Round two over and while we’re all feeling a little battered and bruised, there are no broken bones.
It could have been worse. He did what he said he was going to do. Everyone will feel the pinch, some definitely more than others, and he started at the top.
Now while Brian Lenihan’s latest Budget could be dissected and taken apart by every would-be economist in the country over every day for the next month, what’s the point? Such negativity only breeds resentment and Brian Lenihan or his side kick Cowen are not going to lose any sleep over our Budget musings.
Gerry Ryan made a good point the morning after when he compared our national papers’ coverage versus the international media’s coverage of the Tuesday Budget.
At home in Ireland he said newspapers, with dwindling circulation figures and editors conscious of playing to their public, were more negative in their analysis. Internationally it was felt that the Government had formulated a good plan to begin steering us out of the financial doldrums in which we find ourselves.
Even Eddie Hobbs, one of the Government’s most vocal critics, found it in his heart to praise the Government’s efforts.
And while we lick our wounds, and rue the hard earned money now gone at the stroke of a pen, it could have been a lot, lot, worse. But alas there is more to come. And while this is only year one of a five year strategy, life must go on.
As well as cutting expenditure, revenue needed to be raised and nobody will be exempt from the harsh realities of what is to come next.
But what about job creation, job protection, and education and retraining? Small businesses will suffer and have been left without adequate protections. Sinn Fein has interesting proposals in this regard. The party has suggested a €300 million jobs retention fund to subsidise SMEs struggling to keep on their employees. The subsidy would apply to each individual job and would be no greater than €200 or 20 per cent of the wage, to be reviewed after six months. It can only apply if employers prove there is still a demand for their product. SF predicts that this fund could potentially save 90,000 jobs over six months. It costs the Government approximately €20,000 to keep a person on the dole each year. There is the double whammy with the loss in income tax. Sinn Féin’s proposal would keep people at work and also ensure some revenue for the government. It would definitely help reduce the quickly expanding social welfare bill which is crippling the country.
Most people are prepared to pay their fair share — fair being the operative term. It’s hardly fair then that elderly pensioners will have to go without their Christmas bonus. God knows they live on very little and many helped build this great country we live in today. Yes, we live in a great country because it’s the people who make a country, and the Irish are a great people.
So we must get on with it now. The time for whinging has come and gone. Who will benefit by sitting in front of the television with blood pressure rising to the tune of Mark Little and Miriam O’Callaghan’s Prime Time analysis or from listening to George Lee? Nobody. Not you, me, or the bankers and greedy developers who put us in this mess. We need to remember the important things in life: family, friends, health, fun and laughter. The rest are only add-ons.
Toni Bourke Editor [email protected]
