Sir, – Granted I am not a carer, nor in need of care, but I am horrified and incensed that the people I voted for should bring in such a measure.
Carers are the very best in our society and the most deserving of our support. While I am deeply dissatisfied about much of the Government’s often wasteful spending and the very generous remuneration of Ministers, TDs and the upper echelons of the civil service, I do not begrudge a single cent of my tax going to carers.
I am one of the “squeezed middle” earners but would be happy to pay an extra per cent or two of tax if it meant this most disgusting of cuts was reversed.
But it is clear that any extra money given to this Government will go to the least deserving first. I will give a donation directly to the Carers Association by way of apology for voting for this Government.
The great have destroyed our society and the good are being made to pay for it. I did not vote for that. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Another morally reprehensible, grossly unjust and unfair budget presented by a Government elected on manifestos of lies.
Where to now for the Labour Party, which in opposition so passionately promised that if in government it would renegotiate the bank bailout, protect the disadvantaged, ensure fairness for the squeezed middle classes, would end the cronyism, the nods, the winks and the protection of the super- wealthy? They have sold their collective souls for the 40 pieces of silver and have demonstrated themselves to be without moral fibre.
The Labour Party continues to support decisions where: repayment of billions of euros continues for debt not incurred by the people of this Republic;payment of outrageous salaries and pensions continue to those who got us into this mess – inside and outside politics; they shamelessly justify reducing payment to those who are rearing children, caring for our disabled, sick, old and infirm; they support the misogynistic decision to tax maternity benefit; they increase third level grants; and they support a decision to allow Revenue to deduct a household tax at source. That the Labour Party continues to support these decisions is inconceivable and surely has generations of honourable trade union activists (like my late father-in-law) spinning in their graves.
It is such a terrible pity that they could not use their considerable bullying bluff and bluster tactics on the troika.
The Labour Party has abandoned and repudiated all it purported to represent, and this Government has lost its moral authority.
I am ashamed when I reflect on my (thankfully) brief dalliance with the Labour Party.
And to think I was asked how I could justify running in the last general election for Labour having been a TD for the Progressive Democrats! “A state to prosper, must be built on foundations of moral character, and this character is the principal element of its strength, and the only guarantee of its permanence and prosperity” – JLM Curry. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Áine Griffin, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (December 8th) suggests that because I hadn’t had time to establish the factual position about the changes to politicians’ allowances announced by Brendan Howlin in his Budget speech, that my letter of December 6th made certain assumptions.
She states that the travel and accommodation allowances paid to Dublin members will be reduced by 25 per cent (ie from €12,000 to €9,000) and the current allowances for those outside Dublin reduced by 10 per cent.
My letter referred to there being no mention of any changes in those allowances in the Minister’s speech. I listened to his speech live and have just checked the full speech online in case I missed this part, but there is no mention of this change. Surely it is a reasonable assumption that the Minister would include any such changes in his speech? These reductions are, of course, welcome, but miss the point that those members living within commuting distance of Dublin should pay their own travel costs to work as all other workers do.
I correctly stated that those on the unvouched Public Representation Allowance (PRA) now to be abolished, move to the higher “vouched” allowance. While this vouched amount is to be reduced, it still involves a 36 per cent increase for these politicians.
I did not mention the 50 per cent reduction in prepaid Oireachtas envelopes as my original letter was about the “pain” our “vulnerable” politicians had taken in the Budget. This decision probably means fewer Christmas cards and other unnecessary communications to constituents; hardly pain. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – In the recent Value for Money and Policy Review of Disability Services report, I note on page 75, the authors state, “The quantification of complex outputs (including respite, early intervention service, home support, personal assistance and multidisciplinary therapies) and outcomes was not feasible within the resources available to the review. These complex outputs comprised 27 per cent (€332 million) of total pay expenditure. . .” It continues, “This was a pragmatic decision taken out of necessity and does not represent a judgment call on the services and supports not analysed.”
However, we saw in September a drastic cut to home support (subsequently reversed) and now another drastic cut to the respite grant. It seems this government and its senior advisers are shooting in the dark and hitting Ireland’s most vulnerable. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Regarding the Budget and the letters to the editor bemoaning the dreaded tax hikes and benefit cuts, I must submit: talk is cheap, but nothing else in Ireland is. Then again, I wonder when Government will institute a breathing levy. – Yours, etc,