I’ve long said it is not good enough to simply want power for the simple reason of having power. You must want to do something with that power and have clear and powerful enough goals to inspire others to entrust you with it. I’ve been working on some policy ideas with a few other like mindeds but I might talk more on that another day.

For now, here are a few simple things I think the government could and should be doing if it is to recover its standing among the people.

Patently transparent and open government
I remember knocking on doors one night last Spring, in the early days of the local election canvass and meeting a friendly face. It was an aquaintance of mine, a social contact in Naas and like myself, an IT professional and a commuter, a friendly face. We talked socially and business wise for a while then moved onto brass tacks of politics and the economy. He accepted the harsh measures in recent budgets, even admired perhaps the Minister in charge, but then dropped the bombshell. “Your partys problem is corruption” he said. I was genuinely taken aback. Sure there were tough and unpopular decisions but I could defend those, and he accepted them. But there was a hangover he said. Too many on the take. For all my belief that those days were in the past, and that the days of brown envelopes were well and truly gone, there is still a huge perception amongst the public, and not unjustified, that implicit, if not explicit corruption still continues. That decisions are made and policies set according to who is in the know, if not the payroll of the corporates and developers. This notion and any suggestion of it needs to be firmly and finally addressed before the party is to recover. Perhaps there was undue influence in the past from FF friendly corporates? Whether it did or didn’t happen before, it cannot, or even a perception of it cannot be allowed to happen today. Decisions must be made openly and transparently with full rationale. If they are unpopular we will take the hit.  If they win favour we will take the plaudits. But we can champion them without compromise knowing they are there for all the right reasons.

Zero Tolerance for Carpetbaggers
On a related theme we have scored, or allowed to be scored, more own goals against the party than the opposition have ever placed in the net. Perhaps naievely I really believed the day of free loaders in Fianna Fáil had gone. It may not be as overt now with no bank drafts or brown envelopes changing hands, but loans from Fingleton or expense scams are a sordid modern equivalent. This kind of sqaulour should be rewarded with an absolute zero tolerance policy and offenders turfed out upon their ear to face the full rigour of the law or the corú as appropriate. Those that betray the public or the party trust should be treated accordingly.

At least some application of moral hazard
Though many accept the need for some form of banking rescue, what has really grated is the apparent dichotomony betwen little and large. The householder in negative equity whilst the bank is being bailed out. Whilst I believe this to be a simplistic and not entirely accurate picture I hold a view that those who make a decision should be culpable for it, beit the householder or the bondholder. If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime and the same should apply to lenders, big and small. I am familiar with the concept of ‘too big to fail’ and I am aware every western democracy bar Canada has seen banking support schemes of some nature but I am deeply uncomfortable with the absence of moral hazard. I believe those that take risks must stand to gain from them but the converse must also hold true. We need to see at least some form of moral hazard being applied to those at the top as well as at the bottom of the pile.

Internal review and democracy
The party needs to look to its structures for internal reform and policy development. It grated many, many members that the Green grass roots got more say in the Programme for Government than many of our backbench TDs did. This is wrong and is not the way to run a modern political party. And it is not the way to attract and retain the membership needed for what could and should be a team of all the talents. There are great people in the organisation already. We need to function as a whole greater than the sum of the parts.

Communicate and explain decisions
Policies need to be sold as well as made. Talk to the people. Communicate. Explain what is being done, why it is being done, how it is being done. And do so in a language people will understand. The Taoiseach has got better at this recently and I would have expected some upswing on the strength of it. He was good on PrimeTime last night and I think he should keep doing this and more of it, and get the rest of the cabinet out to bat also.

