vote again instead of strong arming Cowen into just rubber stamping the treaty in a similar way.I'd love it if Cowen stood beside Sarkozy at this evenings press conference and announced Ireland will vote again, but only as part of an EU wide referendum. Everyone in Europe gets to vote or the treaty dies. Imagine the look on Sarkozys face...
I went into the health service protest on Saturday. Initially as I wandered around Parnell Square I was concerned that it seemed to be the same regular protesters that you see out at each and every protest in Dublin. I mean the groups who have turned Saturday protests into their regular social outing. They probably think they are fighting some good fight or other but really they just tire the public so now no one notices a march or two passing in between the buses. In fact one group tried to upstage the main protest by staging their own march up to Parnell Square and to the front of the main protest. I'm sure they felt they were expressing solidarity but it seemed like attention seeking to me. A Garda I was talking to at the time was surprised to see them marching but insisted that they...
Is it rude to go to someones house and while talking with their wife to keep taking txt messages? At what stage should you turn off your phone or at least switch it to silent? What if an aquaintance had invited you over and you took so many txt messages that they were forced to ask if there was a crisis or emergency at home, would that be impolite? Would you go down the pub and joke about it to show how cool you were? Alternatively what if you were in an important work meeting, or at least one you claimed was vitally important, and you kept reading txt messages from your mates telling you how the match was going, would that be unprofessional? Would you go back to the office and joked about it in front of the people who are supposed do be your bosses and whom you had convinced to let you...
The Government is getting desperate for good news on the jobs front. Minister for Trade and Employment Micheál Martin has announced that IBM in Mulhuddart are creating 21 new jobs.Anyone remember the days when announcements were in triple...
Why is property and rent so expensive in Ireland these days? Who knows? Maybe the government should do something about it, after they finish managing their property portfolios of course.Topping the list of property holdings was former Fianna Fáil minister for state Frank Fahey, who declared full ownership or part-interest in properties in 29 apartments in Ireland, Europe and the US.Nice work. Good think sitting in the Dail is a part time job these...
More taxpayers money has been wasted on a computer project, this time in the blood bank. It constantly amazes me that the government keeps starting IT projects, having them fail and writing off the money. I feel like quitting my job, setting up my own IT contracting company and just milking the government. IT projects are difficult but come on people, learn from your mistakes and get it right...
This morning as I listened to the news headlines I was pissed off to hear the latest service scam being run by the Irish Health Service Executive. Last September the HSE announced that they had exceeded their budget by €245 million and so were introducing a recruitment freeze. Then, just before Christmas they relaxed the freeze but on the 8th of January they announced that any posts that had been vacant during the freeze and had not been filled by the end of December were being abolished. Brilliantly simple.The managers cant do their jobs and control their budgets so they freeze recruitment of front line staff. Then after the freeze ends they use the fact that they didn't hire anyone to do a job during that 3 months as proof that no one is needed to do that job and therefore they can...
Mary O'Rourke accused Enda Kenny of a “disloyal treasonous act” for being critical of Bertie Ahern's personal finances while Bertie was out of the country. In case you were wondering what treason is defined as in Ireland then this section of the Treason Act, 1939 may prove useful.WHEREAS it is provided by Article 39 of the Constitution that treason shall consist only in levying war against the State, or assisting any State or person or inciting or conspiring with any person to levy war against the State, or attempting by force of arms or other violent means to overthrow the organs of government established by the Constitution, or taking part or being concerned in or inciting or conspiring with any person to make or to take part or be concerned in any such attemptThe Treason Act also...
Following on from the lies told by Enda Kenny about Bertie Ahern I thought I'd clear some things up with 10 things you didn't know about Bertie.Bertie hand prints every Euro in circulation in Ireland, such is his concern for the Irish economy. Prior to the Euros introduction he used to hand draw the old Irish 20 punt note.Bertie is responsible for the collapse in the US dollar and the rise of the Euro. His declaration at the Mahon Tribunal that dollars don't exist caused a rush on the market.Everyone knows Al Gore invented the internet, but less well known is the fact that Bertie invented email. Apparently he hated envelopes.Bertie invented internet banking. He found going to bank branches to be tedious and unnecessary. He was the first man in Ireland to do all his banking from a...
While I think many nurses, gardai and teachers do have genuine cases for pay increases I'd like to point the other civil service unions, currently on TV and radio complaining about benchmarking, to the following resource through which they can seek the pay increases they feel they deserve: Irish Jobs.If things are that bad in your current job do what the private sector workers do, stop complaining and leave. Stick it you that manager who refused you a pay increase or grade promotion. Show them you wont be pushed around and ignored. You are not enslaved to the civil service. No one is going to stop you taking your valuable skills elsewhere. On the other side there are plenty of people in the private sector who would like a shot at what they see as your great pension and work conditions to...
The government has announced, late on a cold Friday when they think most people wont really notice, that "it has received legal advice that confirms schools here must pay water charges based on usage levels and cannot be exempted". This is because an EU directive says they have to charge all non-domestic users for water.Bertie, if you go to jail I doubt it will be because you wouldn't charge children for water to flush the toilet and wash their hands....
