Urban and Rural Ireland - A tale of two Irelands.

[Slim Buddha]

Lets look at fixing the system for the future and then, if we have time, we can go after revenge.

We need to do both simultaneously, otherwise the guilty will slither off to under the rocks from whence they came. At vast public expense.

[Baron von Biffo]

Which is a completely half-assed way to conduct any policy implementation.

Absolutely, but it's a reflection of how we vote.

In 2007 the expectation was that Ahern would step down and be succeeded by Cowen in the lifetime of the new Dail. I heard over and over here in Laois/Offaly how people were going to vote for Cowen because 'It'll be great for the constituency if we have the Taoiseach'.

Would FG have won 4 out of 5 Mayo seats if there wasn't an expectation that Gump would use the office of Taoiseach to lash the cash around the constituency?

As always, it comes back to us as voters making the right decisions.

[Baron von Biffo]

In some parts of Dublin people will now have to walk to the end of their street to get a bus!

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/r...ts-509477.html

Someone should get the UN commissioner for human rights on the case.

[DCon]

In some parts of Dublin people will now have to walk to the end of their street to get a bus!

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/r...ts-509477.html

Someone should get the UN commissioner for human rights on the case.

Surely Leo's constituents will be exempt?

This is Ireland after all

[Baron von Biffo]

Surely Leo's constituents will be exempt?

This is Ireland after all

And they have the Minister for Lifestyle Choices batting for them as well.

[Baron von Biffo]

The continuing withdrawal of services from rural Ireland has led to a woman having to collect a guard from the station and bring him to her home to investigate a burglary.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland...im-199600.html

[Dr. FIVE]

Ming's Bert & Ernie speech from during the week

http://t.co/tlVa6826

[Baron von Biffo]

Patient transport service in Donegal is being cut.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...319860057.html

Donegal has no full minister.

[Slim Buddha]

Patient transport service in Donegal is being cut.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...319860057.html

Donegal has no full minister.

The fact that Donegal has no full minister should never be a factor. The last full minister Donegal had was the former Tanaiste, Mary Fu**ing Coughlan, (I call her that because she could barely complete a sentence without an expletive and to distinguish her from the singer of the same name, who has a certain talent).

Coughlan's career is a damning indictment of the "geographical" appointment of cabinet ministers and is another factor in ensuring Ireland has appallingly bad government.

This woman isn't fit to run a bath, never mind a government department.

[Baron von Biffo]

The fact that Donegal has no full minister should never be a factor.

It shouldn't but it does.

This government is the most geographically imbalanced we've ever had. Nine ministers are from Dublin constituencies and most of the others are from the other cities. This thread has several examples of how that imbalance is leading to a bias against rural areas when allocating public resources.

[Slim Buddha]

It shouldn't but it does.

This government is the most geographically imbalanced we've ever had. Nine ministers are from Dublin constituencies and most of the others are from the other cities. This thread has several examples of how that imbalance is leading to a bias against rural areas when allocating public resources.

I know this is a hobby horse of yours, Baron, but to me it is merely arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic. Urban and rural are getting shafted and this government is living proof that democracy exists only in theory in Ireland.

Democracy indicates that there is a choice. In Ireland, there is none, as Reilly, Hogan, Gilmore, Baby Brutal and Gump prove daily.

[Baron von Biffo]

I know this is a hobby horse of yours, Baron, but to me it is merely arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic. Urban and rural are getting shafted and this government is living proof that democracy exists only in theory in Ireland.

Democracy indicates that there is a choice. In Ireland, there is none, as Reilly, Hogan, Gilmore, Baby Brutal and Gump prove daily.

While cuts are affecting most people, the matters raised in this thread and elsewhere show that there's a very clear bias against rural areas. That's a legitimate subject for discussion.

[Slim Buddha]

While cuts are affecting most people, the matters raised in this thread and elsewhere show that there's a very clear bias against rural areas. That's a legitimate subject for discussion.

You continue to believe this. And this is your right. Maybe if we did an analysis of how much the state takes in taxes in County Laois, particularly from farmers vis a vis how much the state takes in taxes in Dublin City, as represented by the area within the remit of Dublin City Council, particularly in the case of P.A.Y.E. taxpayers, a case could be made that the services provided to those living in Dublin City are largely paid for by those living in Dublin City.

Just a thought.

[Baron von Biffo]

You continue to believe this. And this is your right.

My belief is based on issues like those detailed in this thread and elsewhere

Maybe if we did an analysis of how much the state takes in taxes in County Laois, particularly from farmers vis a vis how much the state takes in taxes in Dublin City, as represented by the area within the remit of Dublin City Council, particularly in the case of P.A.Y.E. taxpayers, a case could be made that the services provided to those living in Dublin City are largely paid for by those living in Dublin City.

Just a thought.

Not exactly the point I was making but worthwhile nonetheless.

To do the exercise properly you'd have to correct for the distortions that inflate the Dublin tax take at the expense of the regions.

For example, the profits of many (probably most) nationwide companies will be declared at their Dublin HQ so that's where the tax will be recorded. So the taxes generated by regional business are credited to Dublin at the expense of the regions.

Dublin is also boosted by unequal provision of services. The people of Donegal that we mentioned earlier, don't have adequate health services so they must travel to Dublin for treatment. That generates economic activity, and thus tax, in Dublin at the expense of the regions.

Go to any part of the country and look at the reg of the garda car - It will be 'D'. Centralised purchasing boosts Dublin income.

It used to be the case that some PS organisations had their own, Dublin based, inspector of taxes so that all PAYE for staff would have been recorded in the capital rather than the region where the employee worked.

You can see it wouldn't be easy to get to the true figures for any area.

One thing we do know is that in 2009 (I can't find newer figures) social transfers to Dublin were 18 times what Laois got - €397M versus €7,195M

[Baron von Biffo]

The operator of the Donegal patient transport service that the government is closing down has offered a 50% cut in his price.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...320948491.html

If he can still provide the service at 50% of the original cost it raises questions about whether we're getting value for money from contracts with private providers.