"Buying Irish could create 6,000 jobs"

Sky King · 05-09-2011 04:18PM

A guy I knew had a business selling machinery to farmers for years and years - competing against imported products.

Said the vast majority of farmers didn't give a fiddlers fcuk about irish engineering companies employing irish workers and only wanted what was cheap.

An approach I use when buying produce myself, since I head that i must say.

ScumLord · 05-09-2011 04:33PM

Bambi wrote: »

I think the EU put the kibosh on the auld guaranteed irish logo.

No it's still going. The only problem I'd have with the guaranteed Irish logo is all you do is pay your membership and off you go, it's a problem with similar efforts in Ireland, all they want is your money they don't monitor or care about what you do after that.

dermo88 · 05-09-2011 04:34PM

Originally Posted by dermo88
If buying Irish was cheaper or/and better quality, then we'd buy it. Simple as. If you don't compete you die. No amount of commie bull**** will convince me otherwise.

Now while my initial post seems reactionary, lets examine it. Here are my opinions:

1. The 12.5% corporation tax rate argument is an oxymoron. Why should Ireland become a base for a corrupt elite who choose to evade their obligations to countries which they obtain a profit in, yet declare a profit in Ireland. How much employment does that REALLY get. In return, lax regulation, and all the legal protection. Something has to give there...

2. The product does not necessarily have to be cheaper. It has to be better quality or unique. In that regard, there are certain items that have got an International reputation. Kerrygold, Jameson, Baileys. These are mainly on the food and beverage side.

3. The Government is concentrating on high quality industries such as pharamaceuticals and electronics. Good.....thats ok.

4. BUT....it IS neglecting the crucial low end of the economy, and inflicts high indirect taxes which impact harder on small and medium sized businesses. These include utilities and stealth protectionism. This is why I use the somewhat reactionary term "commie bull****", its targetting at the likes of Brendan Ogle from Slipthru and the ILDA now at ESB, and Tony Tobin. Not to mention a whole host of overpaid leeches. The cause of Irelands high costs are 'too many chiefs not enough Indians' when massive economies and savings could be made by forging alliances in the European Union to reduce these imbalances and costs.

5. Being cheaper does not work for the likes of Ireland. Being better does. That brings home the bacon.

Overheal · 05-09-2011 04:35PM

I can go into Publix or Piggly Wiggly and pick up a thing of Kerrygold.

If you aren't selling it domestically you're exporting it. Actually better for companies to export. Better for the Irish economy.

ScumLord · 05-09-2011 04:36PM

Sky King wrote: »

Said the vast majority of farmers didn't give a fiddlers fcuk about irish engineering companies employing irish workers and only wanted what was cheap.

They wouldn't have that approach for long, things are usually cheap for a reason. The worst thing is a few years sown the road when they discover the many pitfalls of cheap and foreign they may not have a local option any more.

noxqs · 05-09-2011 05:23PM

Compete or die. Irish farmers already receive an enormous dole cheque from the EU I don't see how they can't compete with imports. Really.

(1.7 billion per year) which amounts to about 400 euros per Irish resident. Which for a single person makes up maybe 4 months of food budget ? Plus they presumably profit on their food no ?

05-09-2011 05:37PM

phasers wrote: »

If it's cheaper then yes. Girl's gotta eat

Wait. You're a girl ..?

Wertz · 05-09-2011 05:43PM

If the Irish made product is cheaper (or at least competes) which it should do since it had no associated cost to ship it here and if the quality/taste/quantity/whatever is better than I'll buy it. If it's not I won't.
Most of the fruit/veg I buy is grown here (depending on time of year), all of the meat originates here, the bread, dairy...like it or not, we can't produce every food stuff in this country though, so inevitably we end up with imported stuff in there (be it brands or raw produce)

We don't make many electronics do dahs here, and if we do it's usually by an MNC. If i want a telly or a toaster, it's asian 99% of the time. Same with cars.
Things made from wood here are usually hideously overpriced in comparison to foreign imports.
Petrol and gas are imports; no real choice there...

Services are a different thing...if I'm buying a service it's most likely to be domestically based (unless it's on the 'net or something) and I can only assume that a large portion of what I'm paying remains in the economy.

The GI logo thing is a load of auld bollocks. As for 6K jobs... that figure sounds like someone's beermat calculation adjusted for copious wine intake, last friday lunchtime.

