Yet AGAIN more stuff you are supposed to forget about - and swallow the Labour and Fine Gael PR bullshite... . Budget 2011 • FG & Lab voted against Budget 2011. • Now it seems they’re only too happy to take ownership of the budget and boast about the adjustments that have been achieved to date. . More Pay Cuts to Public Servants • They opposed the public sector pension levy – “It is a crude and unfair system.” (Brendan Howlin) • Now they won’t rule out more cuts to public service pay. . Jobs Budget • FG promised a Jobs Budget within 100 days. • The jobs budget then became a mere revenue neutral “jobs initiative”, with no jobs target. ...But they did hire 250+ on a jobsbridge scheme for using them in government departments (for example) - then sacked the lot - not even hiring one after their term was up! . Getting People Back to Work • FG Election Slogan: Let’s Get Ireland Working • Latest Live Register figures show unemployment stagnant – the jobs initiative failed, the New Era jobs didn’t materialise. . New Era Jobs • Enda Kenny boasted that “New Era plan will create over 105,000 jobs.” • At its launch in Sept, there was no mention of jobs it would create, and no mention of cost. New Era Funding • The Programme for Government and the Fine Gael manifesto state that it would funded through the sale of state assets. • However, the EU/IMF agreement clearly states - “It is important to make effective use of our state assets and, where appropriate, dispose of them to help reduce our government debt.” . State Assets • Programme for Government: “We will target up to €2 billion in sales of non-strategic state assets.” • It now looks like up to €5bn of assets, strategic or otherwise, will be sold. . Strategic Investment Bank • The Programme for Government states “we will establish a Strategic Investment Bank”. • Kenny, September 2011: “A Strategic Investment Bank would be difficult to implement in current market conditions.” . Upward Only Rent Reviews • The Programme for Govt states: “We will legislate to end upward only rent reviews for existing leases.” • Each time the Justice Minister has been asked about it, he’s fudged the issue. . Protecting the Low Paid • Labour Manifesto pledged to reform JLCs in a way that protects the most vulnerable workers. • Jobs Minister Richard Bruton is dragging his feet on introducing a reformed JLC system, leaving workers vulnerable since July. . Competition & Consumer Protection • FG Manifesto: Promised a new “powerful consumer champion”, giving it “additional powers – by constitutional change if necessary – to break up public and private sector monopolies and cartels.” LOL *cough* IRISH WATER!!! *cough* • No mention of this in Competition Bill 2011, and no commitment to constitutional change. . Ban on Corporate Donations • The Programme for Government clearly states “we will introduce the necessary legal and constitutional provisions to ban corporate donations to political parties.” • The Bill allows corporate donations to continue and Enda Kenny has confirmed that there will be no constitutional ban put to the people. Severance Pay for Senior Civil Servants • There will be no more “golden handshakes” for public servants that have failed to deliver. • Big payoffs for senior civil servants continue. . Reducing the number of TDs • FG had previously promised to reduce the number of TDs by 20 • The Electoral Act proposes a cut of as little as 6 TDs. . Constitution Day • Enda Kenny, April 2011: “We will set out a programme to allow for a series of constitutional amendments to be decided on what we called “Constitution day”, to be held within 12 months of the new Government being formed.” • Little mention of it since . Child Benefit • During the election campaign Eamon Gilmore identified child benefit as a red line issue. Labour’s “Every Little Hurts advertising campaign lambasted Fine Gael for their proposed cuts in the child benefit rates . National Educational Psychological Service • Ruairi Quinn promised to provide “€3m to reverse the cut in the National Educational Psychological Service.” • He has made no mention of this commitment since then . . Water Charges & Utility Charges • Labour previously said they would be opposed to the introduction of flat rate water charges “A flat water charge is NOT something that we’re going to introduce.” • “We’re not in favour of a tax on the family home” – Gilmore • July 2011: Phil Hogan announced the introduction of a €100 flat rate household charge which is to be applied to the 1.6 million households in the country. . . Stag Hunting • FG Manifesto p27: “Fine Gael will reverse the ban on stag hunting”; Junior Minister Shane McEntee (Meath East) told the Seanad that legislation reversing the ban was forthcoming. • 8th Nov – Kenny spokesperson: McEntee was “expressing an opinion” and there was “no commitment” to reverse the ban. . Turf Cutting • Fine Gael Manifesto: “It is premature to cease the cutting of turf for domestic purposes in 2011”; Roscommon TD Frank Feighan said he would “sign in his own blood” the future of turf-cutting. • 27th Sept: Deenihan signs regulations making turf cutting on Special Areas of Conservation a criminal offence, and allows for the confiscation of turf cutting machinery. ...They even now send up spotter planes to find anyone cutting turf - I kid you not! . Climate Change • Programme for Government: “We will publish a Climate Change Bill.” • This was dropped by Phil Hogan in November 2011. . Garda Numbers • Shatter said in December 2010 that a reduction in Garda numbers would “obstruct the battle against crime” • “The job of this Government is to reduce public expenditure, not to increase it. That is as applicable across the justice sector as it is in other sectors.” . Triple Lock • FG manifesto: “We believe that the Triple Lock must be modified to allow Ireland participate in peacekeeping missions. The failure of the UN Security Council to pass a resolution should not prevent us from taking part in overseas missions.” • Shatter: “As matters stand the triple lock remains part and parcel of Govt. policy”.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Dec 2014 22:55:46 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015