Tuesday 23 November 2010
Myra Hindley
I said I would comment on Carol Ann Lees book on Myra Hindley. My opinion has always been that Hindley should have been treated like any other life prisoner. I must admit after reading Carol Ann's book I can understand why there was a reluctance to release her. The wicked torture and murder and the tapes of that act published in this book was traumatic reading. However Hindleys detention after her life sentence was complete was an abuse of the legal system. And if we accept the law as the law then her detention was illegal and unfair. However Hindley was a deceptive and devious woman who lied, lied and lied throughout her life. Coming clean at the beginning after sentence may have meant she would have been released earlier. I accept now that she truly was an evil person and if she changed at all it was only at the very lates stage of her life.
The New Dictatorship: Budget Continued.
Well I proposed a Military takeover of the Republic of Ireland in my last blog. But events have overtaken me and the country. Because the European Union and the International Monetary Fund have already taken over Ireland. Still I'll put my tuppence worth on the table as an alternative budget for 2011.
The proposal from Brian Cowan and Brian Lenihan is to create a four year plan to reduce Ireland's deficit from 14% to 3%. The first year of this plan, 2011, would have €6 billion sucked out of the economy. Now anyone who knows anything about paying off a debt, such as a mortgage, knows you don't volunteer to pay off a 25 year mortgage in twelve years. Because that would lead to bankruptcy. So firstly I would reduce the deficit to 5% in six years. I am absolutely convinced that the Irish government whoever they turn out to be will not be able to achieve 3% by 2014. Secondly, it would appear that the Fianna Fail - Green coalition will attempt to achieve this years targets with €4 billion of cuts from the sick, the poor, the elderly and children. The other €2 billion will come from adjusting taxes on the middle class and reducing the wages, pensions, and numbers in the public services. Now I would do some of those things too. But I would reverse the 4-2 in favour of taxing the billionaires and millionaires by €5 billion and cutting services and social welfare by €1 billion per year for three years and then carry out a review.
So here is a quick list of taxes and cuts that would be in my budget for 2011.
1. Shut down the Irish Senate.
2. Shut down 50% of all County Councils and Urban Councils.
3. Cut the FAS training agency by 50%.
4. Abolish the Health Service Executive completely. Now this time it must be abolished in it's entirety. When the HSE was set up the Health Boards were to close down. What actually happened was the Health boards are still there. My solution would be to create a new Health Service that would be built around One Patient, One Doctor and One Nurse. The present health service has a foundation that rests on 27,000 Administrators. I will give an example. North Eastern Health Board Kells Co Meath. There is no hospital or medical services in Kells Co Meath. But this monolithic Administrative centre employing thousands of people (most would never have any direct involvement in patient care.) So I would close the old health boards down. Start all over again. To do this a team would go round all the hospitals asking doctors, nurses and patients what staff back up they need. Obviously we need radiographers, porters, domestics, ward clerks etc. But all those people work in a hospital setting, taking care of patients. So in fact more people may need to be employed to work with patients and those not working with patients would be made redundant. I propose to reduce Health Service staff by 4000 per year over the next six years. No staff who work directly with patients should lose their jobs. High paid non medical consultants and Civil Servants should be made redundant or have their wages reduced by 50%.
5. This country has too many hospitals. All cottage hospitals should be closed down over the next 25 years. Twelve hospitals would be built over that period in the Republic of Ireland. All of about the size of Belfast's Royal Victoria and City Hospitals put together. They would be strategically placed to cover all of the country. An air ambulance service would be set up and would eventually take all emergency service calls to the twelve hospitals. Ambulance services on the ground would be reduced at a rate of five per cent per year over the first six years. Non urgent patient transport would continue as now and a road transport ambulance service would be on standby for major incidents.
6. All top Civil Servants such as Judges, Higher Civil Servants, advisers etc would have their salaries reduced by 10% in 2011 and 5% per year over the next three years. Government Ministers to have their salaries reduced by 25% in 2011 and 5% per year over the next three years. RTE employees on higher salaries such as broadcasters would take a salary cut of 25% in 2011 and 5% per year over the next three years. Anyone earning over €100k annually would make a one off tax payment in 2011 of 25%. The fiction that we won't be able to attract the best people if we don't pay them millions for their services is false. This country has half a million unemployed, plenty of well educated graduates to take the place of Pat Kenny or the head of the HSE. An example of where I would look for money would be from those who withdrew €10 billion from the AIB in August and September. Tax payers lodged €7 billion through Brian Lenihan into AIB in 2010. The government must take hold of the banks and prevent a run on the banks by declaring a national emergency. Transfers of money out of Ireland must be stopped for three months until the budget is passed and the 4-6 year plan is implemented.