Review of Anglo
Probably the most toxic decision of the last twenty four months has been the horrendous sums to be ploughed into Anglo, a bank that even its supporters feel can have at best limited shelf life with perhaps a remant hiving off into a form of corporate credit union. NAMA, I can accept, the figures can even add up, but twenty plus billions into Anglo is a hell of a price to pay for sovereign reputation. I’m not an economist, I’m not a financier (notwithstanding an M.Sc. in financial maths) and I don’t claim to have all the answers. Unlike many commentators perhaps, when the Minister says something, I believe it unreservedly, so I trust him on this also. But I am concerned when so many commentators, academics and what appears to be informed opinions are positioned against this, to ask is there really no other way? A clear succcint and final explanation or even better, an honest and open review of this would help dispel a lot of the really bad karma that surrounds this right now.

Northern mobilisation
For many this may not be an issue, may not even be on the radar. But it matters to me. It’s partly why I was attracted to the party, as the leader of nationalist opinion on the island. We have members enlisted in the North. We have cumann established and eager to get going. We have had expressions of interest from sitting representatives. We have some fine young activists really pushing this hard. And still we are not there. Why the inertia, why can we not put our money where our mouth is on this one and mobilse for real in thirty two counties. Shockwave  – we might lose elections. Well we’re not going to win any with no candidates.

Rant over. I do broadly agree with most govt policies but there are some that rankle, and the political presentation at times rankles even more. Deal with the offenders, listen to own membership, re earn the trust of the people and return to greatness once more.

Build that shining city on that hill. And let the beacon light a way where now there appears none…

http://www.irishelection.com/2010/01/highs-and-lows-2009/

Quite a few comments and discussion if you want to drop by there.

Some highs:

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• Budget 2010. Whilst I accept this was difficult to swallow for many and my own household (being 50% public sector) was not spared, I rank this as a high as it was an example of the government displaying leadership, decisiveness and a conviction that this would and could be solved and not put indefinitely on the long finger for any politically expedient reasons. Standing up to the unions was also a plus for me as was the fact that the FF backbenchers found voice on something other than drink driving. It also confirmed the upwards trajectory of our Finance Minister, Brian Lenihan TD as the ace in the pack and a bulwark against further government descent. A good day for party and for the country.
• Going North. A little trumpeted but steadily progressing initiative of 2009. Buoyed in no inconsiderable part by the efforts and encouragement of the Ógra movement (who allowed northern voting delegates at youth conference in 09) , the senior Fianna Fáil party organised, held recruitment events and public fori in three Northern counties in the latter half of 2009. Progress was not rapid but steady rather than slow. It is happening and for many of us it is a most welcome development. I always believed in a thirty two county republican party and am delighted to be reassured many others in the movement think likewise. Lets push on for the assembly elections next year and take the opportunity to get a foothold both sides of the border. Towards 2016 indeed.
• Yes to Lisbon. Perhaps not very sexy, but yet very important for the advancement of the greater European project.  A raft of organisational and procedural changes and some important common ground enablers to compete with the big blocs internationally and Continentally on climate change, security, defence etc.  A long slog, longer than anyone expected when it started in 2004 but welcome closure nonetheless…

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Some lows:

