SHANE HOGAN,
Madam, - The removal of the First-Time Buyers grant is expected to save €38 million of Government expenditure. The reduction of betting tax from 10 per cent to 2 per cent is estimated to have cost €45 million in lost tax income.
Clearly, Minister McCreevy believes that there are more votes to be had on the race courses and in the bookies shops of Ireland than from the ordinary working couples struggling to climb onto the property ladder.
The insult is doubled by the knowledge that first-time buyers will be competing with property investors who will be able to write off 100 per cent of interest paid against their rental income, whereas the interest relief for the first-time buyer is capped at a level that bears no relation to the cost of a basic starter home today. It's not hard to see where the priorities of the current Government lie. -Yours, etc.,
SHANE HOGAN,
Hilton Gardens,
Ballinteer,
Dublin 16
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Madam, - Community Employment Schemes were set-up to integrate the long-term unemployed into the labour market. The FÁS Action Plan 2002 stated that the numbers on Community Employment would fall from an average participation of 33,000 last year to 28,000 in 2002. Recent media reports suggest cuts of some 13,000. Efforts to date by the undersigned to establish the exact level of cuts have been unsuccessful.
Yet, what we are all too aware of, is the effect of such cuts on both the individual and the community providing the employment.
Where is the economic sense in putting somebody "on the dole", when they could be doing useful work for their community and developing their own skills for an average payment of €24 extra per individual per week?
Community Employment has succeeded as a labour market scheme, but, equally as important, it delivers valuable services to local communities. These services include assistance to the elderly, to pre-school children, to youth, the up-keep of community halls, of sporting facilities, the conservation of heritage and much more.
In face of the current cuts, and in fear of the reported future cuts, the key question must be "how will these services to local communities be maintained in the future?"
Community organisations are used to operating on a shoestring budget; we are at the point of delivery and therefore can provide services in a cost-effective, unbureaucratic way that is focused on the needs of the community. Does the local community matter? - Yours, etc.,
JIMMY McCLEARN, MCC,
East Galway Community Employment Action Group,
c/o Civic Buildings,
Portumna,
Co Galway.
STEPHEN CONNELL,
Ballinasloe Community Resources,
JAMES JOYCE, MCC,
Clonfert Community Assoc.,
CHRISTY CUNNIFFE,
SE Galway IRD,
MICHAEL MULLERY,
Shannonside Community Development Assoc.,
LIAM SMITH,
Sliabh Aughty Community Association,
TONY DERVAN,
Killimore TFQ Ltd.,
JAMES MANNION,
Mountbellew District Development,
THOMAS BURKE,
Ahascragh Community Development.
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Madam, - Has anyone a spare sword? If so, perhaps they might send it to Mr McCreevy so that he may fall upon it and do the decent thing. - Yours, etc.,
FANNY de BURGH WHYTE,
Rathgar Park,
Dublin 6.
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Madam, - Never in modern Irish history has the many been made to suffer and sacrifice so much, to preserve the wealth and privilege of the few. Republican Party my ass. - Yours, etc.,
JIM O'SULLIVAN,
Rathedmond,
Co Sligo.