John Gormley of the Green Party, in coalition with the current government, is calling for new elections that will throw Fianna Fail out and put in Fine Gael. The end result will be no change whatsoever. Fine Gael would preside over the dismantling of Ireland, which wouldn't be good for any political party.
Everyone is largely in a panic over the corporate tax rate, which the government says is not a matter for discussion. Several EU members, notably France and Germany, have every intention of discussing. It's no secret that they'd like to raise the rate to meet their own, to stifle the competition that Ireland has represented for many years.
No matter who is in government, Ireland will be forced into an austerity program that will leave the citizens howling with pain. The minimum wage may well be cut to reduce operating costs, and the social partnerships that made union members happy will be axed. The promises made were unsustainable and the bottom has dropped out.
The national health care system will have to be trimmed to reduce expenses. Less housing, less benefits, less of everything.
All that's left to the people of Ireland is prayer.
Eamon O Cuiv is asking everyone to get down on their knees and ask God to make the new budget, the bail-out and the accompanying four-year plan fix the problems.
Father John Carroll in Wexford even composed an appropriate prayer.
Does it sound as if Ireland is going back in time, when the only affordable option for most was prayer? Once the new austerity program hits, it certainly will be like the old days, when salaries weren't particularly generous but you were happy to have work of any kind because the alternative was emigration.
And so, let us pray in the words Father John has taught us:
Continue to make your presence felt among us at this moment in our history.
Be close to all those charged with discerning the way forward for our nation and our people.
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment