That's not a plan
In the latter half of 2009, the Government formulated a plan to deal with the economic crisis. Key elements of that plan were unveiled on Budget Day in December.
But there are parts of the plan they won't reveal in public because, at its core, lies a determination to load the full cost of the collapse onto working people and the poor.
Be they wage earners, pensioners or social welfare recipients, their pockets will be picked to finance the 'recovery'.
But there will be no recovery as a result of this strategy - it will simply make matters worse. This is confirmed by the latest CSO figures (March 2010), which show the economy mired in the
worst slump in 60 years with no signs of improvement.The Government plan is failing because it is based on false assumptions, a complete misreading of the global crisis and it ignores all the warnings from history.
As the shocking figures for the bank bailout show, it poses a real threat to our future economic health and will erode whatever elements of social cohesion have survived the downturn. It could turn Ireland into a social and economic wasteland for a decade or more.
And while working people and the poor suffer for the mistakes and greed of others, the wealthy are to be spared and key components of the economic system that brought about the crash will be preserved.
At some point in the future, when the financial floodwaters have subsided, it will be back to 'business as usual': back to the high risk, low standard, crony capitalism that has destroyed the
economy and Ireland's reputation overseas. That's their plan.
Like disciples of a dead faith, they cling grimly to the wreckage instead of starting over with a new vision.
