School’s out… but this crew will never learn
THIS pathetic excuse for a Government always seems to be a day late and a dollar short.
But their plan to bring Budget 2023 forward by a measly two weeks really takes the biscuit.
How in the name of God will that help families suffering right now from the crippling cost of living crisis?
It’s like being slightly early for one’s own funeral.
They need to be acting yesterday when inflation is at 9%.
Just to put things into perspective, the Central Bank likes to keep inflation at 2%.
Even talk of an additional €200 energy credit for households is not so hot with Electric Ireland due to hike electricity prices again by 10.9% and gas by 29.2% in August.
Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe did nothing to restore public confidence when he admitted he’d no idea if taxpayers would be any better off after the next budget.
And the best our Tanaiste could do was harp on about minor relief due in the summer – all thanks to measures from last year’s outdated Budget.
It sounded like The Emperor’s New Clothes when Leo Varadkar could only boast of an “increase in the back to school clothing and footwear allowance for low income families”.
Education Minister Norma Foley should take a leaf out of the pages of Educate Together which has no uniform policy and offers a saving scheme for parents to offset the cost of books and stationery.
It would be a huge financial burden lifted off countless shoulders if all schools followed suit and ditched the worthless uniform policy.
This is the type of “cut one’s coat to suit one’s cloth” money-saving exercise we should be hearing the opposition banging on about.
I’m surprised it hasn’t crossed their minds, since some like to saunter into the Dail dressed casually in pink t-shirts and other crimes against fashion.
Aside from being overpriced in the majority of cases, the school uniform only stifles individualism and turns students into sheep.
And I reckon looking like Squid Games contestants is only good training if you want to turn somebody into a spineless backbencher.
Just like those lemmings propping up this inept coalition, which incidentally just lost its majority because – ironically enough – the former education minister Joe Mchugh spoke out of school and resigned the party whip. Sinn Fein shouldn’t get an easy ride from us just because they’re not in Government... yet.
Why can’t they just roll up their sleeves and offer genuine solutions?
Now is not the time for any political point-scoring nonsense.
Let’s see them put the taxpayers’ money where their mouth is by publishing a list of simple ideas, such as axing the school uniform, to help shore up the economy. For example, Mary Lou would get a lot of mileage out of putting forward valid ways to drive down the price of fuel. They should be asking the Transport Minister “Why are unleaded and diesel a full 80c per litre cheaper in Malta?” The
Government claims it cannot cut taxes on fuel because of rules set down by Brussels, but the last I checked Malta was in the EU, too.
They should also ask: “Why are Irish consumers paying 26% higher than the European average for electricity?”
School may be out for summer, but they could still teach “Micheal The Meek” and “Leo The Leak” a lesson or two.