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• Oireachtas Expenses Scandal The whole thing was an ignominious stain on the body politic. Whilst our former Ceann Comhairle friend, JOD seems to have been the worst, or at least the most prolific, the exorbitance seems to have been shared by many, including opposition parties when on their various junkets. And of course all expenses were signed off by cross party committee.  Which helps explain the reticence by any the Leinster house club members on any side the house to really tackle this until things came to a head via the media and public reaction.  Also whilst only the excesses were highlighted, the many legitimate expenses claimed are subsumed into the mix with the result that even legitimate expenses become  regarded as carpet bagging. The Minister has twice asked for a review of the system and it is needed for all purposes, to expose abuses but also to safeguard the legitimate uses of the system.
• Banking Crisis The whole problem here is that wrong doing or at least a highly cavalier attitudes appear to have incurred no subsequent penalty, be it financial, legal or career wise. Sure some the big guns shuffled off the deck but not without some nice linings to their pockets as a result. The ‘moral hazard’ argument appeared to go out the window particularly with regard to the banks when it became clear some were ‘too big to fail’ but not in fact ‘too big to bail’. This is the ultimate quandary for a mixed economy, do the rules of extreme capitalism apply (where darwinism prevades and the bigger they come the harder they fall) or does the state pick up the tab to avoid massive job losses and potentially crippling wider economic and social affects. Obama had to do it with the automotive industry and we had to do it with the banks. While the government may have had no other choice,  it does leave a sour taste and we must still see heads roll in 2010 if this sector is to restore confidence.
• Local Elections This was a real black spot. For me personally it was a very gruelling outcome, having campaigned officially for almost a year, and been involved in local activism for a lot longer it was and is frustrating to accept that, for the next few years at least, I can play no formal role in local affairs. The many things I wanted to do must all take a back seat as I have no formal platform with which to address them.  Whilst I accept the feedback from many people that it was a political not a personal issue, it doesn’t change the result. Also had it been locally political, I think the case stacked up very well, unfortunately we were condemned by the economic tsunami and the wider political malaise. A party colleague in another district, who has contested both general and local elections, recalled ruefully afterwards, how when he ran in the generals (when things were good nationally) he was cursed on local issues, and when he ran locally (when as a sitting Cllr he had a solid record on local issues) he was cursed on the basis of national politics! Looking at the wider political situation, one of the difficulties for the Fianna Fáil party is that so few of the ‘next generation’  young bloods were elected in this election, as where survivors did emerge it was generally the old dog for the long road, based usually on decades of graft and local relationship building. Full credit to them, but the imbalance will make it harder for the party to renew or regenerate internally, or to introduce any new blood/ideas, which ironically is what the electorate said was what was most needed. Well unfortunately it is on hold now for another five years at least.

I will likely add a few more items here over the next day or so but am publishing this now to get started.

The Greens’ demands for their new deal are carried in the Irish Times today. Personally I hope both parties can broker a deal as I would like the current government to continue. The nightmare scenario as I see it (from an admittedly political perspective) is where the greens present impossible demands and the government falls because FF can’t grant them. Then FG / Lab proceed to do almost identical things to the last administration but with greater public support and when the inevitable recovery comes in 2012 or 13 claim all the credit. Meanwhile FF are forever the bad guys who caused the recesssion and wouldn’t even give the greens their wooly but worthy demands. In that case it really would be a case of good riddance even if they (GP) did have the time of their lives.

Quickly reviewing each point of the wishlist.

1.A reversal of recent education cuts
This is fine in theory but may just be mathematically impossible. It’s not FF policy to cut education, it’s a matter of financial survival of the state.

2. A reduction in the number of TDs
Perhaps but along with a reform of the function. Representatives (which institutionalises clientelism) or legislators?

3. Major changes in the electoral system
More power to local authorities? Agree. Shorter terms of government and councils. Agree. Greater powers? Good idea but within reason. The Californian state has nearly gone bust because when they granted people free choice they chose to be taxed liked libertarians whilst enjoying communist levels of public services..

4. A commitment to a single-tier universal health system
Agree with existing commercial insurers providing a private compliment to public provision but without the overlap. Bit like what Obama is trying to do in the States.

5. A new third rate of income tax
Probably makes sense. There are already three levels of levy. We should consider an advanced model like the Canadian system. It’s like a tax ladder with gradual incrememnts in tax when your earnings increase.

6. The abolition of the PRSI ceiling
Makes total sense.

7. The integration of the income levies with the tax rates
it’s a no brainer. It’s happening anyway. The Minister always said the levies were only a blunt instrument until the next budget could regularise things. But it allows greens claim a ‘win’ from the off.

8. A clampdown on tax exiles.
Agree. But isn’t this what we are doing already? We need clarity on what the Greens consider a tax exile.

