Retrospective view of budget: What would you have cut / not cut if you had your way?

Neewbie_noob

Sorry if this has been done before, but I'd like to make a thread specifically devoted to ranting about what should have been / should not have been cut in budget 2013:

Here goes:

Cut Pavee point
Cut Overseas Aid
Cut funding to conradh na ngaeilge by 75%
Abolish Seanad
Stop giving dole to people who are not Irish Citizens
Stop giving child welfare payments to children living abroad.
Sell 50% of Irish Rail and Dublin Bus to private investors

Anyone who is on the Dole and who is offered a job by an officer, and refuses the job, will be stripped of all benefits and never be allowed reapply. Job offciers will pay for themselves in long run

Welfare fraud = mandatory 5 years in prison.

Cut road tax and incorporate it into petrol

Introduce a 150 Euro levy for cyclists

Cut Enda Kennys Salary and Higgins' down to €100, 000 ( and they have to pay a portion of their own expenses)

ALL politician's expenses must be accounted for

Ideas??

My name is URL

What's a 'non-Irish' citizen?

coonecb1

I'd have cut politician's salaries first.

The cut funding for Arts, and foreign aid.

Then move on to the other things.

Thrill

Neewbie_noob wrote: »

Anyone who is on the Dole and who is offered a job by an officer, will be stripped of all benefits and never be allowed reapply.

HeyThereDeliah

The problem with your non Irish citizen is if they have worked here for years are they not entitled to be supported when they fall on hard times?

I would cut all allowances for ministers, the rest of us don't get expenses to go to work.

RichT

What would I have cut?

Michael Noonans "jacobs" off!

seamus

I'm not in favour of completely cutting off payments to anyone who's living here. As much as we complain about the welfare state, we should be proud that unlike in many other western countries, we don't leave anyone on the street without a bean to feed themselves.

road_high

Cut dole payments for those on it for over 2/3 years by about 50%. Can't expect the state to support you indefinitely.

Fr_Dougal

mfitzy wrote: »

Cut dole payments for those on it for over 2/3 years by about 50%. Can't expect the state to support you indefinitely.

I disagree with this. But I'd certainly cut it for those that were on it during the boom.

Mint Sauce

Well to start with, cuts to TD salaries and expenses. Just seen today that they are all now entitled to shiny new iPads as well.

Means testing of child benefit once you earn over a certain amount. No way should the highest earners be getting more that the lowest paid.

A gradual decrease of JSB/JSA the longer you are signing on for, wouldn't let it reach zero, but to a minimum point.

A decrease of Motor tax, to actually maybe encourage more to pay for, therefore to maybe increase revenue.

A cut in foreign aid. Need to look after our selves at the mo.

Neewbie_noob wrote: »

Anyone who is on the Dole and who is offered a job by an officer, will be stripped of all benefits and never be allowed reapply. Job offciers will pay for themselves in long run

About a year on JSB after getting made redundant, another few months on JSA after my stamps ran out and working a few hours part time a week, not once was I called in to see an officer. Also had problem after problem with my payments after getting the part time work.

Was also going into FAS on a regular voluntary basis, and yet was still ordered to make a compulsory visit to them even though had been in a week earlier, probably by a computer generated letter.

Been off the dole now for about 18 months, after getting a FAS course which led to a full time job. Called in a few weeks ago to collect my FAS/FETAC certs, to see a newly laid out office incorporating this so called new social welfare service and the new name for FAS. Firstly got a smart answer saying there's no such thing as FAS any more, then them spending several minutes trying to work out where my new certs were.

One thing showed, despite the money spent on so called new services, which is probably no more than an PR stunt, they are obviously not spending the money on communication.

keith16

150 levy for cyclists is a ridiculous suggestion.

Mint Sauce

keith16 wrote: »

150 levy for cyclists is a ridiculous suggestion.

Absolutly, define a cyclist, would a 15 or 16 year old using their bike to get to school be liable.

Max Power

Give out free condoms, might save us a fortune.