05-09-2011 05:47PM

[QUOTE=Greentopia;74223819]I agree but unfortunately many Irish consumers are not as aware and educated about such social and environmental issues as many of our European counterparts are (a legacy of decades of neo-liberalism) and as well as that food is so bloody expensive here anyway so most people won't choose where they spend their money on those grounds but will look for the cheapest food they can find.

I shop in Lidl, Aldi and Supervalue for some things and local butchers, greengrocers and markets for others so I do support Irish food producers where I can. We have some of the finest natural food produce in the world here so why wouldn't I?
I'd be interested to know where they got that figure of 6000 jobs though. How is that calculated I wonder?[/QUOTE]

Or maybe we just couldn't care less about our carbon footprint when in reality our actions in this tiny unimportant country will not have an effect.

TheZohanS · 05-09-2011 06:02PM

LighterGuy wrote: »

Quoted from RTE.ie website :

had to laugh at this :pac:
trying to manipulate/con people into buying more Irish goods. Saying that if you do, more jobs will be created, "SO BUY IRISH NOW!" :pac: .... what a joke.

:pac::pac::pac: wait 'til they raise taxes because VAT etc is down:pac::pac::pac: wait 'til more people lose their jobs because people are buying everything online from abroad:pac::pac::pac:

Higher taxes, lower social welfare and more hospitals closing.:pac::pac::pac:

Wertz · 05-09-2011 06:12PM

VAT is down because consumers aren't consuming in general not because they're not consuming Irish goods and services.
Since when did any Irish government need an explanation for raising taxes?

*munches Guaranteed Irish banana*

Greentopia · 05-09-2011 06:19PM

AdamD wrote: »

Or maybe we just couldn't care less about our carbon footprint when in reality our actions in this tiny unimportant country will not have an effect.

That's just a self-serving excuse people use to justify behaving as irresponsibly as they like without thinking there are any consequences to their actions.
But this is going OT...

Helix · 05-09-2011 06:24PM

Gumbi wrote: »

You'd rather buy something with a higher C02 footprint, where the producer was likely poorly paid?

absolutely

i dont spend my money to make a certain economy better. thats not my job. thats the job of the governent. the same government who take my tax money from me. that's my contribution, taxes, not buying overpriced, shoddily made products just because of where they were made

want to sell more irish products? reduce prices, increase quality

unlikely to happen due to the simple fact that it costs more to make things in ireland, but it's a global economy now. ill buy things where i get the best value for my hard earned money. it's not my responsibility to employ an additional 6,000 people in ireland

if the government wants to create jobs in ireland they should take a look at doing something about the non existant advertising of the country abroad as a tourist destination

as for the carbon footprint, well im not being hypocritical like those who harp on about it while leaving everything in their house plugged in all the time, and drive to work in their petrol guzzlers. i turn things off when im done with them and i use public transport instead of driving. aside from that, there's nothing else im willing to do, certainly not pay 50%+ more for products just because they originated in a certain country

ScumLord · 05-09-2011 06:25PM

noxqs wrote: »

Compete or die.

It's not as simple as that, Irish farmers have been competing at a loss and that's partially down to markets, it just so happens at the moment they have it good as prices have taken a swing up.

The other thing is the more we spend over seas the more it will effect our ability to create jobs in the future. If we buy aboard over buying local we will eventually kill that market in this country meaning we will lose those jobs and maybe never get them back because we simply don't have the skill base to do them.

I really do think the vast majority of the world is selling out their future for some cheap stuff.

HappyHouseWife · 05-09-2011 06:29PM

Aldi's Grandessa jams and marmalades are Irish made and delicious, try and find an Irish made jam in Dunnes, extremely difficult. I won't pay ridiculous prices for Irish stuff but if it's within 10% of an imported version then I will pay the little bit extra, people need to cop on and start buying Irish. There seems to be an atitude pervading the people of this country that everything made/done/produced here is sh1t when it's patently not, the largest retailers are the guiltiest of importing practically everything they can. How about Dunnes own brand potato wedges @92c a bag (delicious but I won't buy them on principle), they're imported ffs. How dear could they possibly be if they were made here????
How about "Old Time Irish" marmalade?? made in the UK ffs.
I could go on and on about this subject but I have a life away from this keyboard.

number10a · 05-09-2011 06:44PM

Whatever about the Guaranteed Irish logo, Tesco is the biggest culprit of all for deceiving the consumer about Irish-made goods. They have a lot of shelves "mislabelled" with their big "Buy Me. I'm Irish!" banner and the stuff is imported. For example, New York Bagels are constantly on such a shelf in the Tesco in Mahon Point. Look at the packaging and where are they made? Swindon.