9. An animal welfare Bill that would ban hare coursing, stag hunting, fur farming and the importation of wild animals to be used in circuses
Agreed on most the above. Definitely a lot to be done on animal welfare, controls, rehousing, kill rates, regulations and monitoring. It’s not all black and white though. Devil in the detail. I’m not a hunter but I like to cast a fly as well as the next man. And I’ve been known to grace the odd point to point. Lets balance the traditions of rural Ireland with the need for protections.

10. Basic social welfare entitlements should not be cut
Well it depends. Who are the ‘vulnerable’ these days? Employers get no ’stamps’ allowance. What about the one who can’t pay his staff or the loan on his warehouse? Or the employee with a mortgage and bills on the table but no benefits. Better or worse off than those with gauraunteed tax free income (which has risen despite deflation). Or the millionaire with a medical card and / or child benefit. I know who’s going to be first in the queue for the doctors when the child gets sick and who will hesitate until its desperate.
We need safety nets sure but the current system needs fairness and reform on all sides.

11. Overseas development aid should not be cut
Worthy principle but needs must. We can only send what we can afford. Also, we send the Irish army abroad every year who protect hundreds of thousands of refugees. That’s worth millions in development aid.

12. A massive shift of emphasis from investment in road building to public transport initiatives
We need both. Ireland has seen vast improvements with the road building program of recent years. As a public transport activist I have many views on the railway and bus program also. If at all possible, capital investment on the T21 and other projects must be maintained.

I read two opposing accounts on the controversy in US healthcare this weekend and ironically enough I agreed with both. One was contained within the ‘Open Door’ magazine, a catholic pamphlet that is generally picked up on the way out of church (although this particular copy caught my eye in Tesco Maynooth), the other was in the UK Guardian, a left-leaning publication not normally given to religious regards.

Obama’s health service plans are in the news at present of course, as a debate ranges in the States over his plans to replace the current insurance only system with a national program for state cover. Some right wing critics in the States have seized upon supposed failures of the British public (or socialised as they say) health system to beat the reforming ideas of the new Healthcare push.

The ‘Open Door’ led with a front page missive upon the sanctity of human life and railed against the evils of disconnected secular beauracracies and the spectres of ‘death doctors’, putative panels with deity like powers on life and death. Forced euthanasia and mass abortions were cited as catastrophic consequences of socialised system.

I agreed with the author in the sense that I too would regard such consequences as apoclayptic if they were indeed to happen and I would very much concur with the author’s view on the sanctity of human life. However neither am I convinced that such things are contained within the healthcare package, rather a case of misrepresentation.

Which allowed me to find common cause with a quite different assessment of the plans contained within the Guardian newspaper this weekend, one which defended the plans and vilified the state-side critics. Private healthcare at the extreme as practised in many ways in the states literally is a life and death sitation for those caught in the middle. In this case of course ability to pay is the decider rather than either man or god which is a far less christian conundrum altogether.

Whilst many conservatives may take issue with Obama’s pro-choice views I believe such considerations to be misplaced at the heart of this debate. I believe him to be a fundamentally good man (in every sense including the classic biblical connotation of the word) and I believe the Democrats to be a good party. So Whilst I empathatise with the concerns of the religous orders, I fear the financial fire power of the US insurers is skewing the debate on many axes and for far baser motives, thus obscuring the real benefits the plan can bring at a very fundamental and christian level. As much as God must want to protect the unborn child, equally he must want to protect the poor sick and needy. So let’s get the balance right with an informed debate, but let’s make sure we throw out neither the baby nor the bathwater…

I was in discussion last night (mainly via twitter) on social justice. Reflected bit more today. Is an oft abused term. Most mean by it a desire to protect those of lower means or protection. Which is what I generally mean by it as well. However taken literally justice would actually be quite a (classical) right wing concept. Biblican justice suggests an eye for an eye, and an economic version of social justice could suggest for example that noone is entitled to additional protection, in fact quite a darwininst model could emerge using pure ‘justice’ ideals. Is the welfare state a ‘just’ society? Why is it ‘just’ that someone gets money for nothing?! Alernately is it ‘just’ for another to inherit wealth not having earned it themselves. Would the ultimate ‘just’ society see everyone levelled at entry (age of adulthood) and allow everyone make of life what they will. No silver spoons but no safety nets either. I guess that would be real social justice.

