OUR politicians are a pygmy bunch. Stunted of ideas, bereft of an ability to get anything done and full to choking with hot air, they’ll be buzzing around like a swarm of annoying wasps in the coming weeks trying to blindfold you into voting for them. The launch pad for election season ( November 15 is the date , folks, you heard it here first) will be next Tuesday’s budget .
A “one-for-everyone-in-the audience” giveaway, made up of an €8.3 billion tax-and-spend package and a €1.5 billion cost-of-living bung.
Young gun Finance Minister Jack Chambers’ maiden budget has been cynically framed and deliberately leaked over the last six weeks with one sole purpose in mind: to re-elect the current lot for another five years. “The average worker will be better off to the tune of around €1,000 a year ,” Chambers purred. The extra billions at the Government’s disposal (excluding the bonus €14 billion from Apple — who knows how they’ll waste that) are going to be spent on putting more cash in your pocket.
The Government may be incapable, but it’s not stupid and it understands perfectly well what motivates a voter. DOSH. Recent opinion polls have shown in glorious technicolour how easily bought the Irish electorate is.
An Irish Times study last week revealed that 50 per cent of people want the Government to prioritise help with the cost of living in next Tuesday’s budget. Only 24 per cent said the Government should concentrate on investing in public servic.