Cut and tax us to death – thanks Fine Gael and Labour.

He said that defaulting was a non-runner because:

• we are a responsible country
• we have a responsibility to the Euro and
• we have a responsibility to our European partners

He made no reference to the fact that he and his/the Government has a responsibilty to us its citizens.

I think that says it all.

Times they are a changing … unfortunately not for the better.

The PSC represents the majority of public service unions and associations, except Gardai and the defence forces.

Initially, when the deal was first mooted, I was opposed to the deal.

However, with our economy getting progressively worse as the weeks went by I changed my mind and voted for the deal.

My logic was that it was the best deal we could achieve, I’m not opposed to reform and I need to protect my income the best way I can.

It isn’t easy to vote for change but change is well over due.

I hope that reform will be a productive process for us all.

Roll on efficiency!

I had a Toyota Avensis a few years back and I always had great time for the brand. I believed the ‘best built cars in the world’ tag.

That was until I had braking problems with the Avensis.

Nine times out of ten everything was fine but it was the one time out of ten when things got a little bit hairy.

My problem was always at a reasonable speed. I’d be coming up to a turn or a top and I’d happily press my brakes but the car would keep going as if it was sliding on a gravel surface …. speed was not a factor.

I went to my Toyota dealer …. ABS braking they said kicking in …. a system that took me further than I wanted to go? Not a hope …. I was told that there was nothing wrong with the car …. ’twas my imagination.

Try blaming imagination when the car is sliding its way towards the back of another! I lost total confidence in the car and was only too glad to change it …. and change it I did … a lot sooner than I’d have expected to.

Up until then I had owned two Carinas and that one Avensis.

I changed makes totally …. I’ll never again buy a Toyota.

With all this negative publicity I feel my braking complaint those few years ago has been vindicated.

Over the last while I’ve come to depair of our fair Isle ever becoming a place when people will actually do their jobs properly and return calls promptly.

Today I was promised a call back from the garage where I bought my latest vehicle …. no return call. For the second time.

The salesman was delighted to see me two weeks ago when I was considering a change but once he had a sale made he didn’t want to know. He referred me to the lady in the service deptartment who quickly lost interest when she discovered that my vehicle would only be in for a free ‘under warranty’ fix.

I’m still trying to sort an appointment …. no hope this week she says … even though I’m off on Thursday and Friday and it would be a nice thing to suit me.

Two weeks ago I chased a guy for three days to get a quote for garden clearance …. he was off to a social event and would ring me on Monday (of last week) …. no phone call …. his tough … I got another person to do the job.

This job was woth a few bob …. you’d think that people would be glad of work in a recession ….. but no ….

God help me to understand the Irish mentality.

That’s why I’ve been so quiet these last few months.

Lots of hustle, bustle and turmoil in this country of ours since then.

Pay cuts (in effect next Thursday), snow, ice, school closures and more.

Lots of fodder that I could have used to write posts about.

But, to be honest ….

I couldn’t be bothered.

Anyways …. a new year …. a new year resolution to become healthier and fitter!

Follow these guys as they operate to transformate!

Now …. I must quicken my step!

Bail out the banks for billions and make ordinary Joe Soap, Joe Public and everyone else in the public sector pay for it.

Full reports are available through the RTE website … the Dept. of Finance website apparently can’t handle the extra traffic:

• RTE – ‘Bord Snip’ recommends €5.3bn in savings’
• The Full Report
• The Appendices

They sure did hit Education hard …. bastards.

This fair country of ours is fucked.

Where can I emigrate to?

OUTLINE OF PROPOSALS

Social and Family Affairs

• Cuts to all social welfare payments by 5% – €850m
• Reduction and changes to child benefit – €513m
• An end to receiving two welfare payments – €100m
• An end to payments for Community Employment Schemes for those already on benefit – €100m
• Cutting benefits for dental, optical and hearing services – €92m
• Grading of jobseekers allowance by age – €70m
• Cutting the Family Support Agency – €30m
• Changing eligibility for Family Income Supplement – €20m
• Taxing household benefits package – €11.6m
• Staff cuts – None

Total cuts: €1.8bn

Health and Children

• Reduce the size of the Department by 10% a year over the next three years – €11m
• Reduce HSE staff – €391.3m
• Revise the income guidelines for the Medical Card to the basic rate of social welfare, the jobseekers allowance – €100m
• Increase the threshold for the Drugs Payment Scheme from 4100 to €125 a month – €37m
• Those previously receiving free prescriptions must now pay €5 for each prescription – €70m
• Hold an open competition to provide services under the General Medical Services scheme – €370m
• Increase Hospital Charges – €6m
• Increase charges for private facilities in public hospitals by 20% – €50m
• Hospitals and clinicians must provide generic medicines, off-patent drugs and value-for-money treatments – €30m
• Changes to agencies and organisations in the disability and mental health area which receive State funding – €50m
• Changes to the Fair Deal scheme with the individual to contribute more to nursing home care from their own residence – €50m
• Means test for Homecare packages – €24m
• Staff cuts: 540

