Once again FG are showing themselves to be inept at selling their message. They don't want to seen as FF light so have decided to see try to out do this incompetent government by showing that they can really dish out tough measures. No doubt the lack of imagination in FG which is a reflection of FF will target the most vulnerable in our society. This crowd are ruling out tax rises, what nonsense. We all need to pay more tax particularly the wealthy who have more tax breaks and avoidance schemes than you can shake a stick at. We have an extremly low level of income tax which is narrowly focussed. We need to broaden this base, leaving the low paid alone, and reduce indirect taxation measures which are regressive and impact on the lower paid in society. PRSI needs to be paid on all income not cut off at 70 odd thousand as this means that a person with an income of 700, 000 will only pay PRSI on 10% of income, hardly fair or progressive is it. I don't think the Blueshirts have it in them to leave the vulnerable alone and spread the pain more evenly and fairly.

So, along with FF, FG are going to collaborate with the decision to beggar this country with the lunatic target set by the EU to reduce the budget deficit from 32% to 3% of GDP by the utterly unrealistic date of 2014. Why hasn’t either party told Mr Trichet, et al, that this will break the back of this country? Is it not even considered worthy of debate? How has this 3% target by 2014 become a fait accompli?
Why are our national media all but silent on this?

The events of the past few years have shown that this FF-led govt has had no spine in dealing with the bankers, bondholders or Brussels. Sadly, it appears now that there is no hope of the main opposition party offering anything but the same invertebrate tendencies.

FF have given FG some rope with the offer of these consultative talks. Instead of hanging themselves, FG have duly obliged by lashing themselves to the same stake at which FF will burn at the next general election.

Whats all the fuss about.?
A group of leading economists have outlined 3 billion in savings by reducing 130 odd tax breaks for fat cats which have never been addressed by Fianna Fail "The fat cat party"
wolves in sheeps clothing.
Another 3 billion or more can be saved by postponing the proposed new underground subway to Swords via Dublin Airport.

Leo Varadker was in Kenmare telling all who would listen that Fine Gael in power would address the problem by cutting €3 of spending for each €1 of tax increase. It is patently obvious that to do so would result in the less well off and most vulnerable carrying the lion’s share of the pain and if anyone has any doubt about that they should look across the water. Mr Varadker’s plan is similar to the one that George Osborne is concocting for the UK with a similar cuts-to-tax increases ratio and following in depth study of that plan the Institute for Fiscal Studies concluded that “far from being fair”, the Budget would take 2.5% from the incomes of the poorest, compared to just 1% from the richest, Indeed some have concluded that even with an even split of 50/50 the poorest would still suffer the most simply because they need all of what they have to get by with, any reduction in income or loss of vital services would result in severe hardship as opposed to just doing without the odd night out. And when this plan is combined with Mr Varadker’s other scheme to privatise vital utilises, which in all cases sees the most vulnerable losing access to them, the next few years will be bleak indeed for those on the margins. Fine Gael are no longer trying to be FF lite it seems, they are aiming to become Tory lite. Caveat emptor!