Bizarre cost of reform - Ridiculous waste at a time of need

Even at the best of times life can throw up situations so bizarre, so off kilter that they challenge everyday logic to the extent that they make it difficult to know whether to laugh or to cry.

In these far from normal times laughing or crying might not suffice — oh, that they might. Rather, a deep, darkening despair and pain-in-the-chest anger are too often today’s unavoidable responses to the latest confirmation that we live in a world gone mad, a bankrupt Republic teetering on the brink of absolute, knavish absurdity.

Yesterday’s report that tax cheat and Wexford Dáil deputy Mick Wallace is claiming an extra parliamentary allowance of €41,000 is well-beyond laughing or crying. This €788 a-week payment is tax free.

This sweetener, €6,000 more a year than the average industrial wage, falls into the category of unvouched-for expenses and comes on top of a €92,000 a year salary, other Dáil expenses and entitlements. As Deputy Wallace owes more than €2m to the taxman an immediate Revenue attachment order should be the next step. And if not we must be told why not.

It is well beyond the time these payments, and others like the bizarre compensation paid to local councillors elected to the Dáil, are finally dealt with because current arrangements damage our democracy and bring the profession of politics into further disrepute.

Another installment in our catalogue of despair is the news that six consultants employed by Minister for Health Dr James Reilly will be paid almost €22,000 each — plus Vat — for six weeks’ work. At just over €730 a day the fees fall a long way short of legal fees paid by tribunals but again raise questions anyone trying to keep a business afloat would immediately ask.

PA Consulting, already involved in a wide range of Government projects, has been employed to offer advice to HSE regional directors of operations as part of restructuring plans.

Minister Reilly, already in the news for all the wrong reasons this week, should explain why these consultants were needed and why the skills they offer do not exist within his department or wider government. It is amazing that they don’t. If every business that needed to restructure — just a fancy word for changing to meet new challenges — had to incur those costs our unemployment figures would be far worse than they already are. It is more than difficult to accept that they offer skills our officials could not provide.

It would be nice to know too — and it is terribly unfortunate that this scepticism is justified — if any of those consultants or any of their PA Consulting colleagues are recently retired civil servants who availed of early retirement schemes.

In the overall scheme of things the money involved in this episode is almost irrelevant but the mindset, the enthusiasm for spending taxpayers’ money, the default call-a-consultant reaction is utterly disheartening.

Is there anyone to shout stop?