Mick Clifford: Green crime-fighters and a few bob for the 'childer'

The money from Budget 2022 was spread around like confetti, but it was shorn of any indication that the government recognises the extent of Ireland's housing crisis, writes Michael Clifford

Did any of you know about An Garda Siochana's mountain bike unit?

There was one measure announced that probably summed up the budget process in the modern world.

The earth-shattering detail was that there will be a 20% increase in the garda mountain bike unit. Many among you will not have known that in the ranks of An Garda Siochana there exists a mountain bike unit. 

You may have seen garda officers on bikes, availing of a handy and efficient mode of patrol. But did you know that they were part of the mountain bike unit?

There was no indication from Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath of how many officers or indeed bikes are currently in the unit. Is there one bike per officer, or do they have to share the wheels? 

But what we do know is that there will be more of them. More bikes, more officers, more stuff which ultimately demonstrates that the budget should be categorised as one in which more stuff is given away than taken away.

The mountain bike giveaway had the Green Party’s fingerprints all over it.

The mountain bike giveaway was also significant in that it had the Green Party’s fingerprints all over it. Not only will this government make the streets safer, but they will do so without coughing out further carbon emissions into the greying atmosphere. 

This government will lead the way in sustainable crime-fighting. In a functioning democracy, we wouldn’t know about the bikes or the rest of it.

Put simply, the Garda Commissioner would ask for resources based on the perceived priorities and needs of the police force. 

But then there would be less detail for the budget day speech, and the ministers with the floor would not be gifted with the opportunity to illustrate their role in keeping the streets safer for everybody.

The sustainable crime-fighting initiative was one of the few details that were not known prior to Paschal Donohoe and Michael McGrath getting to their respective feet. Most of the rest of it had been trailed for the last week in various media outlets. 

This tsunami of leaks was to ensure there would be no shocks for anybody, largely because the government had endured more than enough shocks already to last a Dáil term. 

The result of the shilly-shallying was that speeches were parsed only for signs of life rather than anything of major import. And by right the whole process should be completely reformed as Budget Day has lost all its lustre and glitter. 

It's with the Celtic Tiger in the grave.

If there is a theme to take from this set piece, it remains a secret. The money was spread around like confetti, €5 here, a tenner there and a few bob for the childer to take the bare look off things. 

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

There was nothing to suggest that the country, having emerged from a second major shock in the last 13 years, is to be taken in a different direction. There was nothing radical, nothing even coherent other than a pledge to keep on keepin’ on, as if nothing has really changed.

The biggest social issue in the country at the moment is housing, yet the budget was shorn of an indication that the government recognises the extent of the problem. 

Minister Donohoe did announce a new zoned land tax, to be levied on land that was zoned for housing, and increased exponentially in value, but remains unbuilt on. This could have been a radical move if the toll was more than the paltry 3% announced. And when will it take effect?

Minister Donohoe's new zoned land tax will have a lead-in time of two to three years to review its workings. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

“I am proposing a two-year lead-in time for land rezoned before January 2022 and a three-year lead-in time for land zoned after January 2022,” the minister told the House. 

“This will also give scope to review the workings of the tax, to listen to stakeholders, and ensure it is both effective and equitable.”

In reality, the low toll and long lead-in time are indicative of the approach of this government and its immediate predecessor. Both have failed to recognise the urgency of the problem or implement any kind of urgent solution that would be in danger of discommoding vested interests.

That issue was one touched on by Pearse Doherty from the Opposition benches. 

He also made all the usual points, showing where his party would have spent more money, taken better care of everybody, been smarter in going about the job, spent even more money again. 

He didn’t rip the arse out of Sinn Féin’s mandatory term for public speaking these days – “workers and families”.  In fact, he only mentioned the put-upon workers and families three times, although there was also a single nod towards a variation on the theme, “ordinary workers and ordinary families”. 

Pearse’s speech bristled with anger. He was angry on behalf of everybody who has a right to be angry at this government, which is everybody whose vote is up for grabs. 

Read More about #Budget2022

His anger was cold, delivered with barely controlled fury. In this, he was competing with a kindred spirit who was possibly the angriest politician of recent times. 

Eamon Gilmore gave great anger in the years before he entered government at which point he left his anger at the door. Hopefully, Pearse will retain his anger when he is delivering his first budget as Minister for Finance in the near future. 

If his party’s munificence continues, we can reasonably expect that on such a day Minister Doherty will step forward and declare that he is not just increasing, but doubling the size of the mountain bike unit.