Ruinous budget dictated from without

Ireland looks set to plunge further into the rut of dependence and economic stagnation, writes Ray Kinsella

THE 2012 budget has, for the most part, already been written — and not by the Government. Our political system is now so dysfunctional that it likes to pretend otherwise, but this is fooling nobody. This year, the leaking of sensitive budgetary information to the Bundestag — prior to its even being discussed within Dáil Éireann — highlights the extent of Ireland’s present dependence.

This leakage has, of course, to be seen in context. At her recent annual party conference, German Chancellor Angela Merkel made it very clear that the endgame was full political union. The capital markets may well capsize this objective. What is not in doubt is that neither the Government nor individual ministers have any substantive role to play in Budget 2012.