Is anyone in a position of authority or power in this country competent? Carlow County Council almost managed to build a 1.5 kilometer road ahead of schedule and on a budget of 5.5 million. However when the builders got to the last 35 meters they discovered that the council did not own the land and the construction had to stop. Now the builders are suing the council, damages could run to 12 million and the new road goes nowhere unless you are walking in which case you should be able to cover the disputed plot of land in about 34...
The Health Service Executive are currently contacting 97 women who are being called back for further checks after being given the all clear on breast cancer following ultrasounds. From what I could gather on the radio and TV they had 2 people calling the 97 women today. Meanwhile they have 7 calling the 364 other women who are in the clear. If those numbers are true wouldn't common sense tell them to have the whole 9 ring the 97 women who need to find out today and get the media to announce that everyone else is in the clear and will be contacted over the next few...
Fergal of this parish will be proposing a motion at the Labour Party Conference this evening on behalf of the Labour Lawyers group.
I thought I’d try to put up the stream from the podium here.
Fingers crossed, I can get it working....
As the Health Service in Ireland seems to get worse with every passing day and every passing billion I was still surprised today to hear that Mary Harney was warned by a consultant surgeon that cancer services in Portlaoise Hospital were being provided "by people who have no expertise in this area" and that "Women are having unnecessary surgery because of a total lack of decision-making." In response Mary, the Minister for Health, "referred the surgeon's concerns to the HSE".I wonder, if the Minister for Health was a man would the radio be full of leading female journalists and commentators demanding he resign because of a lack of concern for female cancer patients. It seems clear in this case Mary doesn't discriminate based on gender, everyone will die equally in Irish...
The Minister for Justice, Brian Lennihan, has said that gangland figures will be targeted through new policing priorities next year.So get your gangland crimes in now, cause the cops are busy else where until the new...
A "significant oil accumulation" has been discovered off the coast of Ireland. I wouldn't get too excited about it all, remember we have gas reserves as well but Shell and apparently the Norwegians get the profits from that in exchange for the promise of a few jobs or something equally vague. I wonder what the government will accept for the oil or, in all likelihood, have already sold it for. A weekend on a yacht for a few ministers? Fuel for the government jet? A sack of...
The scandals just keep coming for the government. Now a Minister is admitting he uses cocaine and he's "not the only one". The Minister was not named in the story.He said: “A Government minister was quoted as saying ’Yes I do take drugs. Just coke on a regular basis and I’m certainly not the only one around here who does.”’Then a Fianna Fail councillor gets arrested and accused of sexually assulting a 16 year old boy while staying in a hotel in Kerry on public business. He does deny the allegation and also has not been named.God be with the days when they were just corrupt. I miss Haughey sometimes. He'd have hung both the Minister and the councillor from the gates of Government Buildings as an example to the rest of the party and of course to save his ratings in the...
90% of in-patients and 85% of out-patients are happy with the treatment they received from the Health Service. Or at least so says a survey commissioned by the Health Service Executive itself. Hmm, "90%"? That's pretty good, is'nt it?Yes, but surely when you run surveys about yourself you can always do better. Next year they should consider hiring Saddam Hussein's former election managers to see if they can achieve the coveted 100% satisfaction...
This caught my attention over the weekend. The governments plan for the development of nationwide radiotherapy treatment for cancer is now up to three years behind schedule. The thing is the plan was announced in July 2005. After two years of work the plan is now three years behind schedule. So, in theory, if the Department of Health had done nothing we'd actually be a year closer to getting proper cancer treatment in Ireland than we are now. Typical. I bet the contractors and consultants working on the projects are still getting paid their daily...
This is the view from the North Beach of Greystones Harbour yesterday evening. The pier was built in the 1800s and the houses date back to the Victorian era.
The harbour has fallen into disrepair and the place needs a bit of a facelift, it’s sad to see how rundown it is. However, yesterday plans went through for a €300m marina development including a new town square, four and a half storey buildings with 375 apartments and shops, and berthing for 230 boats built by a partnership between Wicklow CoCo and private developers. You can follow this LINK to see architectural drawings of how it will look. I’ve heard it described as using an atom bomb to kill a fly…or, on the other side, that Greystones will be the envy of all other coastal towns.
This marina isn’t an...
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The problem with the Roma gypsies living on the M50 roundabout outside Dublin airport is beginning to puzzle me but not for the reasons you might think. Sure it's dangerous to them and to traffic to have them living on a busy roundabout and yes it's unsanitary to be have over 50 people living in a temporary camp. Now I do believe that the government should deport them, they are taking the piss and challenging the authorities by setting up camp on the first piece of empty land they came to outside the airport. As a representative of the Romanian community in Ireland said on the radio today this is like a test-case, let 50 people set up a camp on the M50 and prove the government cannot stop them then next month more will arrive, and more after that.However what puzzles me is the attitude of...