Conference tallis::celt

    
    That was a very interesting article,and I would applaud what the
    people within companies such as the IDA are striving to achieve,to
    promote growth and employment within the Country.
    
    Unfortunately what IS happening currently in Ireland is that the
    trend is for people who are currently in secure employment to emigrate.
    Its not just the unemployed that are emigrating its the highly skilled
    people employed in Industries such as computers,medicine ,law etc
    that are leaving.
    
    The main reason for that I can make out is the Tax situation in
    the country,and until that changes then the outflow will
    continue,despite all the efforts stated in .0
    
    I would love to see that change, perhaps if we had 5 year olds running
    the country things might be better.
    
    Even as I write ,I read in today's paper (for all u folk music people),
    that Finbar Furey is moving to England because of crippling
    taxation,despite the fact that they act as ambassadors for the country.

Re .1

I have to agree 100% with Peter.  One of the main reasons I left was
because of the amount of deductions I was paying from my salary.
Figure it this way, I'm not sure what the top level of tax is now,
back then it was 60%  (that's SIXTY), you paid 8% social welfare and
typically 5% into a company pension fund.  So for the most part
you were paying 73% on any increase in salary you got.

I know someone who was making IR Punts 20K, while his other half was
making IR Punts 10K, yet he only took home about 50 pounds a week more
than her !!

I know someone else who said they could take a months unpaid holiday a
year, after all they'd only lose a week's pay.

Kind of depressing, isn't it ??

Bernard.

            
    
    
                          NOTHING BUT ELECTIONS

    This is at the core of the Irish national election crisis.
    In tandem with the European election the Irish govt.(Fianna Fail)
    called a General (ie.Parliamentary) election.
    Fianna Fail lost 4 seats (now down to 77 seats).
    An overall majority needs 83 a number which no single party in the
    state has reached since the layout of constituencies was placed
    in independant hands in 1981. 
    The fact that all political parties have to give in to small
    unrepresentative minorities on many issues lead to loss of
    control in public finances.Extemely high debt ensued and was brought
    under control mainly by consensus between the two major parties
    for the last two years.
    The resultant recovery plan is now jeopordised by this election
    result.
    The newly elected Dail (parliament) meets in 10 days to elect a
    Taoiseach(prime minister) but may not be able to do so.........
    It was mainly parties of the left that benefitted from this 
    election but we need more spending here like we need a hole in the
    head .National debt is currently 24 Billion Punt(7000 Punt per
    capita) and all income tax goes to service this debt.
    Income tax here is very high(56% after 9,000 for single people)
    Also add 7.5% insurance).
    This explains why a lot of people are leaving............
    An article in one of today's papers suggests student loans
    instead of direct government support as so many graduates
    are leaving the country with a consequent loss to the Irish
    exchequers (treasury) investment in them.
    Such loans would be repayable irrespective of where the graduate
    found work.A recent example of a class of Electronics students
    only 5 have found work in Ireland so far the other 18 will probably
    leave................
    
     
    

    Your average (if that's the word) T.D. gets a salary of #16,000
    per annum.....with a tax free allowance of (+/_) #9,000. (Much
    higher than your average punter....
    
    Then if they actually do the job they're paid to do, i.e. attent
    the Dail and throw some shapes.....they get 1. travel expenses (and
    it's a long long way from Clare/Donegal/Kerry etc. to there and
    back).
    
    2. They get a living allowance to stay in Dublin for the THREE
    days (Tuesday-Thursday).....even though most own houses/apartments
    there......in case you may be curious as to the other two days.....
    they're at home doing favours(?) for their constituants to (hopefully) 
    keep their tough job at the next election....
                                    
    3. They then get another allowance for each day they actually
    attend the Dail.....which they're actually getting #16,000 to do
    already.......
    
    Total value....#16,000 p.a. (#9,000 tax free) plus (+/_) #350 per week 
    expenses (totally tax free) and that's just what is above board.......
    more difficult favours cost......that's a T.D.......Imagine how difficult 
    the lot of a Minister is......state cars, banquets, jets etc.....
                                                      
    And what about the poor craters who have the two jobs....Dublin
    and Brussels.....now that's a hard station altogether.....
    
    I hear tell, one particular chauffeur lost his job, for refusing
    to continue the practice of feeding a particular Junior Minister's
    cattle and other assorted farm chores.......did you ever hear of
    such rebelious cheek....some chauffeurs just don't know their place??
    
    Now, pointing the finger at the parties of the left with their 16
    seats......is really the only solution to our economic problems
    as I and the previous noter well know.....what I don't understand
    is why any of the rest of you can't see it.....
    
    
          Yours who believes the rot must first stop at the bottom,
    
                           Murphy.                             
              

    The salary was recently raised to 23000 pounds per annum and tax
    treatment is to be on the standard basis as applies to you and me.
    Expenses seem to be as stated with Dublin based T.D s getting less
    than their more remote colleagues.Even if they have their own 
    appartments this is still an expense so I cant see the fault of
    that.Many ex T.Ds left politics in the recent election because
    private jobs pay better.
    It should be noted that T.Ds salaries in Ireland are among the lowest
    in Europe.The solution would be to reduce the number of T.Ds.
    
    

    The Irish people also have one of the lowest standarts of living,
    so it's all relative!?!?!?

    
    > re .6
    
    Lowest standard of livinig?  - What yardstick are you using?
                                   
    Sure it has a lower standard of living compared to USA and sure
    it hasn't compared to Ethiopia.
    
    Latest figure I heard was number 27th in the world and there is
    a lot more than 27 countries in world.

    Yardsticks......?    Just quickly.......
    
    So many people being forced to emigrate to make a life for themselves....
                                                     
    Single men/women who cannot find a job being given #32 ($48) p.w.
    (plus whatever big increases since '87).  You could really take a lady
    out for a good time with that kind of dough.....(if you don't eat
    or pay bills etc.).
    
    Married people with three children #82 ($123) p.w.
    (To cover food, rent, all bills....leaves lots for socialising).
    
                  Must go...will be back.