7. A wealth tax which would be based not just on cash but on assetts and property.
8. A property tax on properties worth more than 400k. Those with more than three houses would pay at a higher rate than those with one. Protection for certain categories of people who are living solely on benefits or pensions would mean many would not pay the property tax. Those who have more than €1million in property assetts would be penalised the most. Someone or some company who owns €100m in property would be forced to sell €25m worth for a one off payment to Revenue in 2011-2012.
9. Probably the single most important change needed in the 2011 budget is parliamentary reform. The Dail should have a working body of members working in the parliament five days a week, fifty two weeks of the year. The parliament must be seen to work harder, work quicker and work longer and more efficiently. More emergency legislation to address the problems of this country is vital. If there is a crisis the Irish Parliament must be be prepared to be in the Dail even at 3 a.m on a Sunday. TDs pay should be cut by 40%.
10. All Social Welfare payments should be reduced by 1% per year for the next three years. Exemptions from these reductions would be allowed only for pensioners over 85 years of age and Special Needs children. All public service pay to be reduced by 1% per year for the next three years. Minimum wage to be frozen at this years rate for two years and then reviewed.
11. The Government should set up a State bank which would be run like any other Government Department. All other banks should be nationalised and sold off over the next five years. A levy would be put on all private financial institutions until the €140 billion lost by banks is paid off over the next 25 to 50 years.
12. Many people find it hard to understand why goods and services in N. Ireland are mostly between twice the price of the Republic and fifteen times the price of the Republic. Many of the problems we face today were created by greed. Even if we go back to the eighties or nineties ordinary goods in the shops were often 15 or twenty times that of the North. There were never such difference of costs such as minimum wage or electricity which are 10% and 15% respectively. To address this problem I propose that a Prices Commission be set up. The head of this Commission should be an ex senior member of the Gardai. The commission should investigate prices in both N. Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. If the government can introduce a sensible pricing policy in Ireland then there is no reason why Social Welfare and Health costs could not be reduced. The very basic goods purchased every day by people to feed their families in the south are costing enormous amounts in comparison to the North. As a small example: Daily Mirror North 45 p; South €1; Fruit scone Co Monaghan 85c; Co Antrim 15p; 16 Panadol County Antrim 15p; County Mayo €1.89; Packet of brand bacon Antrim £1.59; Cavan €5. Litre of Whiskey South €49.50; North £18.99. 2 litre milk South €1.89; North 90p. Excessive profiteering would be investigated by the new Prices Commission. The Commission would have a right to order a company to reduce it's prices in particular where a company is selling a product in N. Ireland manufactured in the Irish Republic for half the price in the North. And this is a common occurrence. It would have an advisory capacity as well to help industry and the retail trade by comparing the price structures in the two areas. Broadcaster Pat Kenny highlighted where a drug for epilepsy cost €4.80 in a small village in Spain. It sells in Ireland for €50. The Commission would have teeth and could impose heavy fines or remove a licence to trade from a company or retail outlet. The Commission would widely publish its findings in order to dissuade business from unfair practices and profiteering.
13. Bond holders would have to be identified by having their licences published in local papers once a year. The Irish people have a right to know who is controlling their economic well being. All millionaires and billionaires would have to be identified annually in National papers in Ireland. Whether individuals or companies. The 7% of the population who control the wealth of Ireland will have their masks removed in my budget.
14. Those involved in fraud over the past thirteen years must be arrested, charged and tried. Legislation should be enacted and if necessary back dated to see that Ireland jail those who caused the crisis Ireland is now in. A method of speeding up the prosecuting process must be implemented as part of the 2011 budget.
15. Shell Gas in Mayo to be Nationalised.
16. Water rates to be brought in over a five year period using water metres. Payment of water rates would be means tested to protect those who could not afford them.
17. Corporation Tax to be increased to 15%, still the lowest in Europe.
18. Finally I have a plan for a massive boost to the Irish economy on both sides of the border by using the border as an economic platform to turn this Island into a multi billion euro investment destination. That problem of differences in cross border prices would be solved. The depression caused on both sides of the border because it is an unequal international frontier would be ended and replaced by a vibrant economy. I propose that the authorities on both sides of the border set up a Free Enterprise Zone along the whole 300 mile stretch of the Irish border. It would be a six mile band, three miles on either side of the border where taxes would be low, perhaps only 5% income tax, 5% Corporation tax, 10% VAT etc. The EU would be asked to help fund and support the project. International companies would be invited to set up industries and develop the infrastructure of the zone bringing huge prosperity to the whole country over the next 25 years. The area could be widened over a period and this would attract people from surrounding areas into the zone. There would be no border restrictions on the old Irish border, no customs and the six mile band would be jointly policed by security services from both sides of the border. The new border would be all of the six mile band. The Prices Commission would strictly control prices inside the Zone and all goods would have to sell at the same price throughout the zone ending the profiteering on the southern side of the zone. This would have the effect of stabilising prices and the economy would be contaminated by the new surge inside the zone throughout the Island over a period of years.
