“Towards Recovery: Programme for a National Government 2011 – 2016″

[ang]

Well it would seem our new Programme for Government devised within the parameters of the EU/IMF deal and rubber stamped by the FG/Labour coalition has been given a title.


The Programme, entitled “Towards Recovery: Programme for a National Government 2011 – 2016″ will go forward to the Labour delegate conference at 2pm later today and the Fine Gael parliamentary party for approval.
http://thegreatunrest.net/

Details of this programme will be published on this thread as soon as our "betters" allow us access to same.

Programme has been published here:-

http://www.labour.ie/download/pdf/programme_for_national_government.pdf

[C. Flower]

For anyone who wants to lobby, I hear that it is on in the O'Reilly building in UCD.

[ang]

RTE Latest update:-


Fine Gael and Labour Party are putting the final touches to a programme for Government that will be put to meetings of both parties at 2pm this afternoon.

It is understood that the Department of Finance will be split into two parts.

One ministry will handle fiscal planning and the banks. The other will deal with public service reform and the estimates process.

Labour will occupy one of those departments and Fine Gael the other, with Labour tipped for public service reform.

There will be an economic council within the Cabinet, with two members from each party to make recommendations and take key decisions.

There will be what sources are calling a jobs budget, containing employment boosting measures, within months of the Government taking office.

There are a range of compromises in the Coalition document.

The deficit reduction target is now 2015, midway between the Labour and Fine Gael positions, with similar deals on cutting public service numbers.

Labour is claiming victory in areas such as social welfare, where party sources say there will be no cuts, and education, where the party says the idea of a graduate tax has been ditched.

There will also be a significant restructuring of Government Departments and reform of the decision-making process.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0306/politics.html

[C. Flower]

http://namawinelake.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/fglab.jpg


NAMAwinelake also has an idea of some things in the the proposed Programme for Government

http://namawinelake.wordpress.com/2011/03/06/labour-and-fine-gael-the-draft-programme-for-government/

[Baron von Biffo]

http://namawinelake.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/fglab.jpg

NAMAwinelake also has an idea of some things in the the proposed Programme for Government

http://namawinelake.wordpress.com/2011/03/06/labour-and-fine-gael-the-draft-programme-for-government/

The ease with which those PS jobs numbers could be horse traded shows that they weren't based on waste or inefficiency but merely thrown out for good headlines in the campaign.

[musashi]

Well it would seem our new Programme for Government devised within the parameters of the EU/IMF deal and rubber stamped by the FG/Labour coalition has been given a title.

"hit the ground running" ...jeebus, brace for impact.


The Programme, entitled “Towards Recovery: Programme for a National Government 2011 – 2016″ will go forward to the Labour delegate conference at 2pm later today and the Fine Gael parliamentary party for approval.

They couldn't even keep the hacknied jargon out of the blurb, lame...going forward.

[Baron von Biffo]

According to Howlin on This Week for the first two years the new government will be running to Lenihans route map.

[C. Flower]

According to Howlin on This Week for the first two years the new government will be running to Lenihans route map.

I heard they are taking the Site Valuation tax from the Fianna Faíl manifesto.

[Baron von Biffo]

Lab folded on Finance and will take a consolation prize of PS Reform that everyone will pretend is equal to Finance.

FG holding Taoiseach and Finance means Lab is just a mudguard.

[DCon]

RTE Latest update:-



http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0306/politics.html

So Labour, O'Connor and the other Union Leaders in charge of reform in the PS. I would not expect much reform

[Baron von Biffo]

I heard they are taking the Site Valuation tax from the Fianna Faíl manifesto.

My understanding of the site valuation tax thing is very fuzzy - clarification would be welcomed.

[C. Flower]

So Labour, O'Connor and the other Union Leaders in charge of reform in the PS. I would not expect much reform

Joan Burton is being named. I'd say she'll do whatever the IMF tells her to.

[Baron von Biffo]

Joan Burton is being named. I'd say she'll do whatever the IMF tells her to.

So the job cuts will come primarily from the ranks of men working outside Dublin.

[Baron von Biffo]

A 'menu of local charges' will be available to local authorities.

Local taxation for local services is a good thing but it should follow reform of local government to allow the elected, and thus accountable, local politicians control the spend rather than just handing over our dosh to unaccountable managers.

