Update on Government cutbacks

Ducksanctuary

Finance Dept details cost-cutting plans
Wednesday, 9 July 2008 22:10

The Department of Finance has published a summary breakdown detailing the savings and efficiencies included in the €440m of spending cutbacks announced yesterday.

It shows that the largest savings are to be made in the Department of Health and Children, where €144m is to be shaved off the Department's budget.

This includes €85m saved as a result of the delayed introduction of the Fair Deal for long-term care of the elderly as well as another €50m of policy-related savings and €9m from efficiencies.
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The second highest savings of €83m are to come from the Department of Finance. €5m of this is related to efficiencies within the department including savings on consultancies, payroll and administrative budgets.

The vast bulk of the Finance savings come from the Office of Public Works, most of which relate to the postponement of the Government's decentralisation programme.

The third highest savings are to be made at the Department of Environment where €48m is to be cut from the budget for 2008.

The bulk of this amount is accounted for by deferring planned investment by the Gateway Innovation Fund associated with the National Spatial Strategy. The remaining amount will be accounted for by departmental efficiencies including administrative and payroll savings.

The Department of Social and Family affairs is to come up with €30m in savings. The majority of this amount - €25m - is to achieved through better control measures on various social welfare schemes. The remaining €5m will be saved through administration and payroll efficiencies.

The construction slowdown is expected to result in fewer apprenticeships in FÁS and this, as well as other measures, will save the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment about €10m in the second half of this year.

On top of this another €15m is to be saved from administrative, payroll and other efficiencies to be made by the Department.

The next largest savings are to be made by the Department of Transport where €22m is to be saved, mainly as a result of delays and deferrals of a range of capital or infrastructure development projects.

The breakdown also reveals that, taking all Government Departments together, the total amount to be saved on payroll costs during the second half of this year is just €10m.

In addition a total of €21m is to be saved by all departments on consultancies, advertising, and public relations activities. Another €39m in total has been earmarked for savings to be made by agencies and other efficiencies.

Cowen warns of further measures

This morning the Taoiseach told the Dáil that further economic decisions may be needed to deal with the current downturn.

Brian Cowen was defending his Government's package of savings at Leaders' Questions this morning ahead of a two-day debate on the measures which got under way this afternoon.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said the decision to claw back money earmarked for the Government's nursing home scheme was heartless and sacrilegious.

Mr Cowen though said these funds were ring fenced and could not be allocated this year because the legislation was not ready.

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore wanted to know if there was going to be a drip feed of what he called sneaky cuts and stealth taxes through the summer.

The Taoiseach conceded there might be further decisions required in response to what he said was a serious situation.

Pressed on the details of yesterday's package, he said some capital projects would be deferred and that ministers would give a fuller account in the debate.

Details of exactly how each department will be affected by the cutbacks will be announced by individual ministers during the course of nine hours of debate.

The Dáil was supposed to have started its summer break last Thursday - but a further sitting week was agreed to debate the economy.

Yesterday the Government brought forward its plans for dealing with falling tax revenues, with plans to save €440m in the current year, and €1bn next year.

Opposition parties complained of a lack of detail, and suggested the Government's figures did not add up.

For the current year, the Government is hoping to save up to €20m in payroll savings; €50m in efficiencies that were flagged in the Budget; and another €21m on advertising, public relations and consultancy fees.

The balance will come from departmental spending, although the Government pledges frontline services will not be affected

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So what do ye think of that?

conno3001

I read in The Irish Times that 190 out of 500 possible new recruits will actually be taken in, and the reserves advertisment fund has been done away with...

I'm more concerned with the recruitment side personally, puts alot more pressure on...

