"Sinead, you have just produced more insight than our elected officials, entire civil service, academia and journalists combined.
Don't let efforts to pick minor holes in this detract. This is the analysis and debate that is entirely missing right now.
Bravo."
Some additional thoughts:
1. I am from a rural community but spent 2 decades in "the city" post MBA. There is an ability in rural Ireland to spot bullshit from miles off that is entirely absent in D2/D4/D6. Spin only takes you so far.
The policy of "ever greater State (where is Stephen Kinsella these days?)" is deeply challenged when you collect the taxes to fund the policy but fail to deliver the results.
2. People see a huge split between those in Government / Gov funded NGOs / Semi States etc. with flexitime and Defined Benefit pensions and their lives. It is the single constant and substantial bone of contention in pubs and around dinner tables across rural Ireland. There is zero attempt to deliver meaningful productivity in many of these organisations and their neighbours absolutely see it on a daily basis.
3. Ideological measures at huge cost such as retrofitting (often adequate) housing to save the planet doesn't pass the bullshit test. The ESRI report says it doesn't result in much of an energy saving either, so now its so that people can eat their breakfast in their pyjamas (per Eamon Ryan). This sort of nonsense has people paying 52% tax to fund pulling double glazing out of council houses to replace it with triple glazing ... well, pulling their hair out.
4. The scariest thing I have heard (repeatedly) from Michael Martin is that it is undemocratic to give in to a minority. This is exactly the sort of thing that someone who has never been oppressed by a majority would say. A head count does not legitimise oppression, physical or economic, of a minority. Would you consider writing a piece about the "tyranny of the majority?" for him?
5. I've seen what happens when a group of individuals try and use what Michael Martin would describe as "legitimate processes" to pursue a commercial grievance against the State. A close contact has spent 20 years trying to undo the harm caused by the State to a successful aquaculture business. They have been to the Supreme Court twice and won twice (Barlow v Min). Meanwhile there is no consequence for the behaviour of the civil servants involved and the financial consequences are still uncertain. That is what a "win" looks like when you play by the rules. 20 years of their lives gone.
The farmers / hauliers etc. are right. Blockade is the option that will deliver results. The courts and the ballot box are an utter charade. I've seen that first hand.
Sinead! This is one of the best analysis of the recent Irish economic wealth story. The comparison to the Nordics is so on point. Ireland’s mismanagement of excess Corp Tax will be, as pointed out by other Irish economists lately, the greatest tragedy of this decade with our Dept of Finance obsessed with running surpluses to be top of the European deficit/debt tables at the expense of actually improving the services/infrastructure in the economy albeit the ambition is there but we have had a small % of MNEs contributing to increased expenditure for 10+ years now with little to show for it other than large cash balances and two Sovereign wealth funds … thanks for this piece.
Really interesting piece. I wouldn’t say I agree with all of it but while reading I did find myself wondering how much of our inability to solve infrastructural issues as a nation are in fact cultural?
Low expectations in public services become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Short-termism is rife but those policy measures are also generally rewarded in elections. Public discourse tends to be hijacked by NIMBYs, naysayers, or those who want to focus on blaming the government (sometimes fair) rather than focusing on trade-offs needed to solve problems.
I’ve often thought we need some sort of initiative to raise ambition levels for the nation. Like a “Notions for Ireland” project except obviously the first task would be to ban the word “notions” because that in itself is a cause of a whole host of other cultural problems…
Most cultures have low public trust. Engineering high public trust might be possible, but it will require a sort of domestic imperialism by the technocratic class that will be unpalatable to democracy. Better for low trust societies to accept that they are low trust and stick with minimal governance to keep the people from fighting to commandeer the government handouts.
“You might then ask: is this a developed country at all? And the best answer we natives could give you is a convoluted one: that Ireland has managed to become both overdeveloped and undeveloped without ever being quite developed.”
Fintan O’Toole: ‘Is Ireland a developed country at all?’
This is great work, thank you - but I would take issue with the generalisation that protest in Ireland is primarily symbolic or an expression of values. When it comes to abortion and repeal, we absolutely did have skin in the game. The same applies to the water protests, austerity and shell to sea. There was also the short lived grey revolt in 2013, student protests against fee increases, climate, and, Im sure, many more examples.
