Sir, – Fintan O'Toole ("We must raise taxes if we want to improve public services", Opinion & Analysis, August 11th) highlights the dilemma the Government faces as it prepares for a general election – does it plan for re-election or for the long-term future of Ireland?
Unfortunately, the answer is always the former, because politicians’ decisions are constrained by the electoral cycle. The demographic time-bomb facing our health, welfare, and education services demands a national solution that is never going to be achieved under the present stop-go system.
Dare I suggest the two pillar political parties (Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil) put aside their differences, for say five to 10 years, and form a national government? The remit being to bring our institutions and services up to the standards available in similar-sized countries in Scandinavia.
In other words, the Scandinavian model – and yes some citizens might have to pay higher taxes. However, at least the plight of the homeless would be properly addressed, and endless nights on emergency department trolleys would be a thing of the past.
In his final paragraph Fintan O’Toole states “there’s a profound choice facing Irish society”.
Unfortunately, we shall not be offered that choice at the ballot box. – Yours, etc,
MIKE CORMACK,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – Fintan O’Toole writes, “We need to start talking honestly about all of this now. There’s a profound choice facing Irish society”. So, Fintan for taoiseach if and when he walks the electoral walk. Maybe next time? – Yours, etc,
BERNADETTE CURTIN,
Ballinlough,
Cork.
Sir, – Fintan O’Toole correctly highlights a coming crisis in the provision of social services unless they are adequately resourced.
Some would argue that this crisis is already upon us. Anybody listening this week to radio interviews regarding the increased levels of homelessness in Dublin could not but be moved by the desperate plight of the families in question.
We are seeing the manifestation of the continued driving down of public expenditure at the behest of Fine Gael’s neo-liberal cheerleaders. The argument is that spending on public services has to be reduced in order to maintain or reduce the tax burden and thus retain our competitiveness.
Simultaneously we get the argument from the same circles that the minimum wage cannot be raised for the same reasons of competitiveness. In pursuing this agenda we are sleepwalking towards a US model of minimal social provision while pushing people into multiple lower-paid jobs in order to survive.
Adequate public services are an investment in our future and provide a greater degree of social cohesion than anything the market can provide.
However, raising taxes in and of itself is not enough in this case. We in Ireland historically suffer from an inability to embrace changes in working cultures, and throwing money at inadequate and antiquated management systems and processes will not bridge the current gap in provision. Serious investment in reform is required. Management structures and cultures need to change radically, work practices have to be modernised and processes slimmed down without impacting provision.
This would in time release funding for increased investment and employment in frontline services, such as providing support for homeless families.
No doubt there would be hard choices to be made regarding redeployment of resources but as a society we need to understand that, while the public sector by its very nature should be a significant employer, its primary objective is as a service provider and social safety net. – Yours, etc,
BARRY WALSH,
Blackrock,
Cork.
Sir, – Using his familiar technique of tossing in a few statistics and jumping straight to a dramatic finale – this time, that the solution to our public service failings is to simply increase taxes and spending – not once does Fintan O’Toole suggest that the first port of call should perhaps be to ensure we are spending what we already have more efficiently.
What we really need are leaders in the public service and on the political stage who will take a zero-tolerance stance on inefficiency and waste, including underperformers, facing down vested interests motivated to maintain the status quo, and optimising the resources we do have at our disposal.
When we’ve done this, Fintan, then let’s talk. – Yours, etc,
ALAN KEALY,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.