If I were a Fianna Fail Minister I would be embarrassed to go abroad to meet my peer group.  I'd put a bag over my head.  I'd put on an…

Does anyone believe the Government know what it's doing?  I'm not talking about the budgetary U-turns or that sinking sensation one gets when viewing images of the troika of Lenihan, Coughlan…

Sarah Carey suggests the Government listen to the Opposition. Agreed. As a rule, we should all listen to each other. Of course, Sarah employs a sleight-of-hand. When she says ‘opposition’,…

The fiscal meltdown is the result of our economic decline, not the cause.  It seems straight-forward enough, but let's put it another way:  our fiscal imbalance is a symptom of our economic…

If there's one country where 'tax' is an even dirtier word than in Ireland, its the good 'ol USA.  To argue for higher taxes in Omaha is no more popular…

To kick public sector workers around the block is in danger of becoming an officially recognised sport; bloated, inefficient, over-paid – and don't even mention pensions.  Tony O'Brien is opining on the best…

Where stands the debate on the unusustainability of 'universalism' now?  The Government has stated that only 5% of over-70s have incomes exceeding €36,400 (€72,800 for a couple) and the cost…

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  I think that's an underestimate. The chart above is taken from an analysis by Dan O'Brien of the Economist Intelligence Unit…

'The Leader of the Opposition would equally be of the view that he needs to see fairness and equity in the way in which scarce resources are allocated. Can he…

It's raining medical cards – in the nightmares of the Fianna Fail backbench TDs.  What were they thinking?  Is the €100 million savings worth the political disaster the Government has…

You'd think that some people would show a bit of humility.  But Sean Fitzpatrick over at Anglo Irish is not one of those people.  Okay, so during his tenure as…

Well, at least the business sector was happy.  Not that there wasn't the odd whinge – business spokespersons are forever whinging.  ISME, especially, was in 'bemoan' mode.  'The decision to…

You gottahand it to Fianna Fail.  A tax package that costs those on low incomes more than those on higher incomes, cutbacks on the newly-made unemployed (that'll teach them to…

With the Dail debate playing in the background, some notes on what Brian Lenihan insists is not a bail-out. Professor Morgan Kelly relates an incident at a conference he attended:…