Mint Sauce

FionnMcCool87 wrote: »

Give out free condoms, might save us a fortune.

Can already be got for free from family planning and STD clinics.

Neewbie_noob

irish-stew wrote: »

Absolutly, define a cyclist, would a 15 or 16 year old using their bike to get to school be liable.

Cyclists over 18. Full stop.

All cyclists must carry an ID / bike license obtainable from Post Office / Council Office / etc. It costs 150 baloons and is renewable once a year. This can be used as an identification for Gardaí to tackle the menace that is cyclists.

Stabshauptmann

Neewbie_noob wrote: »

Sorry if this has been done before, but I'd like to make a thread specifically devoted to ranting about what should have been / should not have been cut in budget 2013:

Here goes:

Cut Pavee point
Cut Overseas Aid
...
Stop giving dole to people who are not Irish Citizens

So I hear you're a racist now, father?

Anyone who is on the Dole and who is offered a job by an officer, and refuses the job, will be stripped of all benefits and never be allowed reapply. Job offciers will pay for themselves in long run

I'm not a fascist. Fascists dress in black and go around telling people what to do

Introduce a 150 Euro levy for cyclists

LOL.
Why?


In before the lock :pac:

Mint Sauce

Neewbie_noob wrote: »

Cyclists over 18. Full stop.

All cyclists must carry an ID / bike license obtainable from Post Office / Council Office / etc. It costs 150 baloons and is renewable once a year. This can be used as an identification for Gardaí to tackle the menace that is cyclists.

Not all cyclists are a menace. There are alot of bad drivers out there as well. Plus I have seen Garda Cyclists break the rules of the road as well, and not always in the line of duty.

starbelgrade

Neewbie_noob wrote: »

Sell 50% of Irish Rail and Dublin Bus to private investors

Who the fuck would want to buy 50% of two major loss-making state-run companies?

keith16

Neewbie_noob wrote: »

Cyclists over 18. Full stop.

All cyclists must carry an ID / bike license obtainable from Post Office / Council Office / etc. It costs 150 baloons and is renewable once a year. This can be used as an identification for Gardaí to tackle the menace that is cyclists.

How exactly are cyclists a menace?

Skylinehead

Neewbie_noob wrote: »

Cyclists over 18. Full stop.

All cyclists must carry an ID / bike license obtainable from Post Office / Council Office / etc. It costs 150 baloons and is renewable once a year. This can be used as an identification for Gardaí to tackle the menace that is cyclists.

Well this is a very poor attempt at hiding an anti-cyclist thread.

Neewbie_noob

keith16 wrote: »

How exactly are cyclists a menace?

Skylinehead wrote: »

Well this is a very poor attempt at hiding an anti-cyclist thread.

irish-stew wrote: »

Not all cyclists are a menace. There are alot of bad drivers out there as well. Plus I have seen Garda Cyclists break the rules of the road as well, and not always in the line of duty.

Stabshauptmann wrote: »

So I hear you're a racist now, father?



I'm not a fascist. Fascists dress in black and go around telling people what to do


LOL.
Why?


In before the lock :pac:

irish-stew wrote: »

Absolutly, define a cyclist, would a 15 or 16 year old using their bike to get to school be liable.

Let's not turn this into a cyclists defence thread, it's about retrospective view of budget and what should be cut / fees introduced. Let's be civil folks, let's not bash cyclists either (or foreigners).

keith16

Neewbie_noob wrote: »

Let's not turn this into a cyclists defence thread, it's about retrospective view of budget and what should be cut / fees introduced. Let's be civil folks, let's not bash cyclists either (or foreigners).

You started the bashing and now you can't defend it and ask everyone else to politely stop? :pac:

Outkast_IRE

Neewbie_noob wrote: »

Cyclists over 18. Full stop.

All cyclists must carry an ID / bike license obtainable from Post Office / Council Office / etc. It costs 150 baloons and is renewable once a year. This can be used as an identification for Gardaí to tackle the menace that is cyclists.

Silly idea really people who regularily cycle are aiding the state in many ways.

