Criticism, analysis, response: The BudgetJam live blog. Email your comments here or comment below.
18.16 From The Poor Can't Pay campaign
The Poor Can’t Pay Coalition says that the Children of the poorest are hit hardest in budget
In a conversation on television last week a journalist from a daily newspaper emphasised the importance of getting this budget passed. By Stephen Kelly
It did not matter what "rogue leftists" were saying, the main parties in the Dáil had to get behind this budget because the eyes of the world were on us and there was no realistic alternative plan. I could continue, but I'm sure we are all familiar with the meme by now.
Income, access to an adequate income and income equality emerge from the four year National Recovery Plan as key issues of concern. It is certain they will emerge as key issues from the forthcoming budget. By Niall Crowley
It is one of the ironies of the current crisis that some of the most radical proposed responses are coming from relatively mainstream economists – both Irish and international. By Andy Storey
David McWilliams, for example, has explicitly called for a default on Irish debt in the following terms:
Criticism, analysis, response: The BudgetJam live blog. Email your comments here or comment below.
12.15 Handing over to the highly capable Harry Browne who'll take you through the afternoon...
12.05 Carl Cullinane sent this, offering us some levity before the bloodletting begins. Cheers Carl!
In a previous post I pointed out that Ireland spends substantially less on public services per person than the average EU-15 country.
The government recently published a draft memorandum that will give legal effect to the negotiations between the EU/IMF and Ireland. Essentially the draft details, by quarter of each year, how the government intends to implement an incredibly far-reaching austerity programme to help get us back on our feet.
Criticism, analysis, response: The BudgetJam live blog. Email your comments here or comment below.
It's budget day tomorrow and people are all screaming and shouting.... "Not me!" We're all looking out for our lot, trying as best we can to maintain some of the material wealth we have become accustomed to. Of course, some of us have become accustomed to greater levels of material wealth than others. By Seamus Bradley
Last Friday, the Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce held its annual President's lunch at the Newpark Hotel. In an audacious move, the theme of the meal was "A Time for Optimism". And who should address this unfashionable notion? Step forward, Brian Patterson, now CEO of Vodafone Ireland, but until April 2008, chairman of the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority. By Roddy Flynn