Public spending must be made transparent
Apart from the bailouts from the Troika – which are not gifts, and must be repaid with interest – we know that the funds to run this country are raised from taxes. Every person living in the country, be they native or immigrant, contributes money to the State in one form or another. This applies irrespective of the source of their income or the amounts involved.
But this is not about the rights and wrongs of revenue gathering by the State. We are writing to denounce the undemocratic disconnect in Ireland between those who pay into the public purse, and those in power who decide how our money is spent.
If we had any real say, would we pay a €200,000 salary to Taoiseach Enda Kenny – €30,000 more than the UK Prime Minister – or pay thousands of senior public servants the highest salaries in Europe? This highly privileged class, funded by the rip-off of the public purse, is the root cause of distrust and cynicism about Irish politics and our two-tier society.
The Irish Citizens Party holds that ultimate control over the spending of public money is vested in the people of Ireland. In natural justice, he who pays the piper calls the tune.
Control of public spending must be clearly spelt out and implemented by referendum if necessary before people are driven over the edge. The warning signs of this happening are everywhere to be seen.
We welcome comments from readers at info@irishcitizensparty.com.
Jim Connolly
acting secretary, Irish Citizens Party,
Kilbaha, Kilrush, Co Clare