A lot of people think it's unpatriotic to shop in Lidl or Aldi when in fact it is probably the biggest supplier of Irish-made foods to the consumer. And the quality is always top-notch.

7sr2z3fely84g5 · 05-09-2011 06:52PM

We pretty much anti competitive when comes to costs of manufacturing,sad part was we took up interest in building houses and then finally copping on you could not export houses.

mickydoomsux · 05-09-2011 07:00PM

I buy the cheapest decent option. I don't care if it's Irish or not.

If it is, fine. If it isn't, i'm not loading up my shopping racked with guilt. I wouldn't deliberately go out seeking Irish products nor do i avoid them.

Sky King · 05-09-2011 07:07PM

Jadiel White Race wrote: »

We pretty much anti competitive when comes to costs of manufacturing,sad part was we took up interest in building houses and then finally copping on you could not export houses.

I agree for the most part - but certain types of manufacturing is still viable here - low tech high volume stuff that it just wouldn't be worthwhile importing due to bulk and very high tech stuff.

phasers · 05-09-2011 07:11PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Wait. You're a girl ..?

By night anyway

Gumbi · 05-09-2011 07:13PM

AdamD wrote: »

Or maybe we just couldn't care less about our carbon footprint when in reality our actions in this tiny unimportant country will not have an effect.

Do you honestly believe that? I think that that's a disgraceful attitude to have. "We can do what we want 'cos in the end it barely makes a difference". If that were applied to everything, we'd get nowhere.

Musicman2006 · 05-09-2011 07:15PM

mackg wrote: »

irish prostitutes just don't cut it.

..they do..that's the trouble!

tweedledee · 05-09-2011 07:22PM

I used to buy Irish---Bulmers Cider,until I realised its the most expensive booze in Ireland!!!!!!!WTF!!!!Its made in Clonmel yet almost 50% more expensive than everything else!!!!!!!:eek:

LighterGuy · 05-09-2011 07:25PM

tweedledee wrote: »

I used to buy Irish---Bulmers Cider,until I realised its the most expensive booze in Ireland!!!!!!!WTF!!!!Its made in Clonmel yet almost 50% more expensive than everything else!!!!!!!:eek:

As someone said in the thread earlier. Its a joke that stuff made in this country costs more than imported goods. Rip of Republic indeed.

05-09-2011 07:39PM

Gumbi wrote: »

Do you honestly believe that? I think that that's a disgraceful attitude to have. "We can do what we want 'cos in the end it barely makes a difference". If that were applied to everything, we'd get nowhere.

Its the truth, my carbon footprint is ridiculously unimportant in the grand scheme of things and if I do anything about it, the only change on my life and anybody's elses will be negligible.

Please try and justify changing your carbon footprint.

tweedledee · 05-09-2011 07:40PM

I feel sorry for all those who did buy Irish,EXPENSIVE IRISH HOUSES,during the "Bubble",now lots of them are in huge financial trouble.
This figure of 6000 is like that imaginary figure of 150000 jobs to be "created" by FG/Labour when they get elected.
The endless horse manure from this Government really gets me goin!!!!!:mad:

mikemac · 05-09-2011 07:41PM

tweedledee wrote: »

I used to buy Irish---Bulmers Cider,until I realised its the most expensive booze in Ireland!!!!!!!WTF!!!!Its made in Clonmel yet almost 50% more expensive than everything else!!!!!!!:eek:

There was a time when cider was one of the cheaper drinks in a pub

You can blame Charlie McCreevy for this one, hiked the duty on cider :mad:
Then Bulmers decided to market themselves as a premium product, it ain't working considering the made people redundant recently

tweedledee wrote: »

This figure of 6000 is like that imaginary figure of 150000 jobs to be "created" by FG/Labour when they get elected.
The endless horse manure from this Government really gets me goin!!!!!:mad:

Yes to Lisbon, Yes to jobs

I'm not seeing these jobs???

Wertz · 05-09-2011 07:46PM

tweedledee wrote: »

I used to buy Irish---Bulmers Cider,until I realised its the most expensive booze in Ireland!!!!!!!WTF!!!!Its made in Clonmel yet almost 50% more expensive than everything else!!!!!!!:eek:

Orchardnomics.

noodler · 05-09-2011 07:47PM

tweedledee wrote: »

This figure of 6000 is like that imaginary figure of 150000 jobs to be "created" by FG/Labour when they get elected.

Where did they say that?

05-09-2011 08:01PM

phasers wrote: »

By night anyway

Ooh. How much do you charge?

"Buying Irish could create 6,000 jobs"

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