[TotalMayhem]

Two Finance Ministers and a new "economic council"... Boy, have they been busy creating new jobs for themselves. :D

[Baron von Biffo]

Two Finance Ministers and a new "economic council"... Boy, have they been busy creating new jobs for themselves. :D

There's only one Finance minister. You can dress up the PS reform job any way you like but it's not Finance.

[Buddha]

Did Joan Burton get anything? I'm confined to bed. I went out to feed the birds and the man next door who does nixers on fixing cars suddenly made a loud explosive noise, well, the machine he was using did, then he made a loud explosive noise himself in Polish so I don't know if it was a bad word, but by that time I was swinging from the washing line trying not to fall because I dropped my crutch with the fright and the stigmata as I call it now, a wound which has refused to heal in two years, opened up again, and the fecking birds will just have to graze in the grass for their food amongst the coal dust and the sacks of wringing wet turf.

I thought I would share that with you. So how did the Madwoman do?

[ang]

Buddha rumour has it that Joan will get public sector reform but the official stance is that the Ministers will be announced on Wed.

All is ok though as the document relies on a water charge to save our finances.

Why did we not do this quicker and the recession would have been over so much sooner.

[disability student]

Me thinks that Lab may get hammering in 2016 just like FF did.

No mention of the disability issues at all.

Betrayal and threachery re they follow FF path of cuts.

[Griska]

Did Joan Burton get anything? I'm confined to bed. I went out to feed the birds and the man next door who does nixers on fixing cars suddenly made a loud explosive noise, well, the machine he was using did, then he made a loud explosive noise himself in Polish so I don't know if it was a bad word, but by that time I was swinging from the washing line trying not to fall because I dropped my crutch with the fright and the stigmata as I call it now, a wound which has refused to heal in two years, opened up again, and the fecking birds will just have to graze in the grass for their food amongst the coal dust and the sacks of wringing wet turf.

I thought I would share that with you. So how did the Madwoman do?

Buddha, I don't think they're going to make announcements about who gets what just yet, but I do want to say your post made me laugh out loud. Not to belittle your misfortune, but thank you.:)

[ang]

Programme for Government here:-

http://www.labour.ie/download/pdf/programme_for_national_government.pdf

[Buddha]

Buddha, I don't think they're going to make announcements about who gets what just yet, but I do want to say your post made me laugh out loud. Not to belittle your misfortune, but thank you.:)

Getting someone to laugh is good, griska. On my last site where I was banned for no reason whatsoever other than the owner is a nutter, I told the story of when I fell and broke my femur. They pinned it all up, six weeks later I went back for an x-ray and the very nice Muslim doctor said, "You have a screw loose".

I thought that was a bit rude of him, even if true, but I did indeed have a screw waltzing round my femoral artery. I guess they used a Philips instead of a straight edged screwdriver. Now I've a screw missing, which explains everything, really.

[concernedparent]

I think I could confined be to bed too Buddha.

I feel a Groundhog Day coming over me.

[Griska]

Programme for Government here:-

http://www.labour.ie/download/pdf/programme_for_national_government.pdf

Cheers ang.

Just read the "Statement of Common Purpose".

Very excited. It's all gonna be ok people:D

[TotalMayhem]

Me thinks that Lab may get hammering in 2016 just like FF did.

That's a very optimistic call, it's going to be more like the Green Party.

[Buddha]

Buddha rumour has it that Joan will get public sector reform but the official stance is that the Ministers will be announced on Wed.

All is ok though as the document relies on a water charge to save our finances.

Why did we not do this quicker and the recession would have been over so much sooner.

I have been saying until I was blue in the face, for decades, that if they bring in water charges, all our problems will be solved. Seánie Fitzpatrick could have gone on gambling away the country and living the high life. Golden handshakes would have caused no raised eyebrows. Rewards for bankrupting the country and doing what the Brits failed to do in 800 years was achieved in 8 years by the eFFers and all because they refused to bring in water charges.

A Nobel Prize should be awarded to the Minister who brings in Water Charges. All our problems saved by turning on a tap. Money on tap, so to speak. Wish I'd thought of that.

[TotalMayhem]

They really had to create a new department to find a job for this daft cow??? More cars to be added to the gravy train, ridiculous.

[Baron von Biffo]

DDP saying Lab only got 5 ministries.

Their best ever result but they look like they lost the GE.

