Sir, – It amazes and astounds me when I watch Fianna Fáil spokespeople castigating Ministers Howlin and Noonan for bringing in this Budget.
Considering what was left in the kitty when they came in, I believe they have been very fair and indeed sensitive to the vulnerable for the most part. We are also making strides to retrieving our independence from our European bankers. Remember it was the same Soldiers of Destiny who sold our destiny. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Despite our challenging times there has been rightful focus on the Budget and service cuts facing many families. One group that this Budget and every budget since 2000 has neglected is adult and children asylum-seekers living in “direct provision” hostels. Adult asylum-seekers receive €19.10 per week and their children €9.60 per week. Is this any way to treat people, many of whom remain in accommodation centres for years? It is my strong belief that the experiences of asylum-seekers in these hostels will become the State institutional neglect story of the future. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – When is this Government going to accept that we cannot get out of the current crisis without asking the top 5 per cent of earners to play their part? This Government is very vociferous in calling for a European solution to the current crisis (getting the rich Germans to bail out the problem nations). Our German friends must find it ironic that no such policy of getting the better off to transfer some of their wealth to the underprivileged is being pursued in Ireland.
Whenever the question of increasing tax rates on those earning over €100,000 is raised we get the standard reply that the top 5 per cent are contributing 44 per cent of the income tax take. This seems to me only to underline the fact that the top 5 per cent are substantially overpaid. Marginal rates that are the same for those earning €50,000 and those earning €250,000 cannot be justified, particularly in our current circumstances. – Yours, etc,
A chara, – In light of research showing that the most vulnerable groups are already disproportionately paying for the misdeeds of bankers, regulators and inept politicians, Budget 2012 displays a stunning lack of empathy by the Labour-Fine Gael Government.
Cuts in child benefit for large families, changes to the One-Parent Family Payment, and the targeting of young disabled people through cuts in disability benefit are just some of the retrograde measures introduced in this Budget, which further threaten to entrench inequality in this country.
Fortunately though for our political elite, they need not actually learn of the experiences of women, the disabled, and a host of other groups attacked in Budget 2012, given that they’ve also reduced funding to or entirely annihilated their respective representative bodies. As the National Women’s Council, Safe Ireland, and People with Disabilities in Ireland, among others, take the hit, and with them the people they support, it really appears to be true what they say: ignorance is bliss. – Is mise,
Sir, – Billy Linehan’s bizarre contribution (Opinion, December 8th) chides Patrick Nulty for sticking to Labour core principles and calls on him to resign as a TD because he was elected on a “falsehood” Eh, does Billy care to name one Labour or Fine Gael TD that was not similarly elected? Just one. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – It is with interest I read about the introduction of a property charge of €100 in the recent budget. Understandably some individuals are not happy about this new tax. Living in the United States, property tax is a long-established form of taxation. To put the €100 now being charged in Ireland into perspective, just last night I wrote a cheque for my property tax for my very average home in California. The total – over $2,300 (over €1,700). And I get the pleasure of writing another property tax cheque next February for the same amount.
Perhaps €100 is not that much after all. – Yours, etc,
Yours, etc,
Sir, – Am I the only one who views the proposed cuts to those with disabilities as something even more cynical than it appears? Could the Government have “slipped” this change into the Budget in the sure knowledge that the ensuing furore and inevitable climbdown would so dominate post-Budget coverage that we might forget about everything else? Either way, their grip on reality is tenuous or their willingness to exploit the vulnerable is unforgiveable. What an unenviable choice! – Yours, etc,
A chara, – The national average for the number of children learning in primary classrooms of more than 30 pupils currently stands at one in five. The average figure for Co Meath is one in four. This country now has the second highest class sizes in Europe.
The Budget has inflicted more hardship on the primary education system with the regressive introduction of an increased pupil-teacher ratio for every school with less than 100 students. This will result in the closing down of many rural schools and the subsequent loss of up to 100 teaching posts.
The shutting down of small country schools and Garda stations for economic expedience is a short-sighted act. There are many cultural, social and economic reasons to support these local services. Remote Gaeltacht communities in particular, will be worst affected by this measure. This is yet another slight upon ár dteanga dúchais agus chultúir. With hundreds of jobs in education already lost due to the economic crisis and with a projected figure of more than 25,000 new pupils expected to enrol in primary schools during the next three years, the outlook appears bleak.
Ireland will continue to be harmed economically and socially unless education is dramatically improved for all children in every corner of this island, in both rural and urban communities. Further meddling in the pupil-teacher ratio will cause more harm than good. – Is mise,
Sir, – The Government hopes, no doubt, to retrieve credibility by “pausing” the cut in disability allowance to young disabled people. It cannot be done. We now know for sure that disabled people, mentally ill, sick and elderly have had no “special consideration” in this Budget. As if lives are not already profoundly difficult for these groups the Government, by not providing safety cushions for the above, simply shows its colours.
There is no sense of decency or moral judgment that what makes us human is that we protect the least able, vulnerable and weak in society. Not in a condescending way, but with the intelligent acknowledgment that additional pressures on health and well-being deserves more support not less.
This Government has lost that moral compass and because it has, “credibility” cannot be restored by “backtracking” to save face. – Yours, etc,