1. Easing traffic by not driving.
2. Staying in good health and i would say less likely to need the health services.
3. Cyclists generally spend alot in alot of local shops for tyres,tubes, clothes.

Thats just off the top of my head im sure others can find studies etc.............. if you impose a levy and some of these people start driving again its a lose lose situation ......... also being on a bike your a hell of a lot more mobile than a car trying to stop someone on a bike if they didnt want to be stopped would be tough going.


Basically as someone who cycles and drives, your idea is stupid and its you just taxing a group you dont like.

Neewbie_noob

Neewbie_noob wrote: »

ALL politician's expenses must be accounted for

Ideas??

Brendan Howlin did announce the ending of unvouched expenses...

Have you costed how much your ideas would save?

Amirani

Most of your ideas are either incredibly silly (cycling one and 5 year jail terms) or completely pointless in terms of saving money. You'll save about 200k by cutting Taoiseach and Presidential salaries. A whopping 0.001% of our annual deficit. Well done, you've saved the nation.

narddog

How about reducing the number of TD's, as a starter for 10. We are way over represented. Take Israel for example. Roughly the same pop., but they have 120 members in the Knesset. We could easily reduce our current 165 down to a similar number. Won't happen of course, turkeys voting for Christmas and all that....

Mint Sauce

Neewbie_noob wrote: »

Let's not turn this into a cyclists defence thread, it's about retrospective view of budget and what should be cut / fees introduced. Let's be civil folks, let's not bash cyclists either (or foreigners).

Your the one that called them a menace.

Neewbie_noob

irish-stew wrote: »

Your the one that called them a menace.

I never called foreigners a menace, and I was referring to manace cyclists, not that all cyclists are a meance. I was referrring to the fact that my 150 levy and mandatory ID for cyclists would mean that the exchequer would gain some much needed revenue and law-unabiding cyclists will be punished appropriately for breaking lights, as they can't just skip off on their merry way. I have seen many cyslists sail merrily though red lights across me as a driver or in my path when I cross a pedestrian light. I have seen them clipping off wing mirros and continuing on.

charlemont

Skylinehead wrote: »

Well this is a very poor attempt at hiding an anti-cyclist thread.

A very poor attempt. Full stop.

stateofflux

a levy for cyclists?...unenforceable, especially given the slashing of gardai numbers...will never happen....EVER

Sky King

You'll save about 200k by cutting Taoiseach and Presidential salaries.

This attitude is the exact reason they won't cut their own pay. We all know that TDs pay is a tiny miniscule drop in the ocean of the annual expenditure and either cutting it or doubling it would make not the slightest bit of difference in the grand scheme of things. But that's not the point

If they cut their own pay it would do two very important things.

1) Make the public think that they are taking this seriously (which we don't)
2) Make us feel just a little bit better when we are getting ass raped at every juncture in cuts and taxes.

I would pay taxes all day long if i thought they were being used properly. What pisses me off most of all, is the fact that my hard earned cash is used to bankroll bereavement cards and other nonsense.

Mint Sauce

Neewbie_noob wrote: »

I never called foreigners a menace, and I was referring to manace cyclists, not that all cyclists are a meance. I was referrring to the fact that my 150 levy and mandatory ID for cyclists would mean that the exchequer would gain some much needed revenue and law-unabiding cyclists will be punished appropriately for breaking lights, as they can't just skip off on their merry way. I have seen many cyslists sail merrily though red lights across me as a driver or in my path when I cross a pedestrian light. I have seen them clisspin off wing mirros and continuing on.

I never said you did, I highlighted cyclists. But yet you continue to bash them after saying you didn't want it to be a cyclists bashing thread.

As a cyclist, I have been hit by a car, cut up numerious times by cars turning left, car doors opened into my path, and nearly hit by a transit when I pulled out of a side road thinking it was safe, after he decided to go straight after flyng over a zebra crossing, slowing and indicating to go into the side road.

Am also a driver too, and witnessed further scandalous driving.

