Never-ending promises of giveaways

Sir, – Despite the ongoing largesse of the generous welfare system in this country, there is little sign that the Irish public have any awareness or knowledge of how well looked after they are by the highly redistributive nature of our income tax and welfare systems.

Opinion polls, including your own, show strong support for leftist political parties, particularly Sinn Féin.

The OECD says that Ireland has the most progressive system of taxes and transfers of any OECD member. Put simply, high taxes on higher earners pay for a very generous welfare system, and more and more welfare is continually provided on an ongoing basis by the so-called centrist parties in Government. And yet nothing delivered so far has been deemed good enough by Ireland’s leftist political parties. The recent round of additional welfare measures announced this week by the Government are described as insufficient as leftists clamour over one another to cry that more must be done. Sinn Féin promises even higher taxes on those who pay the most and they promise more welfare for those who already receive the most. The Irish Times/Ipsos opinion poll this week shows that, essentially, Ireland has drifted further and further to the left to become a full-on welfare state, with never-ending promises of more giveaways. The day is coming soon when a significant cohort of higher tax payers call enough is enough and bolt for sunnier climes. – Yours, etc,

MARK MOHAN,