CZ 453

Lots of guys tryying to sign up lately givin the lack of work around so cutting numbers cant be good for them.

melikedonunts

2 out of 5 people currently waiting might get in!
youd imagine in the present climate that the government would be trying to incourage more people to work by creataing more jobs were possible,cutting back on 500 pottential new jobs wouldnt be the way to go?when their is a significant increase going on the doal too.thees are not high paying jobs like the ececutives in the healthcare,also if you need to cut jobs gett rid of the pointless tribunals completely,noboady cares,and their paying out houndreds of thousand every week

Del2005

melikedonunts wrote: »

2 out of 5 people currently waiting might get in!
youd imagine in the present climate that the government would be trying to incourage more people to work by creataing more jobs were possible,cutting back on 500 pottential new jobs wouldnt be the way to go?when their is a significant increase going on the doal too.thees are not high paying jobs like the ececutives in the healthcare,also if you need to cut jobs gett rid of the pointless tribunals completely,noboady cares,and their paying out houndreds of thousand every week

You do of course realise that hiring more public servants while creating more jobs costs more, it's cheaper to have people on the dole then in the public service. It's crap for areas that need people but that's economics.

melikedonunts

Maybe your right!but according to the article in the times
190 out of a posisble 500,will save them 2 milllion
lets say they go on the dole for the remaining period of the year
four the 4 months that will cost them around 1 mil,only saving about 1mil in reality,now is it not better to have those working,contributing and paying tax then having someone sit around doing nothing and getting money for it.
Ill keep going back to the pointless tribunals that costs HUNDREDS of million every year,1 of those lawyors probably gets paid the same in one day that it would cost to pay 1 of those 310 people for the rest of the year

melikedonunts

Del2005 wrote: »

You do of course realise that hiring more public servants while creating more jobs costs more, it's cheaper to have people on the dole then in the public service. It's crap for areas that need people but that's economics.

so its good for the economy to have people out of work?
i know were your coming from but,get rid of jobs that are not neccessary,like in the health sector were the are paying enormous amounts of money to people who are actually slowing the system down
and freeze the national miinimum wage

conno3001

melikedonunts wrote: »

Maybe your right!but according to the article in the times
190 out of a posisble 500,will save them 2 milllion
lets say they go on the dole for the remaining period of the year
four the 4 months that will cost them around 1 mil,only saving about 1mil in reality,now is it not better to have those working,contributing and paying tax then having someone sit around doing nothing and getting money for it.

Your assuming those 310 leftover people that attempt to become soldiers are going to go on the dole for the rest of the year, that is highly unlikely.

melikedonunts wrote: »

Ill keep going back to the pointless tribunals that costs HUNDREDS of million every year,1 of those lawyors probably gets paid the same in one day that it would cost to pay 1 of those 310 people for the rest of the year

Its either that or allow corruption to happen in the goverment.

Which would make us poor either way. (see Africa)

melikedonunts

thats in Africa,in other "western"countires they just send them to prison or fire them!

I know its unlikely that the 300 will go on the dole,but in a time were they are trying to create jobs it doesnt make sense,thesese jobs are low paid,your talking about 2 or 3 star privates here not adminstrative jobs

thats just my honest oppinion anyway:rolleyes:

conno3001

melikedonunts wrote: »

thats in Africa,in other "western"countires they just send them to prison or fire them!

I know its unlikely that the 300 will go on the dole,but in a time were they are trying to create jobs it doesnt make sense,thesese jobs are low paid,your talking about 2 or 3 star privates here not adminstrative jobs

thats just my honest oppinion anyway:rolleyes:

And how would we prove their guilt and send them to prison without the tribunals?

concussion

Latest I've heard from manpower is that the next intake plus one more in October will be taken in and that's it til 2010. Then I heard today that there will be three more recruit platoons, one each in Limerick, Clonmel and Cork which will all start before the end of the year. (That's for S. Bde. though, don't know about the others.)
Between that and the news reports it looks like if you're not in now that's it for a few years.

conno3001

concussion wrote: »

Latest I've heard from manpower is that the next intake plus one more in October will be taken in and that's it til 2010. Then I heard today that there will be three more recruit platoons, one each in Limerick, Clonmel and Cork which will all start before the end of the year. (That's for S. Bde. though, don't know about the others.)
Between that and the news reports it looks like if you're not in now that's it for a few years.