[Baron von Biffo]

They really had to create a new department to find a job for this daft cow??? More cars to be added to the gravy train, ridiculous.

No new cars. The constitution limits the cabinet to 15 and that's what we have already. There's been much talk over the past week of merging justice and defence and it may have been prompted by a bit of leaking. Kenny's old number in Leprechauns could be merged with Gaeltacht without any great pain if they were of a mind to trim down.

[Buddha]

DDP saying Lab only got 5 ministries.

Their best ever result but they look like they lost the GE.

You are having me on Baron. 5 ministries. 5. We had four when we only had six seats in DL.

What's Gilmore going to be doing? What a disaster. Is there anything on Pravda about this momentous occasion?

[TotalMayhem]

You are having me on Baron. 5 ministries. 5. We had four when we only had six seats in DL.

What's Gilmore going to be doing? What a disaster. Is there anything on Pravda about this momentous occasion?

What do you expect? FG have more than twice as many TDs, sure 5 out of 15 is a reflection of FG's overwhelming majority in government.

[Baron von Biffo]

What do you expect? FG have more than twice as many TDs, sure 5 out of 15 is a reflection of FG's overwhelming majority in government.

And a signal of Labour's rump status.

[Rich]

Just finished reading the whole thing. That's an hour of my life I will never get back!

Long on bullshit, short on facts. Talks about what they are going to do, but gives very little detail on how they are going to do it. Health is probably where the most detail is contained - but there is lots of talk about new posts, new services and the retention of existing local services. No real explanation (I.e. Numbers) on how that will be achieved.

Nearly everything is a priority, so the reality is that nothing really is.

Changed politics my arse!

[ang]

I do note we are getting an economist of International repute to head up the DoF Budget and Economic policy Division:


We will reform the Department of Finance by bringing in new leadership and skills to restore its capacity and credibility in financial and macroeconomic management. Specifically, we will make an external appointment of an economist of international repute to head up the Department’s Budget and Economic Policy division.

[Kid Ryder]

I have been saying until I was blue in the face, for decades, that if they bring in water charges, all our problems will be solved. Seánie Fitzpatrick could have gone on gambling away the country and living the high life. Golden handshakes would have caused no raised eyebrows. Rewards for bankrupting the country and doing what the Brits failed to do in 800 years was achieved in 8 years by the eFFers and all because they refused to bring in water charges.

A Nobel Prize should be awarded to the Minister who brings in Water Charges. All our problems saved by turning on a tap. Money on tap, so to speak. Wish I'd thought of that.

I heard a brother of Maura Harrington's say something similar back in 2008: 'Ten years of Ahern rule has been worse for Ireland than one hundred years of British rule'.

[DCon]

I do note we are getting an economist of International repute to head up the DoF Budget and Economic policy Division:

John Bruton?

Or one of his buddies from Goldman Sachs?

[ang]

I wonder if Luke "MIng" Flanagan will vote Ta on this one:-


We will introduce roadside drug testing programmes to combat the problem of driving
under the influence of drugs

The DNA database will be an interesting one to follow:-


We will establish a DNA Database to assist the Gardaí in the investigation of serious
crime, such as homicides and sexual offences. The database will also be utilised to
enhance cooperation within the EU in the area of asylum and immigration. There will be
appropriate safeguards in relation to inclusion on and access to the DNA database

[ang]

John Bruton?

Or one of his buddies from Goldman Sachs?

Actually DCon that very same thought entered my head :eek:

[musashi]

Just finished reading the whole thing. That's an hour of my life I will never get back!

Long on bullshit, short on facts. Talks about what they are going to do, but gives very little detail on how they are going to do it. Health is probably where the most detail is contained - but there is lots of talk about new posts, new services and the retention of existing local services. No real explanation (I.e. Numbers) on how that will be achieved.

Nearly everything is a priority, so the reality is that nothing really is.

Changed politics my arse!

Plus ca change...

[TotalMayhem]

I do note we are getting an economist of International repute to head up the DoF Budget and Economic policy Division:

God help us!

[Kid Ryder]

I wonder if Luke "MIng" Flanagan will vote Ta on this one:-



The DNA database will be an interesting one to follow:-

This is serious police state stuff - pi$$ testing and a national DNA database. You'd expect this kind of claptrap from the blueshirts or Fianna Fáil for that matter, but the other shower?? Maybe Seán Sherlock isn't so untypical of the Labour party's membership in their rightwingery after all...

