So what have we got so far out of this budget:

Withdrawing of Medical cards for the >70s. FF admitted they never costed it originally, so I'll bet they don't have a clue what'll be saved by its removal.

A €200 BIK hit on workers in 'urban' areas who have access to a free parking space in work. I have to be vague in describing this, because thats all the information anyone has on it. No-one including those charged with implementing it has a clue how it will work or who will be effected ?

A completely idiotic program to benefit tax payers who cycle to work. But again, no-one has a clue how it will work, nor indeed does the Minister who's bright idea it is, have any clue how the Government will prevent rampant abuse & fraud on this provision.

A €200 tax on none PPR properties. Again, no costing, & no details of how it will be collected.

What the hell did we do to deserve these useless arseholes ?

So much for Lenihan being one of the bright young hopes of the Political scene. If he had anything to do with drafting this budget he should be out on his ear, because he obviously isn't up to the job.

I deliberately don't mention the bailout because that was always a 'Party' decision.

Whether it was intentional or not that comment needs to be highlighted as it displays the mindset of this cabinet. It is very possible and easy to make this kind of comment when meaning to say "fortunately people are living longer" but in any other context it shows the subconcious thought process of the speaker. Of all the gaffs - including bertieisms - this is one of the worst. Anyone who has media contacts could do worse than to slip this nugget into the conversation.

Not sure if this was posted elsewhere ...

Air travel tax will not affect private jet-owning elite
By Paul O’Brien, Political Correspondent
http://www.examiner.ie/irishexaminer/pages/story.aspx-qqqg=ireland-qqqm=ireland-qqqa=ireland-qqqid=74963-qqqx=1.aspTHE super-rich who own private jets will not have to pay the new air travel tax, the Government has confirmed.
They will only be charged if their jets have 20 seats or more, but almost all Irish-owned private jets are smaller than this, industry sources say.
A spokesman said most of these aircraft “fly in and out of very small airports”, and the cost of collecting the tax from these would exceed any revenue raised.

I think theres a much more sinsiter reason why they wont collect the tax off the corporate jets, its because if they were to do this they would in effect by tracking and placing on record all passenger manifestos for all the flights made by the so called tax exiles in this country, People who if the truth were known actually spend more time here than their accountants would like us to believe and so are not truly eligible for non-resident tax status. Collecting the tax would record their entry and deperature and therefore the length of stay.

One of the budget changes that doesn't seem to have got much coverage is the change in qualification rules for the Jobseekers allowance from 2 years of stamps to 4 years of stamps.

This appears to be the Governments solution to reducing the numbers signing on. "if we can't create jobs, then we'll just make it harder to claim the dole"

IMO this is particularly targeted at reducing the number of foreign nationals signing on. This will also IMO hit the rental sector hard as if they can't sign on they will not hang around long searching for a new job. All points to more pain for the BTL brigade.

Can someone send me a link for this please (if it's online).
I'll edit/cut and mp3 it.
Please and thanks.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1015/news1p ... 0,null,209

About 3mins 20 secs in.

I've listen to this repeatedly and I'm not sure she did.
It's sounds like "well, I mean, um, fortunately ...."

Thanks BrendanG for the link.

P.S. to convert .ivr to .mp3 you have to burn it to CD using RealPlayer and then Rip it again to mp3. In case anyone is wondering.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news ... 99587.html

Looks like they misjudged the public backlash on this one and FF are running for cover. They used the PDs as a deflector shield for 10 years so they'll use them one more time before they disappear from the political scene!

I can imagine Cowen at cabinet meetings over the past month sternly warning everyone about collective cabinet responsibility and the need for everyone to defend these tough measures. The Greens were actually doing this albeit with grimaces on their faces.

As expected, when the pressure got too much FF ditched collective cabinet responsibility and are now “briefing” their journalist buddies.

What a shower of cowardly lowlifes.

Wow, being called a liar by a priest live on air. Impressive!

Yeah, ten holy Marys. That's nearly all the influential women in Ireland...

Agreed, and she emphasizes: "... people ARE living longer..."

It's almost a pity though that it wasn't a Gubu, along the lines of John McCain's infamous "...my fellow prisoners..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYFm5kK4f1k

Wicklow FF TD Joe Behan has quit FF over the budget!
wonders will never cease

Bet he'll be back by the local elections next year.

If the young people of today could make as much noise as the pensioners, Tom Parlon wouldn't be getting our cash.

I wouldn't bet on it.
Behan knows that FF have dug a huge hole for themselves thats getting deeper by the day and now he wants out cos he can't stick the heat.
Believe me the heat for this gubberment is going to get way more intense than it is now over the coming months and I can see more resignations being on the cards.