Why should we buy Labour’s pig in a poke?

THE Labour Party remains stubbornly mute on public expenditure cuts, including whether child benefit should, or should not, be cut.

If Labour is to fulfil the trends in recent opinion polls the electorate need to have clear insight into how Labour in government intends to steer the economy. Why should the electorate buy a pig in a poke?

A scarecrow in a fog would have offered more incisive economic leadership that our dear nation has witnessed in recent times. The consequences are mirrored in the polls, high interest rates, indifferent sentiment and declining credit ratings. Economic leadership includes not just the broad policy frameworks concerning public expenditure and the successful prosecution of delinquent bankers – it also means fielding an A-team throughout the government apparatus to execute competent economic leadership. Perception counts for more than people presume. That is why we are paying through the nose for sovereign debt and why rating agencies frown on Ireland.

If Ireland does not field an A-team we risk becoming an exploited, inconsequential backwater in a very unforgiving global system.

The social welfare budget has increased in the past decade by 206% from €6.7bn to €20.5bn. During that time our population increased by 19% and the consumer price index by 28.8%.

Total child benefit payments increased by 291% while the number of child beneficiaries increased by 14% since 2000 to 1,156,917 in 2009. The deficit in the social insurance fund has increased from €249m in 2008 to €2.48bn in 2009.

Social welfare is the largest component of the budget. Politics is about making choices. What choices does Labour intend to offer?

Myles Duffy

Glenageary

Co Dublin