Neewbie_noob

irish-stew wrote: »

I never said you did, I highlighted cyclists. But yet you continue to bash them after saying you didn't want it to be a cyclists bashing thread.

I am not getting into an argument here. Just please stick to the thread title. Cheers.
Peace.

Stabshauptmann

Neewbie_noob wrote: »

I never called foreigners a menace, and I was referring to manace cyclists, not that all cyclists are a meance. I was referrring to the fact that my 150 levy and mandatory ID for cyclists would mean that the exchequer would gain some much needed revenue and law-unabiding cyclists will be punished appropriately for breaking lights, as they can't just skip off on their merry way. I have seen many cyslists sail merrily though red lights across me as a driver or in my path when I cross a pedestrian light. I have seen them clipping off wing mirros and continuing on.

There are a few cyclists who break red lights into the path of cars. Most dont, because its dangerous for them.

There are a few cyclists who endanger pedestrians by breaking reds when people are legitimately crossing. These people are dicks. A 150eur levy though wouldnt do anything - I pay my motor tax but still speed quite a bit.

The majority of cyclists I'd say do break red lights when it doesnt make sense for them to stop. I am perfectly aware that thats not how the law works, but the law wasnt written with cyclists in mind. What your 150eur levy is about is jealousy.

A lot of the reasons why I break reds is to cross lane while there are no cars coming as it is actually safer

Outkast_IRE

Sky King wrote: »

This attitude is the exact reason they won't cut their own pay. We all know that TDs pay is a tiny miniscule drop in the ocean of the annual expenditure and either cutting it or doubling it would make not the slightest bit of difference in the grand scheme of things. But that's not the point

If they cut their own pay it would do two very important things.

1) Make the public think that they are taking this seriously (which we don't)
2) Make us feel just a little bit better when we are getting ass raped at every juncture in cuts and taxes.

I would pay taxes all day long if i thought they were being used properly. What pisses me off most of all, is the fact that my hard earned cash is used to bankroll bereavement cards and other nonsense.

I think the current government will wait and do a decent paycut when we are nearer the next general election if they reduced now it would be seen as irrevelant at the next election. If they wait another while it will be fresher in the memory of the voters , at least that my guess. And if they get booted out of office the incoming parties will be secretly pissed at the lower wages.

Jimoslimos

FionnMcCool87 wrote: »

Give out free condoms, might save us a fortune.

Actually no, who do you think will be paying for an ageing population in 20-30 years time?

Chuck Stone

It's a bit like being asked what you'd do with the a written off car.

I'd rather it wasn't crashed in the first place.

Knine

I would restore the Respite Care Grant.

I would cut 10 euro off the foster Allowance as it seems Carers are getting fleeced while foster parents are untouchable and the payment is neither taxable or means tested.

Neewbie_noob

Knine wrote: »

I would restore the Respite Care Grant.

I would cut 10 euro off the foster Allowance as it seems Carers are getting fleeced while foster parents are untouchable and the payment is neither taxable or means tested.

hear, hear.

Mint Sauce

Neewbie_noob wrote: »

I am not getting into an argument here. Just please stick to the thread title. Cheers.
Peace.

Simply responding to your thoughts on the subject, both the one you intended, and the one it derailed to.

Celly Smunt

I've heard of this before,but it actually sounds good.

Tax text messages 1 cent per message.

Knine

pmcmahon wrote: »

I've heard of this before,but it actually sounds good.

Tax text messages 1 cent per message.

Eh no I already pay tax when I pay my phone bill.

Celly Smunt

Knine wrote: »

Eh no I already pay tax when I pay my phone bill.

But that's the genius of it! instead of paying one tax,you pay two!

Muir

pmcmahon wrote: »

I've heard of this before,but it actually sounds good.

Tax text messages 1 cent per message.

It seems like a good idea but I think people would text less, currently most people have free texts. Many also have cheap if not free mobile internet. Make it cost for texts & people will just communicate online instead.

wendell borton

Raise income tax with more bands but get rid of all the stealth taxes and reduce VAT, i'm sick of politicians saying they won't increase income tax but then go along and raise other taxes to make up for these BS promises. It would be far easier then for peole to budget for the next year.