As an American reading this, I'm left confused as to why do you believe that the Irish government could provide those services? America mostly gave up on the government providing services in the 80s, and the response has been a retreat to the private sector, which despite much complaining has had its merits for salaries and certain services. Every time we've turned to the federal government to provide a service (regardless of party) its been a mess and mostly just serves to enrich the DC Beltway. So I ask, why worry about this gap in government services, when you could ask for the government to just stop spending the money on handouts to beloved groups? France has a great deal of public infrastructure, but I hardly envy the financial disaster they are setting up for it.
Private sector prioritises profits over people that’s why your America is in strife. The government should be able to provide these services. Take a look at the Nordic countries, The Netherlands and Germany with some of the most efficient public Infrastructure out there. It is possible once you get rid of the utter waste, mismanagement and incompetence and you hold those civil servants accountable for blowing their budgets and achieving sweet f all of their targets.
An excellent piece, putting that which is observed and ignored day to day in a more formal context. Personally I've long suspected that the malaise of post colonialism, unique to Ireland in western Europe, is one of the root causes of our acceptance of short term thinking and incompetent governance, while incidents like this are it's manifestation.
As you’ve only included the EU countries, I wonder how the UK and perhaps more specifically NI compares? I ask because it’s always struck me that the gap (be it perceived or real) between the two countries in terms of the effectiveness of state institutions and what they deliver is a huge road block to a united Ireland.
frustrating isn't it, the gatekeeper platforms you have to share this value with. ? Like to take aim at the states sovereign communication media? I'd be honoured to share insight into a more affordable, agreeable, democratic fund for public service broadcasting. +capture attention of younger audiences.
Repeating from Twitter:
"Sinead, you have just produced more insight than our elected officials, entire civil service, academia and journalists combined.
Don't let efforts to pick minor holes in this detract. This is the analysis and debate that is entirely missing right now.
Bravo."
Some additional thoughts:
1. I am from a rural community but spent 2 decades in "the city" post MBA. There is an ability in rural Ireland to spot bullshit from miles off that is entirely absent in D2/D4/D6. Spin only takes you so far.
The policy of "ever greater State (where is Stephen Kinsella these days?)" is deeply challenged when you collect the taxes to fund the policy but fail to deliver the results.
2. People see a huge split between those in Government / Gov funded NGOs / Semi States etc. with flexitime and Defined Benefit pensions and their lives. It is the single constant and substantial bone of contention in pubs and around dinner tables across rural Ireland. There is zero attempt to deliver meaningful productivity in many of these organisations and their neighbours absolutely see it on a daily basis.
3. Ideological measures at huge cost such as retrofitting (often adequate) housing to save the planet doesn't pass the bullshit test. The ESRI report says it doesn't result in much of an energy saving either, so now its so that people can eat their breakfast in their pyjamas (per Eamon Ryan). This sort of nonsense has people paying 52% tax to fund pulling double glazing out of council houses to replace it with triple glazing ... well, pulling their hair out.
4. The scariest thing I have heard (repeatedly) from Michael Martin is that it is undemocratic to give in to a minority. This is exactly the sort of thing that someone who has never been oppressed by a majority would say. A head count does not legitimise oppression, physical or economic, of a minority. Would you consider writing a piece about the "tyranny of the majority?" for him?
5. I've seen what happens when a group of individuals try and use what Michael Martin would describe as "legitimate processes" to pursue a commercial grievance against the State. A close contact has spent 20 years trying to undo the harm caused by the State to a successful aquaculture business. They have been to the Supreme Court twice and won twice (Barlow v Min). Meanwhile there is no consequence for the behaviour of the civil servants involved and the financial consequences are still uncertain. That is what a "win" looks like when you play by the rules. 20 years of their lives gone.
The farmers / hauliers etc. are right. Blockade is the option that will deliver results. The courts and the ballot box are an utter charade. I've seen that first hand.
Great article. You should enable paid subscriptions. I was going to pay but could not :-)
I loved this line
governance by Liveline
Sinead! This is one of the best analysis of the recent Irish economic wealth story. The comparison to the Nordics is so on point. Ireland’s mismanagement of excess Corp Tax will be, as pointed out by other Irish economists lately, the greatest tragedy of this decade with our Dept of Finance obsessed with running surpluses to be top of the European deficit/debt tables at the expense of actually improving the services/infrastructure in the economy albeit the ambition is there but we have had a small % of MNEs contributing to increased expenditure for 10+ years now with little to show for it other than large cash balances and two Sovereign wealth funds … thanks for this piece.