The proposal from Brian Cowan and Brian Lenihan is to create a four year plan to reduce Ireland's deficit from 14% to 3%. The first year of this plan, 2011, would have €6 billion sucked out of the economy. Now anyone who knows anything about paying off a debt, such as a mortgage, knows you don't volunteer to pay off a 25 year mortgage in twelve years. Because that would lead to bankruptcy. So firstly I would reduce the deficit to 5% in six years. I am absolutely convinced that the Irish government whoever they turn out to be will not be able to achieve 3% by 2014. Secondly, it would appear that the Fianna Fail - Green coalition will attempt to achieve this years targets with €4 billion of cuts from the sick, the poor, the elderly and children. The other €2 billion will come from adjusting taxes on the middle class and reducing the wages, pensions, and numbers in the public services. Now I would do some of those things too. But I would reverse the 4-2 in favour of taxing the billionaires and millionaires by €5 billion and cutting services and social welfare by €1 billion per year for three years and then carry out a review.
So here is a quick list of taxes and cuts that would be in my budget for 2011.
1. Shut down the Irish Senate.
2. Shut down 50% of all County Councils and Urban Councils.
3. Cut the FAS training agency by 50%.
4. Abolish the Health Service Executive completely. Now this time it must be abolished in it's entirety. When the HSE was set up the Health Boards were to close down. What actually happened was the Health boards are still there. My solution would be to create a new Health Service that would be built around One Patient, One Doctor and One Nurse. The present health service has a foundation that rests on 27,000 Administrators. I will give an example. North Eastern Health Board Kells Co Meath. There is no hospital or medical services in Kells Co Meath. But this monolithic Administrative centre employing thousands of people (most would never have any direct involvement in patient care.) So I would close the old health boards down. Start all over again. To do this a team would go round all the hospitals asking doctors, nurses and patients what staff back up they need. Obviously we need radiographers, porters, domestics, ward clerks etc. But all those people work in a hospital setting, taking care of patients. So in fact more people may need to be employed to work with patients and those not working with patients would be made redundant. I propose to reduce Health Service staff by 4000 per year over the next six years. No staff who work directly with patients should lose their jobs. High paid non medical consultants and Civil Servants should be made redundant or have their wages reduced by 50%.
5. This country has too many hospitals. All cottage hospitals should be closed down over the next 25 years. Twelve hospitals would be built over that period in the Republic of Ireland. All of about the size of Belfast's Royal Victoria and City Hospitals put together. They would be strategically placed to cover all of the country. An air ambulance service would be set up and would eventually take all emergency service calls to the twelve hospitals. Ambulance services on the ground would be reduced at a rate of five per cent per year over the first six years. Non urgent patient transport would continue as now and a road transport ambulance service would be on standby for major incidents.
6. All top Civil Servants such as Judges, Higher Civil Servants, advisers etc would have their salaries reduced by 10% in 2011 and 5% per year over the next three years. Government Ministers to have their salaries reduced by 25% in 2011 and 5% per year over the next three years. RTE employees on higher salaries such as broadcasters would take a salary cut of 25% in 2011 and 5% per year over the next three years. Anyone earning over €100k annually would make a one off tax payment in 2011 of 25%. The fiction that we won't be able to attract the best people if we don't pay them millions for their services is false. This country has half a million unemployed, plenty of well educated graduates to take the place of Pat Kenny or the head of the HSE. An example of where I would look for money would be from those who withdrew €10 billion from the AIB in August and September. Tax payers lodged €7 billion through Brian Lenihan into AIB in 2010. The government must take hold of the banks and prevent a run on the banks by declaring a national emergency. Transfers of money out of Ireland must be stopped for three months until the budget is passed and the 4-6 year plan is implemented.
7. A wealth tax which would be based not just on cash but on assetts and property.
8. A property tax on properties worth more than 400k. Those with more than three houses would pay at a higher rate than those with one. Protection for certain categories of people who are living solely on benefits or pensions would mean many would not pay the property tax. Those who have more than €1million in property assetts would be penalised the most. Someone or some company who owns €100m in property would be forced to sell €25m worth for a one off payment to Revenue in 2011-2012.
