Empty promises - A mockery of so-called reform

For a relatively small population, we have excessive government that has been strangling our economy.

Fine Gael promised to do away with the Seanad. If it was sincere, it could have put the issue to the electorate promptly after the last general election. But was it all just empty blather, like so many of the other promises?

The present government is promising the greatest shake-up in local government for over a century. Eighty town councils are to be abolished. The current 1,627 local government seats are due to be reduced to 950, which amounts to a reduction of 42%.