[Griska]

DNA data-base to go with the ID cards that were rushed through after the Dail was dissolved.

Excellent.

We're on a fine road.

[Baron von Biffo]

I do note we are getting an economist of International repute to head up the DoF Budget and Economic policy Division:

Just when you think things can't get any worse they enrol the witchdoctors.

[DCon]

"Senator" Darragh O'Brien says there is not much point getting an interest rate reduction from the IMF/EU as it would only save a few hundred million.

This on the week in politics

[ang]

We will also be paying for a television licence whether or not we own one it will have a new name though:-


We will examine the role, and collection of, the TV license fee in light of existing and projected
convergence of broadcasting technologies, transform the TV licence into a household-based
Public Broadcasting Charge applied to all households and applicable businesses, regardless of the device they use to access content and review new ways of TV licence collection, including the possibility of paying in instalments through another utility bill (electricity or telecom), collection by local authorities, Revenue or new contract with An Post.

[Apjp]

So the job cuts will come primarily from the ranks of men working outside Dublin.

they wont be from quangos or the hse's unneeded admin staff. Soldiers numbers wil be cut heavily-i know people in the army and the neo liberalists will be first to get rid of them. Garda numbers too. There'll be recruiting embargos in some areas and enforcing of retirements. The 10 bn euros will still go into the banks and privitisation will happen. Labour are more neo-liberalist than Ff and the greens. Water charges on a small island/small country surrounded by water are crazy.

[Baron von Biffo]

What's all this 'we have to repair fences with Europe' sh1te? Our EU 'partners' nailed us to the wall with usurious interest charges. We need to do everything we can to screw them up until they cop on and learn what partnership really means.

[C. Flower]

We will also be paying for a television licence whether or not we own one it will have a new name though:-

Words fail me.

Will we also have to pay a dog licence fee whether or not we have a dog?

[DCon]

Will we also have to pay a dog licence fee whether or not we have a dog?

good suggestion!!

[Baron von Biffo]

they wont be from quangos or the hse's unneeded admin staff. Soldiers numbers wil be cut heavily-i know people in the army and the neo liberalists will be first o get rid of them. Garda numbers too. There'll be recruiting embargos in some areas and enfocing of retirements. The 10 bn euros will still go into the banks and privitisation will happen. Labour are more neo-liberalist than Ff and the greens.

Of course they wont all come from non-essential services.

I wouldn't bee too sure about the army taking a disproportionate share of the cuts. The headcount reductions are being sold as something necessary to cut spending but taking people off the payroll and putting them on the SW bill wont do that. Why then is there such enthusiasm for the idea?

Well the most obvious explanation is if you cut staff you can damage delivery of public services and if the PS can't deliver you've created a market for the private sector.

[Baron von Biffo]

Sounds like the minister for PS reform will be a sort of super duper junior sitting in some dusty alcove in the department of finance.

[Baron von Biffo]

Dangerous stuff now on cutting the pay of judges and letting Dail committees act as courts.

[Apjp]

Of course they wont all come from non-essential services.

I wouldn't bee too sure about the army taking a disproportionate share of the cuts. The headcount reductions are being sold as something necessary to cut spending but taking people off the payroll and putting them on the SW bill wont do that. Why then is there such enthusiasm for the idea?

Well the most obvious explanation is if you cut staff you can damage delivery of public services and if the PS can't deliver you've created a market for the private sector.

tis a joke. cant wait for 2016. might stand meself as this ***** makes me sick.

[Baron von Biffo]

tis a joke. cant wait for 2016. might stand meself as this ***** makes me sick.

You wont have to. I reckon the next GE will be no later than about September 2015. It's likely to be a bleak time for Independents as people will have had a long time to see that shouting and roaring populist stuff doesn't actually achieve any practical result.

[C. Flower]

Interesting: Fianna Faíl already withheld this 10 billion payment past the due date and the ECB is not happy about it...although it makes sense. The assumption that it will make sense after the stress test is another question...


In this regard, we will defer further recapitalisation of the banks until the solvency stress
tests are complete and known to the new Government. Earlier recapitalisation in advance
of publication of the stress tests will not contribute to market stability and confidence.

