Government Progress Report: What they said and how they really did

Shaun Connolly analyses how the Government has performed in relation to what they promised

Health

Annual report: “The Government is committed to the major agenda of health reform set out in our programme for government. Key reforms are being advanced in areas such as extending universal GP service, improving patient care.”

Reality: The Cabinet has abandoned the aim of introducing universal health insurance from next year.

Promises of free GP care for under-6s and people over 70 still undelivered as doctors refuse to take part in the initiative.

Number of patients on trolleys hit all-time high of 601 in January as lack of funding for elderly care keeps beds out of use for emergency needs.

Ministers forced into U-turn on medical card cull after public outrage at lack of help for seriously ill people.

Debts:

Annual report: “Restructured the bailout loans to reduce borrowing requirement by €50bn over next decade.”

Reality: While the debt burden has been eased by extending the time period, the Government appears to have dropped efforts to secure a comprehensive retrospective bank recapitalisation deal with the EU.

Pledges to move against bondholders in crippled banks were abandoned early on.

Jobs:

Annual report: “90,000 additional jobs created since 2012, on course to reach target of 100,000 in 2015.”

Reality: Live register has fallen by a third, from its peak of 15.2% to 10.1% now. However, opposition parties claim continued mass emigration accounts for a substantial chunk of that.

Education:

Annual report: “€60m for 900 extra teachers, 480 resource teachers, and 365 SNA posts.”

Reality: Cutting of a swathe of specialist posts condemned. Government locked on ongoing despite with teachers over reform of junior cycle marking system.

Mortgages:

Annual report: “Banks reported that they have met and exceeded targets both for proposing and concluding solutions with people in mortgage arrears.”

Reality: Some 110,000 households in mortgage arrears, 37,700 in debts of two years or more. Insolvency Service criticised as ineffective — it has concluded just 199 final resolutions.

Some 8,000 repossession cases currently before the courts. Government signalling major U-turn to bring in one-year bankruptcy period to pressure banks into sustainable deals.