Anyhow, after six months at the coalface I’m heading for some downtime. Not even sure if I’ll have an internet connection next week.. But my blackberry will still be on, so if you want to, comment away!

• Secure a playground within the village perimeter

• Provide lights or a roundabout at Oldbridge/Osberstown exit

• Provide 4 way signal controlled junction at Railway Inn / Osberstown Court

• Promote a secondary school option for Sallins / Kill / Johnstown together

• Address parking issues within village and prevent inappropriate all-day parking (whilst ensuring provision of adequate parking requirements at train station)

• Enhance security presence and locate a Garda sub-station within Sallins village

• Progress the 30 acre amenity and sports complex (GAA development) on the Clane road and support  the project as it advances through the stages ahead

• Support the parish development plans which include a new church, parish hall, community centre, new access roads to school and train station.

•  Provide a permanent home for youth club, possibly in one of above developments

• Accelerate Sallins bypass to take HGVs and through traffic off village streets

• Take in charge remaining estates and address snagging / finishing issues locally

• Provide cycle paths in village with walking and cycle trails along canal and Liffey

• Enhance pedestrian safety across village with barriers & footbridges across canal

• Preserve village character through planning and address derelict buildings/sites

• Provide footpaths to Bodenstown cemetery, and fully to Osberstown crèche

• Resurface Chapel Lane and other internal village roads

• Continue to improve rail timetable and provide village with bus service after 7pm

• Support local enterprise and explore a Chambers of Commerce for Sallins

Having been around the ward a bit at this stage I now have the details on where exactly does and doesn’t have the service. It all depends on the local exchange, whether or not it is enabled, and then on your own connection and your distance to the exchange. Some houses require a localised upgrade while most will benefit immediately from an exchange upgrade, providing however that the distance from exchange does not exceed 5 KM.

It can be inconsistent at times. There are parts of Caragh where one side of the road has it (high speed broadband) and the other doesn’t. Two Mile House don’t have but are in line when the Athgarvan exchange comes on stream later this year – however it will still depend on distance along the wire.

When I met people in Eadestown a month or so back it came across as the number one issue. I used some of my contacts to track down senior management in Eircom and put it to them. A local techie had also raised it at a First Tuesday meeting recently and a local petition was gathering momentum. I always say credit where its due and I have to say Eircom were very responsive and reacted very positively to the concerns. Originally they told me June but they actually upgraded ahead of schedule last month with the result that the area now has a fully enabled exchange and hence high speed broadband. Result.

One down, two to go (Caragh, Two Mile House). I’ll keep on it.

“Hookie”’s commentary I find hot and cold at times, (he must be adamantly anti-FF going by his new years eve outburst), was talking in the aftermath about people banging the steering wheels as they caught the drivetime details on the way home.

I wasn’t banging any steering wheels on Tuesday, as I said I remain personally sanguine about these things, in the national interest and all the rest, but I was certainly banging the steering wheel and profaning wildly in the car the following morning. The reason for this was not not the previous days medicine but rather the virtual two fingers given to Ireland Inc by ratings agency Moodys literally the day after the budget when they downgraded Irish soverign credit on the money markets. We went from AAA to AA+ which may add up a billion extra to our borrowing costs which will in turn strain the national finances and potentially lead to more taxation etc etc in a vicious circle. Just how a body of unelected unaccountable financial analysts can wield such power over soverign nations is almost immoral. The rating could not have taken into account the budget details as it was anounced as the markets opened and just as Irish bank shares had begun to rise they turned again thanks to our friends in the ratings game. Completely inappropriate release date and potentially damning for a sovereign nation.