Really interesting piece. I wouldn’t say I agree with all of it but while reading I did find myself wondering how much of our inability to solve infrastructural issues as a nation are in fact cultural?
Low expectations in public services become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Short-termism is rife but those policy measures are also generally rewarded in elections. Public discourse tends to be hijacked by NIMBYs, naysayers, or those who want to focus on blaming the government (sometimes fair) rather than focusing on trade-offs needed to solve problems.
I’ve often thought we need some sort of initiative to raise ambition levels for the nation. Like a “Notions for Ireland” project except obviously the first task would be to ban the word “notions” because that in itself is a cause of a whole host of other cultural problems…
Most cultures have low public trust. Engineering high public trust might be possible, but it will require a sort of domestic imperialism by the technocratic class that will be unpalatable to democracy. Better for low trust societies to accept that they are low trust and stick with minimal governance to keep the people from fighting to commandeer the government handouts.
Great piece Sinéad. As Fintan O’Toole wrote:
“You might then ask: is this a developed country at all? And the best answer we natives could give you is a convoluted one: that Ireland has managed to become both overdeveloped and undeveloped without ever being quite developed.”
Fintan O’Toole: ‘Is Ireland a developed country at all?’
https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2022/07/09/fintan-otoole-ireland-has-managed-to-become-both-overdeveloped-and-undeveloped-without-ever-being-quite-developed/
Absolutely superb analysis. Thank you for your time in doing this.
This is great work, thank you - but I would take issue with the generalisation that protest in Ireland is primarily symbolic or an expression of values. When it comes to abortion and repeal, we absolutely did have skin in the game. The same applies to the water protests, austerity and shell to sea. There was also the short lived grey revolt in 2013, student protests against fee increases, climate, and, Im sure, many more examples.
This is sobering, then enraging. Well done.
As an American reading this, I'm left confused as to why do you believe that the Irish government could provide those services? America mostly gave up on the government providing services in the 80s, and the response has been a retreat to the private sector, which despite much complaining has had its merits for salaries and certain services. Every time we've turned to the federal government to provide a service (regardless of party) its been a mess and mostly just serves to enrich the DC Beltway. So I ask, why worry about this gap in government services, when you could ask for the government to just stop spending the money on handouts to beloved groups? France has a great deal of public infrastructure, but I hardly envy the financial disaster they are setting up for it.
Private sector prioritises profits over people that’s why your America is in strife. The government should be able to provide these services. Take a look at the Nordic countries, The Netherlands and Germany with some of the most efficient public Infrastructure out there. It is possible once you get rid of the utter waste, mismanagement and incompetence and you hold those civil servants accountable for blowing their budgets and achieving sweet f all of their targets.
Incredible article. Thank you!
An excellent piece, putting that which is observed and ignored day to day in a more formal context. Personally I've long suspected that the malaise of post colonialism, unique to Ireland in western Europe, is one of the root causes of our acceptance of short term thinking and incompetent governance, while incidents like this are it's manifestation.
Your data on GP's per capita doesn't look correct. Ireland has one of the highest rates of GP's per capita in Europe:
https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?lc=en&df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&df[id]=DSD_HEALTH_EMP_REAC%40DF_PHYS_CAT&df[ag]=OECD.ELS.HD&df[vs]=1.1&dq=..10P3HB......&pd=2015%2C&to[TIME_PERIOD]=false&vw=tb
Superb piece
Great piece. Depth of analysis matched by appropriate anger. Thanks.
As you’ve only included the EU countries, I wonder how the UK and perhaps more specifically NI compares? I ask because it’s always struck me that the gap (be it perceived or real) between the two countries in terms of the effectiveness of state institutions and what they deliver is a huge road block to a united Ireland.
frustrating isn't it, the gatekeeper platforms you have to share this value with. ? Like to take aim at the states sovereign communication media? I'd be honoured to share insight into a more affordable, agreeable, democratic fund for public service broadcasting. +capture attention of younger audiences.