Have a road tax that goes only to the roads and a household tax that pays for services such as water and waste disposal.

There should be a single benifit payment for peole who need it and additional allowances such as child benifit should be stoped the money could be far better used if it was pooled together put into resources for children such as education and healthcare.

ArtSmart

Neewbie_noob wrote: »

Sorry if this has been done before, but I'd like to make a thread specifically devoted to ranting about what should have been / should not have been cut in budget 2013:

Here goes:

Cut Pavee point
Cut Overseas Aid
Cut funding to conradh na ngaeilge by 75%
Abolish Seanad
Stop giving dole to people who are not Irish Citizens
Stop giving child welfare payments to children living abroad.
Sell 50% of Irish Rail and Dublin Bus to private investors

Anyone who is on the Dole and who is offered a job by an officer, and refuses the job, will be stripped of all benefits and never be allowed reapply. Job offciers will pay for themselves in long run

Welfare fraud = mandatory 5 years in prison.

Cut road tax and incorporate it into petrol

Introduce a 150 Euro levy for cyclists

Cut Enda Kennys Salary and Higgins' down to €100, 000 ( and they have to pay a portion of their own expenses)

ALL politician's expenses must be accounted for

Ideas??

Em, you're not the guy who writes that skit in Irish Pictorial weekly.

are you?


the one where the posh kids offer their, em, final solutions?


(btw, it's a brilliant skit)

RoverZT

2 things.

Tax internet shopping.

Anything bought online gets hit with 20% tax.

Needs to be done pretty quickly imo.

It's not just retail like clothing, supermarkets, electric stores being affected, it's everything. Insurance, banking, warehouses etc.

In the long term it would save and create alot of jobs, businesses won't be happy, but workers will.

Foreign imported goods taxed at much higher rate

Anything not produced on this island taxed at 50% or something, some huge figure that will make it worthwhile to produce stuff here.

We need to make our own little manufacturing/agri economy, producing and selling stuff to each other, not paying huge amounts for german/chinesse ****.

roughneck

Get rid of free travel for all those so called disabled junkies who go all over the country . total piss take on us ,, there laughing there bollox off at us . i work with them everyday and if you knew how much they travel at our expense nation wide ,you would be gobsmacked ,400,000 to 700,00 free travel passes in this country ( even the bloody welfare dont know ) ,millions of your money is spent on this , so next time your giving out about price rises in c.i.e ,look at the nice gentleman or lady beside who might be , having a bad day as they kick off , as least be consolidated in the fact that the government has cut carers allowence but the the obvious, get away , what a great country we live in ,you and me have made their day , rant over ,

kumate_champ07

You cant come out with silly ideas and not have figures to back them up.

shruikan2553

RoverZT wrote: »

2 things.

Tax internet shopping.

Anything bought online gets hit with 20% tax.

Needs to be done pretty quickly imo.

It's not just retail like clothing, supermarkets, electric stores being affected, it's everything. Insurance, banking, warehouses etc.

In the long term it would save and create alot of jobs, businesses won't be happy, but workers will.

Foreign imported goods taxed at much higher rate

Anything not produced on this island taxed at 50% or something, some huge figure that will make it worthwhile to produce stuff here.

We need to make our own little manufacturing/agri economy, producing and selling stuff to each other, not paying huge amounts for german/chinesse ****.

I shouldnt have to pay more because shops near my dont have a good selection. Even with extra tax on them I would still be saving money a lot of the time.

I dont see how taxing imports will help anything either, can just buy it online for the lesser tax and shops are in even worse state.

catch.23

narddog wrote: »

How about reducing the number of TD's, as a starter for 10. We are way over represented. Take Israel for example. Roughly the same pop., but they have 120 members in the Knesset. We could easily reduce our current 165 down to a similar number. Won't happen of course, turkeys voting for Christmas and all that....

Yeah Israel is a perfect model for everything, we should just copy them. :rolleyes: