From top: Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin (left) and Michael Noonan, Minister for Finance, yesterday; Anne-Marie McNally
Budget 2016 had everything.
Except fairness and vision.
Anne-Marie McNally writes:
I would really have preferred to focus on a pretty big international finance story this week but my column drops the morning after the night before and so ignoring the Budget is not a luxury I have.
For the past few weeks my time has been taken up with detailed discussions about very specific budgetary measures and teasing out where the dominoes will fall if one provision is included and another excluded.
Those kinds of discussions that put your head into spaces you really hope you never have to occupy – the headspace of a single parent wondering how he or she will feed the children; the stress of a parent trying to get a couple of kids back to school each September; the person struggling with mental health issues and considering the ultimate action; or the elderly person lying on a trolley and wondering if or when they will be treated with dignity.
What does not, and should not, cross your mind during those discussions is how many votes is this provision going to buy me? It seems however that the discussions that took place amongst Government parties were dominated by the latter concerns and unburdened by the former.
If a ‘Messaging Group’ came together and helped frame this budget it is very clear that the message agreed upon was thus: “We’re here to entice a vote out of you.” There was no ambiguity, no shame in the game, and a very clear stance that here was a budget with a sprinkling of something for everyone – on the face of it at least.
I could start going into the specifics here about zero funding for mental health services despite our youth suicide rate being 2.5 times the EU average; only €18million allocated to health spending in the middle of an emergency department crisis yet not one cent of that €18m is set aside for Emergency Department measures and so on and so on.
But it all comes back to one basic tenet – phrased by Catherine Murphy TD yesterday evening – this budget is a budget for the next general election rather than the next generation.
That old adage ‘You live and Learn’ seems to be notably absent from Irish politics. In 2002, pre-election,we had a giveaway budget. In 2007, pre-election, we had a giveaway budget. Well that worked out well didn’t it?
Why is it so difficult for a Government to say, ‘You know what, yes, things are looking ever so slightly more positive, so if we map out a plan for the next decade or so we can start to now put in place measures to ensure that we don’t end up back where we started in 2008.”
But alas, the lure of a cheap election stunt takes over and before you know it we’ve Minister [Brendan] Howlin telling us this budget will create “certainty for the future”’ – it will indeed, an absolute certainty of a repeat of the past.
The usual refrain of ‘sure what would you do differently?’ will ring out and I can answer that one easily. I certainly wouldn’t have made the decision to prioritise commemoration ceremonies over homelessness services and I wouldn’t have forsaken the next 20 years of Irish society for a cheap shot at emulating Fianna Fáil of days gone by.
If politics doesn’t have a vision then what’s left is a depressing vista of individual ambitions where decisions are made based on keeping seats rather than promises. That’s not my vision and I’m willing to bet it’s not yours.
Anne-Marie McNally is a political and media strategist working with Catherine Murphy TD and will be a candidate for the Social Democrats in the forthcoming General Election. Follow Anne-Marie on Twitter: @amomcnally
We get the budgets and governance that we deserve.
Look how poeple rsponded to give away budgets in 2002 and 2007. FG did the reasonable thing.
That’s precisely it. Sad and cynical it may be, but if experience has told us one thing it’s that there are enough of us who are easily bought. As an electorate, we’ll forgive a lack of foresight, a wilingness to plan and omnishambles after omnishambles for the past four or so years because of a measly few bob more in the collective a*se pocket at the end of the month.
FG aren’t doing anything wrong at all as far as doing what Irish politicians do – stay in power. They’re fixing the road, innit!
*by which i mean ‘a lack of a willingness to plan
Politicians are human and humans have, ultimately, selfish motivations for almost everything we do. A career politician’s main motivation is the success of his/her own career. It *shouldn’t* be like that but human nature is what it is. So how do we get career politicians to ask themselves what’s good for society before they ask themselves what’s good for them personally? I’ve said it here before; term limits is the only thing I can think of. If you’re going back teaching no matter what you do after 8/12 years, you’re more likely to make altruistic decisions, *in my opinion*.
the motivation is money, not success, the fact the politicians are largely hated by the public should be a good enough signal that they are not successful.
Money is a measurement of success. It is a byproduct of their work. Their motivation is to have a job as a politician. If they’re going to lose their job anyway, they’re more likely to use their time to do some good stuff.
“Money is a measurement of success”… no it’s a measurement of greed.
Would you say charity and aid workers are unsuccessful people so?
You work for money, right?
Should we ask the CRC board?
Ok then, let’s break it down… are volunteers who ask for no cash when helping others, all classed as unsuccessful people by you? CRC as we all know is only a business dressed up as a charity. I am referring (pretty obviously) to those who give their time and skills for free.
Personally, the line of work I followed was not prioritised by money (it pays an average enough wage), but because I was passionate about it and makes me happy, so although money is essential to survive, it’s not the goal.
“are volunteers who ask for no cash when helping others, all classed as unsuccessful people by you?”
No. I didn’t say money is the *only* measurement of success. That’ll be your brain making things up and telling you it’s reality.
“Personally, the line of work I followed was not prioritised by money (it pays an average enough wage), but because I was passionate about it and makes me happy, so although money is essential to survive, it’s not the goal.”
And how do you know your average politician doesn’t have the same motivations?
If they wanted to be “successful” as politicians they would listen to the electorate who voted them in, if their top priority is not carrying out the will of the people who voted for them, they shouldn’t be in politics.
And I’m saying, while it would be nice if all politicians were motivated by altruism, it’s unrealistic to expect that in our current system because EVERYONE’s number one priority is themselves. That’s human nature. Because politics is a career, their main motivation is to protect their job, just like literally everyone else.
Politics is unlike other careers though, perform it well and you will be financially rewarded, get voted in again and have the pleasure of knowing you pleased the people of your country… but perform the role badly and you’ll still get a huge pension and salary. Unfortunately our government are of the latter calibre.
You could say the same thing about teachers and low level civil servants. You’re hardly going to accuse a teacher of being in it for the money though. There’s an, understandable, tendency to think of politicians as these faceless suits who count their cash while sipping on cognac and laughing at all us little people, but that’s not really how it is. Now, Joan and Enda do think of us as little people but it’s because they arrogantly think they know what’s best for us, not because they’re trying to scam us for pots of cash.
Teachers and civil servants wouldn’t bother me the same, if they choose to be unprofessional at least their actions do not affect the entire population, this is why to me, the politicians scenario is very different, and it shouldn’t be tolerated.
Reading the headlines each day about the homeless, crime, health services, whilst our TD’s still uphold their chauffeur driven luxuries etc, too many obvious examples of the priorities being upside down.
oh they have a plan alright. see the few bob you got this time? they know just how much and when to take it off you next year.
Why is it so difficult for a Government to say, ‘You know what, yes, things are looking ever so slightly more positive, so if we map out a plan for the next decade or so we can start to now put in place measures to ensure that we don’t end up back where we started in 2008.”
Well maybe they realised that most people would not welcome being told, yet again, that things are improving but they’d have to hold off on feeling the benefit for another few years. Just how much tax does Anne-Marie want us to pay before the rates can be eased? The USC was set up as an emergency because the economy was in the toilet. After telling us again and again that things are on the up and we have collected more tax than expected does she really expect people to meekly accept another year of USC at the catastrophe rates because things will be even better next time?
Curse your common sense and logic, man!
Indeed.. after 6 to 8 years of getting our arses kicked, are we supposed to collectively weep when the arse-kicking stops? Budget seems reasonable, not perfect.
The point is that they are only doing this to try to get re-elected, otherwise we’d all be shafted again by them. I will take the measly few quid I might get out of it but no way are they getting my vote…
It’s difficult because the Irish Electorate have a habit of voting out Governments who suggest that (Garret Fitzgerald for example) and vote in free money for all Governments. Jack Lynch famously buying an election by abolishing rates.
You introduce an austere budget = these traitors are ruining our country and destroying the very fabric of society.
You introduce an expansionary budget = well it’s obvious that they are just trying to buy the election.
Seems ye can’t win these days.
The election buying argument would make perfect sense if for example the last few budgets had been austere followed by a massive “give-away” this year. Last years budget was expansionary, increasing the entry point for USC, reducing USC rate, increasing standard rate band etc. I presume that was election buying also?
Opposition are really grabbing at straws here.
Actually came here to post similar. It’s far from a “giveaway” budget, and it expands on last years budget.
well you could argue that austerity budgets cut vital services from the most vulnerable for a few measly quid and did nothing to reform a wasteful system that rewards the wealthy and justifies their sense of privelage. you could also argue that this is not an ‘expansionary’ budget but an obvious FF ploy to buy the next election. this isn’t really a case of ‘damned if they do, damned if they don’t’, it’s a deserved criticism of FG’s tactics.
as for budget 2014, the couple of billion that noonan wangled out of the lending markets as a pat on the head for early payments to the IMF? that wasn’t about buying an election but europe keeping FG in power to keep the repayments up and the noisy protestors down.
“so if we map out a plan for the next decade ”
Should someone tell her that we have elections every so often? Even China only do 5 year plans.
Precisely my point. How do your propose to run a sustainable and strategically planned society if we only think in electoral cycles rather than long-term strategic planning mindsets?
Strategic planning for anything above 5 to 7 years is like trying to forecast the weather February 2018 – Pointless and intangible and will lose the attenton and focus of anyone listening.
To tell someone that in ten years time we will have 2% unemployment, a working healthcare, public transport, and perfect infrastructure is akin to telling them that we will have discovered the fountain of youth … it’s ten years away, it’s a lifetime in terms of how people view the world.
Where were you ten years ago? Where will you be in ten years? No idea do you? You can extrapolate a five year plan and it’s outcomes, ten years is ridiculous.
Well prop Joe – I’m going to assume by your name that you’re a fan of The Wire. So I’m going to play the McNulty card in this and say – it’s an attractive option to do the street grabs and praise our short-term stats but it’s all pointless if we’re doing it at the expense of the bigger picture which will ultimately change the game and not just the players.
*Chapeau doffed to Ms McNally*
We do indeed need a ‘Hamsterdam’ type solution. Would Kildare Street work?