The budget itself was tough as expected but very much progressive. “From each according to his means, to each according to his need”. The government had 4 possible options – 1) Cut welfare 2) Cut public sector pay (again) 3) Borrow More 4) Tax more and spend less… It went for 4. Politicians own pay was one of the first items to be addressed with a range of allowances and pensions scrapped instantly, several remaining capital loopholes were closed, efficiency reviews and early retirement scheme was introduced in the public sector whilst the welfare bill will be audited for abuse cases but largely remains static with payments remaining at current levels (which include a 3% increase in October and a 4% rise in purchasing power since equating to a 7% rise overall).

Lots more including the ‘bad bank’ idea, an exports fund, flagging of possible future measures and more. If things do turn around some of these future steps may not be necessary. There weren’t too many surprises pretty much everything had been flagged in advance and detailed in media, and could have been a lot worse.

The opposition are of course making some noise so far do not appear to have any substantative complaints. They were invited to make submissions and of an approximate 6.5BN hole to be plugged the FG proposal would have salvaged 4 whilst Labour appeared to scrape together a measly 1.5 savings plan. So their numbers don’t appear to work but that’s the beauty of opposition they don’t have to.

Lastly on a practical note, here’s a handy tool to work out how it affects you.

Construction – got it wrong – over dependent – property bubble

International perspective

Contraction property sector

Openness economy

Stablise public finance

Restore international reputation

Stimulate economic confidence

Protect Jobs

Repair banks

“From each according to his means”

Governement examining own costs..

Remuneration scheme

10% additional reduction, (25% reduction already)

No long service increments

Ministerial Pensions in service – gone

Teachers differences – gone

Oireachtas chairs – halved

Whips, vice chairs – no extra allowances

10% – Ministers, Cabinet

Public service levy – 20% down due to pension levy and other cuts

Review of top level pay rates, changed circumstances

Benchmark against Euro countries same scale

“From each according to his means”

Progressive – tax changes –

Minimum wage – 7 euro per week 2% of income

300K PA – 300 per week 9% income

Against extra debt 12.75% GDP ratio national debt

Now targeting 10.75% borrowing target ratio

Limited scope for public expenditure cuts – prefer not to cut public sector pay further, cancel infrastructure or cut welfare rates

Over reliance on construction related activity in economy

“Multi-annual consolidation plan”

Spending cuts = 2.7BN (2010)

Capital Cuts (1.3BN 2010)

Public sector pay roll (reduction cost of payroll – levy saved 1.4BN; Numbers to go now – ban on recruitment; Early retirement over 50s new scheme no penalty; Pensions will be taxed in future; Lump sums possibly in future budget)

Welfare spending 21BN budget (Pension has increased up to now)
No reduction this budget – flag for future years

No December welfare bonus; Job seekers allowance halved ; Rent supplement reduced (fall in rents); Welfare fraud targetted; Non nationals especially; Child benefit taxed from next year

Early childcare supplement – preschool year ; new supplement instead ; existing benefit to be abolished at end of year.

NDP spending programs will be met, tenders more competitive now. Sustain construction and development.

Extra PPPs to fund infrastructures ; consider sale and leasebacks ; national recovery bond

Taxation

12.5% coroporation tax to remain

Tax shelters, loopholes to be cut off. Residential rental reliefs cut. Trading profits residential land gone. Property health schemes (private hospitals) tax reliefs gone.

Mortgage interest relief – available first 7 years only.

Capital gains increase to 25%

New levy rates 26,000 – 75,036 – 174,980; 2% ; 4% ; 6%

1st May 2009 ; extra taxes become effective

Remoulding of public service levy – addresses anomalies at bottom end

25% extra tax on cigarettes ; no increase on alchol or petrol ;

Bank restructure..