Crunching numbers — only the banks win

REGARDLESS of yesterday’s hairshirt budget, here are a few fiscal indicators to grab you by the collar:

1. If mighty America needed first-aid of $700 billion, why did little Ireland have to undergo major surgery of €400bn?

2. The census of 2006 counted 4.2 million of us. If the Government found €400bn for the banks, it could conjure up another €400bn for us. We would each get about €95,000.

3. Our total tax-take for 2005 was €40bn. The banks could drain every cent from the Irish taxpayer for the next 10 years.

4. Our GDP for 2006 was €149bn. We are hostages to fortune for the next two to three years.

5. The €400bn is a potential burden of €10bn on each of the next 40 generations.

6. The National Lottery paid out total winnings of €421m during 2007. The banks have effectively scooped the equivalent of all the jackpots for the next millennium.

Michael Mernagh

Raheens

Carrigaline

Co Cork