So London’s Crossrail is a waste of time and money because it will take decades – they should have put in a partially finished Luas Line, sure that’d be finished by now.
Em… isn’t that what is wrong with the world, nothing more than five year plans…. each scrapped after the next new govt….
Only an idiot would see nothing wrong with this… and calling out China as some example… for what? *shakes head*
Irish politics has been marked by Fianna Fail screwing things up and Fine Gael coming in, fixing things and then immediately getting dumped out because Fine Gael werent cynical enough to buy the seats when election time came.
So you could say that FG have finally learned the lesson and can you really blame them? What was their choice exactly? Another austerity budget? Or one that is well meant and targeted the poor but gets them turfed out of office in 6 months by an electorate that has grown to expect little gifts at budget time?
FG & Labour – remember the rainbow government?
I think the landscape of Irish politics has changed radically. FF are no-where near were they were. There are fragmented groups all over the place. SF will have mud (rightly) slung at them.
Assuming Labour get the expected kicking (they will still exist), who will FG get into governemnt next? Renua/social democrats would be more to their taste.
If its a SF / Indo/ Arcronym-of-the-day party, it would be short lived.
D’ya know wha’
That’s the best thing Ms McNally has written for ye
And she’s right
Yesterday’s budget speech could a bin written by Phil Hogan it was that self serving
More fool ye if ye vote for them
How many votes is anne marie buying by critisizing the budget?
She doesn’t even pretend that this isn’t just a piece of electioneering by answering ‘what would you have done differently’
The Sockies put out a really, really detailed alternative budget on Monday – check it out. That’s what she’d do differently.
All too little too late, they will be kicked out on their hoop come spring.
Lol.
On another note. It would be interesting to see the social dems/ AAA/PbP in government for a month and whether broadsheet would be as equally as imaginative with their posts. Maybe they would even allow a thought piece from varadkar or noonan??
Our history of “Daddies got a Porsche” politicians have proven once too often that they are completely incompetent at performing the jobs assigned to them. They’ve pushed the public too far, and the backlash whilst unpredictable, will be great for Irish politics.
Hey, moustache
So if they’re getting kicked out, who’s getting in? I know it’s early days and the opinion polls aren’t the election but they’re all we have to go on and the numbers just don’t stack up for anyone else. The next government is looking like a FG/FF coalition or FG/Labour and some independents.
So the ECB has given Ireland permission to break the stability pact rules to keep a right wing government in power. Well guess what, it’ s not going to work!
Which rules are they breaking?
The Fiscal Advisory Council has raised questions about the size of the Government’s spending package in the Budget, suggesting it may contravene EU fiscal rules.
Chairman Prof John McHale queried whether the Budget would meet the terms of fiscal rules that require EU government to stay inside certain parameters while the economy is growing.
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/budget-2016-fiscal-advisory-council-questions-scale-of-spending-1.2391404
That doesn’t definitely say they broke rules, just that they may have.
They have increased 2015 spending by 1.5 billion, that breaks the stability pact rules.
Yesterday’s budget was generous to people like me, & when I notice the difference in my weekly wage I intend to ring Enda to say that there must surely be some mistake.
Anyway, based on yesterday’s budget, I have revised my voting intentions and now intend to vote for Fine Gael & Labour across the board.
Only joking Enda. Did you think I was some sort of idiot? I will never ever vote for FG, and never again vote for Labour in its current form and lineup.
Out of curiosity, what are your voting intentions now?
Well I’ve voted labour for years, but they’ve completely abandoned all of what most people thought the party stood for, so as well as having completely ruined the party beyond repair, they are not to be trusted with Joan & Alan.
I’ve not decided yet on how I’m voting really, but like what I’ve been hearing from The Social Democrats, and it will certainly be voting to the left of where we are now.
*and I will certainly be voting to the left of where we are now.*
*Please* tell me you didn’t mention FF because it’s indistinguishable from FG and thus was implied and unnecessary? >_<
This.
Annemaire, did you hijack my comment from one of your previous posts concering SD and adopting a vision? Invoice is on the way. Not interested in monetary gain , a trip to the Dail would suffice. Thank you . Kind regards, J :)
My comment (16/09/2015)
“If the SD wish to be elected , they should provide a vision for the future , rather than a dull critique of the present.”
;-)
On the day we launched we set out very clearly that we were launching with a vision that would not be for the next electoral cycle but a vision for the future of Ireland where society is valued equally to economy.
Be happy to show you around the mad house some day if you like!
Can I go to the Dail please? I want to see Enda Kenny’s playpen.
*flushes * *hiccups* *murmurs*
… never read that …
* shakes head* *wails*
….as a commenter, I adhere only to the politics of Broadsheet sanctimony
Throw in a rendezvous with Leo in the Dail bar and you will help to restore my past vision:)
oops! I appear to have inadvertently semi-organised a mass broadsheet commentator ball in the Dáil – let’s row back a wee bit there…. ;-)
A political U-turn already …. *sighs* … Grab your nappy Owen , we are heading to the valley.
:-) You’re right of course…sure I can’t be doing that, come up to de schmoke and we’ll take the ‘Sheet to the Dáil!