9. Probably the single most important change needed in the 2011 budget is parliamentary reform. The Dail should have a working body of members working in the parliament five days a week, fifty two weeks of the year. The parliament must be seen to work harder, work quicker and work longer and more efficiently. More emergency legislation to address the problems of this country is vital. If there is a crisis the Irish Parliament must be be prepared to be in the Dail even at 3 a.m on a Sunday. TDs pay should be cut by 40%.
10. All Social Welfare payments should be reduced by 1% per year for the next three years. Exemptions from these reductions would be allowed only for pensioners over 85 years of age and Special Needs children. All public service pay to be reduced by 1% per year for the next three years. Minimum wage to be frozen at this years rate for two years and then reviewed.
11. The Government should set up a State bank which would be run like any other Government Department. All other banks should be nationalised and sold off over the next five years. A levy would be put on all private financial institutions until the €140 billion lost by banks is paid off over the next 25 to 50 years.
12. Many people find it hard to understand why goods and services in N. Ireland are mostly between twice the price of the Republic and fifteen times the price of the Republic. Many of the problems we face today were created by greed. Even if we go back to the eighties or nineties ordinary goods in the shops were often 15 or twenty times that of the North. There were never such difference of costs such as minimum wage or electricity which are 10% and 15% respectively. To address this problem I propose that a Prices Commission be set up. The head of this Commission should be an ex senior member of the Gardai. The commission should investigate prices in both N. Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. If the government can introduce a sensible pricing policy in Ireland then there is no reason why Social Welfare and Health costs could not be reduced. The very basic goods purchased every day by people to feed their families in the south are costing enormous amounts in comparison to the North. As a small example: Daily Mirror North 45 p; South €1; Fruit scone Co Monaghan 85c; Co Antrim 15p; 16 Panadol County Antrim 15p; County Mayo €1.89; Packet of brand bacon Antrim £1.59; Cavan €5. Litre of Whiskey South €49.50; North £18.99. 2 litre milk South €1.89; North 90p. Excessive profiteering would be investigated by the new Prices Commission. The Commission would have a right to order a company to reduce it's prices in particular where a company is selling a product in N. Ireland manufactured in the Irish Republic for half the price in the North. And this is a common occurrence. It would have an advisory capacity as well to help industry and the retail trade by comparing the price structures in the two areas. Broadcaster Pat Kenny highlighted where a drug for epilepsy cost €4.80 in a small village in Spain. It sells in Ireland for €50. The Commission would have teeth and could impose heavy fines or remove a licence to trade from a company or retail outlet. The Commission would widely publish its findings in order to dissuade business from unfair practices and profiteering.
13. Bond holders would have to be identified by having their licences published in local papers once a year. The Irish people have a right to know who is controlling their economic well being. All millionaires and billionaires would have to be identified annually in National papers in Ireland. Whether individuals or companies. The 7% of the population who control the wealth of Ireland will have their masks removed in my budget.
14. Those involved in fraud over the past thirteen years must be arrested, charged and tried. Legislation should be enacted and if necessary back dated to see that Ireland jail those who caused the crisis Ireland is now in. A method of speeding up the prosecuting process must be implemented as part of the 2011 budget.
15. Shell Gas in Mayo to be Nationalised.
16. Water rates to be brought in over a five year period using water metres. Payment of water rates would be means tested to protect those who could not afford them.
17. Corporation Tax to be increased to 15%, still the lowest in Europe.
18. Finally I have a plan for a massive boost to the Irish economy on both sides of the border by using the border as an economic platform to turn this Island into a multi billion euro investment destination. That problem of differences in cross border prices would be solved. The depression caused on both sides of the border because it is an unequal international frontier would be ended and replaced by a vibrant economy. I propose that the authorities on both sides of the border set up a Free Enterprise Zone along the whole 300 mile stretch of the Irish border. It would be a six mile band, three miles on either side of the border where taxes would be low, perhaps only 5% income tax, 5% Corporation tax, 10% VAT etc. The EU would be asked to help fund and support the project. International companies would be invited to set up industries and develop the infrastructure of the zone bringing huge prosperity to the whole country over the next 25 years. The area could be widened over a period and this would attract people from surrounding areas into the zone. There would be no border restrictions on the old Irish border, no customs and the six mile band would be jointly policed by security services from both sides of the border. The new border would be all of the six mile band. The Prices Commission would strictly control prices inside the Zone and all goods would have to sell at the same price throughout the zone ending the profiteering on the southern side of the zone. This would have the effect of stabilising prices and the economy would be contaminated by the new surge inside the zone throughout the Island over a period of years.
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