Total cuts: €1.2bn

Education and Science

• Staff and pay cuts in primary and post primary schools – €150m
• Staff cuts at third level – €140m
• Cuts to number of special needs assistants and English language support teachers – €81m
• Increased pupil teacher ratio at primary and post primary – €80m
• Change to student support grant – €70m
• Cuts to capitation grants for primary and post primary schools – €25m
• Cuts to research and development – €27.5m
• Cuts to grants for private schools – €25m
• Merging of smaller primary schools – €25m
• Cuts to school transport – €25m
• Integration of senior travelling training – €25m
• Cuts to third level structures – €23.7m
• Staff cuts 6,390

Total cuts: €746m

Agriculture

• Reduce expenditure on the Disadvantaged Area Compensatory Allowance Scheme by 30% – €66m
• Terminate the Suckler Cow Scheme – €44m
• Close REPS 4 and no rollover from REPS 2 and 3 into REPS 4 – €80m
• Reduce Teagasc staff numbers, rationalise Teagasc and Dept offices – €37m
• Staff cuts 1,140 staff

Total cuts: €305m

Enterprise, Trade and Employment

• Merge the regional offices and shared services of Enterprise Ireland, IDA and FÁS – €87m
• A single reduced funding stream for all science, technology and innovation activities across all departments – €53m
• Streamline all support of Irish enterprises and marketing functions in Enterprise Ireland – €10m
• Stop funding the FÁS Services to Business and Skillnets programmes – €27m
• Cuts to training allowances for the unemployed – €24.5m
• Staff cuts 594

Total cuts: €237.7m

Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

• Cuts to Community Services Programmes – €64m
• Cuts to Gaeltacht Schemes – €20.8m
• Cuts to islands infrastructure – €20m
• Staff cuts 196

Total cuts: €151m

Environment, Heritage and Local Government

• Cuts to local government including an end to 12 county or town councils – €100m
• Further efficiencies – €30m
• Staff cuts 30

Total cuts: €130m

Department of Transport

• Efficiencies among CIE companies – €55m
• Cuts to road maintenance – €20m
• Cuts to regional air services – €15m
• Axing the Rural Transport Scheme – €11m
• Outsourcing of driver and vehicle testing – €10m
• Cuts to the Road Saferty Authority – €4.2m
• Merging the National Roads Authority and the Railway Procurement Agency – €3m
• Merging the National Vehicle and Driver File into the Road Safety Authority – €2m
• Staff cuts 80

Total cuts: €127.1m

Arts, Sports and Tourism

• Cuts in allocation to tourism and marketing – €27m
• Cut in grant to Sports Council – €17.7m
• Cut allocation to Horse and Greyhound Fund – €16.4m
• Staff cuts 170

Total cuts: €104.8m

Department of Justice

• Cuts to pay and allowances for justice sector staff – including gardai – €65m
• Cuts to the courts service – €13.5m
• Cuts in immigration staff – €10m
• Transfer disability functions of department to Department of Health – €2.6m
• Cuts to Youth Detention Centres – €2.5m
• Staff cuts 540

Total cuts: €136.4m

Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

• Cuts to energy efficiency schemes run by Sustainable Energy Ireland – €40m
• Cuts to direct funding to TG4 – to be partially funded from licence fee – €10m
• Staff cuts 106

Total cuts: €65.6m

Defence

• Measures including a reduction in Defence Forces personnel by more than 500
• Staff cuts 520

Total cuts: €53m

Finance

• Cuts to the Office of Public Works – reducing spare capacity and rental costs – €21m
• Staff cuts 660

Total cuts: €82.8m

Department of Foreign Affairs

• Cuts to overseas missions – €15m
• Cuts to overseas aid – €14.8m
• Cuts to Support for Irish Emigrants – €1m
• Staff cuts 65
• Total cut €41.7m
• Houses of the Oireachtas Commission
• Changes to some operations – €6m
• Cuts to Oireachtas Allowances and Benefits – €1.5m
• Staff cuts 42

Total cuts: €7.8m

National Treasury Management Agency

• Reduce staff and other administrative costs – €5.3m
• Changes at the State Claims Agency including payment schemes, legal fees and risk management services
• Staff cuts 40

Total cuts: €5.3m

Department of the Taoiseach

• An end to the National Economic and Social Development Organisation – except for the National Economic and Social Council – €4m
• Axing the Law Reform Commission – €2.8m
• Cuts to the cost of Census 2011 – €2.2m
• Staff cuts 77

Total Cuts: €17.5m

That’s it in a nut shell!