[Baron von Biffo]

Interesting: Fianna Faíl already withheld this 10 billion payment past the due date and the ECB is not happy about it...although it makes sense. The assumption that it will make sense after the stress test is another question...

Assuming that is, that they really want to see the results of the stress tests and perhaps not commit all the money depending on what's in them. A more cynical commentator might wonder if they want to use the tests to shout TINA.

[PaddyJoe]

Interesting: Fianna Faíl already withheld this 10 billion payment past the due date and the ECB is not happy about it...although it makes sense. The assumption that it will make sense after the stress test is another question...
That 10 billion isn't remotely enough to fill the hole and even the other 25 billion of 'contingency' built into the EU/IMF deal probably isn't either.
Politically it will look very bad for the Coalition if they do what FF did and keep shoveling more billions in every few months.
They will want to do it in one visit while they still have some of the honeymoon period left.

[Kid Ryder]

What's all this 'we have to repair fences with Europe' sh1te? Our EU 'partners' nailed us to the wall with usurious interest charges. We need to do everything we can to screw them up until they cop on and learn what partnership really means.

+1.000.000. Please note it's a European million, not a Eurosceptic one.;);)

[Apjp]

I think I could confined be to bed too Buddha.

I feel a Groundhog Day coming over me.

dont we all..

[Apjp]

You wont have to. I reckon the next GE will be no later than about September 2015. It's likely to be a bleak time for Independents as people will have had a long time to see that shouting and roaring populist stuff doesn't actually achieve any practical result.

sept 2015 would be good considering the HUGE majority the parties have in govt. any early election is a good opportunity for left and right nd ind. opponents of the govt. Ive this meeing on wednesday to look forward to. Ive had some very good local feedback so Im hopeful we can hit the gound running and find enough common goals to form a party. If we can, and if CF doesnt mind, in time i will put up agreed motions etc. when/if the proposed party has significant members and policies agreed. Im not looking forward to big asked why idnt i run in election but I think the fact im a student off to france in august gave me a great excuse to postpone any action 'going forward'. Although I wouldnt be elected, I must dmit should a graduate with expertise stand, you have a better chance of a good vote than a student deferring their degree. forgiv typs ;) it lat.. ha

[Apjp]

assuming that is, that they really want to see the results of the stress tests and perhaps not commit all the money depending on what's in them. A more cynical commentator might wonder if they want to use the tests to shout tina.

tina?

[PaddyJoe]

The stress test results for Irish banks are out at the end of March. There are also major EU meetings planned for 24th and 25th March which are supposed to come up with some kind of deal on corporate tax harmonisation and a German type 'debt brake' among other things.

[Kid Ryder]

tina?

It's from a bit before yer time apjp. Coined by Margaret Thatcher, it's the ultimate stock phrase of neoliberals: There Is No Alternative.

[Baron von Biffo]

Phil Hogan rubbing Lab noses in it on PK saying the FG Five Point plan is completely intact in the PfG and the graduate tax is merely parked not gone away.

[Baron von Biffo]

Howlin and Hogan at odds on legalising animal cruelty. Hogan says it's a matter for the line minister to deal with in accordance with the FG manifesto, Howlin says there's no commitment on it either way in the PfG and it will have to be discussed if it arises.

[Baron von Biffo]

Pat Kenny giving the poor mouth for Dubs on a value based property tax. Given the likelihood that we're about to get a cabinet with a big Dublin bias we can expect the rest of the country to be screwed sideways on this.

[Apjp]

It's from a bit before yer time apjp. Coined by Margaret Thatcher, it's the ultimate stock phrase of neoliberals: There Is No Alternative.

sure we have that in 'we are where we are, goig forward'!

[Apjp]

Pat Kenny giving the poor mouth for Dubs on a value based property tax. Given the likelihood that we're about to get a cabinet with a big Dublin bias we can expect the rest of the country to be screwed sideways on this.

You can be sure that higher earners like kenny and politicians etc will be 'exceptions' to many taxes.

[Baron von Biffo]

Former advisor to McDowell on PK now saying rural dwellers are not effective ministers. I bet he's a fan of the list system.

[Apjp]

Former advisor to McDowell on PK now saying rural dwellers are not effective ministers. I bet he's a fan of the list system.

cormac Lucey I bet! cnt believe these people are heard.

[Baron von Biffo]

cormac Lucey I bet! cnt believe these people are heard.

Got it in one. :)