Great so its now or never... or a few years... same difference to me I guess.

melikedonunts

whats wrong with sending them to a regular court,i dont know much about legal stuff anyway
but to me anyway their vastly overpaid(compared to a regular court system as well im sure),and it costs the Irish government in the hundreds of millions,all for a lousy 50 grand bertie got as a dig out or whatever else,if they are takeing goverment money for their own gain that is different.

to me that money could be better put somewere else,the total planned saving from theese cutback is 440 million,im sure if you could find the total costs of the mahon tribunal it would probbably neearly double that

melikedonunts

so the Army is going to go back down the drain,they have to maintain a troop level of10,500 no?

extremely doubht that they wont take on anyone till 2010,theyll have too

so their is 1 more intake for this year or did you say 2?
how many people are likely to be waiting currrently at the moment would you say,is it likely that anyone who has passed evrything will get in by the end of the year,they just wont bother starting the interveiws etc till next year

Cato

concussion wrote: »

Latest I've heard from manpower is that the next intake plus one more in October will be taken in and that's it til 2010. Then I heard today that there will be three more recruit platoons, one each in Limerick, Clonmel and Cork which will all start before the end of the year. (That's for S. Bde. though, don't know about the others.)
Between that and the news reports it looks like if you're not in now that's it for a few years.

wow im extremly lucky so! if i had to wait til 2010 i would be to old!:eek: and i read in another thread a guy got accepted but defered it cause he had an injury! poor bugger

conno3001

Cato wrote: »

wow im extremly lucky so! if i had to wait til 2010 i would be to old!:eek: and i read in another thread a guy got accepted but defered it cause he had an injury! poor bugger

Ah thats a huge shame, I've noticed the injuries hold back people alot more than I would have thought though.

Well good luck trying to get in... get in line lol.

concussion

2 or 3 more platoons, however one of those is due to start in the next few weeks and successful applicants have already been contacted - they would have done their medicals etc in April. It's looking like one or two more on top of that...if you've applied then cross your fingers, if you haven't yet try anyway...there's nothing to be lost by gettting your application in

Cato

conno3001 wrote: »

Ah thats a huge shame, I've noticed the injuries hold back people alot more than I would have thought though.

Well good luck trying to get in... get in line lol.

i did get in read the post again

conno3001

Cato wrote: »

i did get in read the post again

Haha ohhh right, oh well thats good, one less guy I have over do in my CV...

Called the barracks today trying to get my forms... told me to call back on monday until they hear more about this recruitment thing.

Things aren't looking the brightest...

Cato

your only applying now? sorry to **** all over your parade dude, but i applied in September and just got accepted last week...

if what everyone is saying is true (october being the last intake) then you would have to be extremely lucky to get in! :eek:

melikedonunts

did my medical/pt in june
so if the Aprils are in now,here hoping im in the one for october!

conno3001

Cato wrote: »

your only applying now? sorry to **** all over your parade dude, but i applied in September and just got accepted last week...

if what everyone is saying is true (october being the last intake) then you would have to be extremely lucky to get in! :eek:

*sigh* like I said this isn't looking the brightest...

melikedonunts

you havnt a hope !:(

conno3001

Depressin bunch ain't yeah?

melikedonunts

"ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE"!:P
no harm in trying you might get in this time next year

conno3001

Yeah thats only

365 days away
or
52 weeks
or
12 months...

Rome wasn't built in a day I suppose lol

Cato

conno3001 wrote: »

*sigh* like I said this isn't looking the brightest...

cant be that bad your about18/20? ur not going to be overage in a couple of years like me, if it doesent work out you can get more education/work expeirence this will give you more options when you finally get in, id imagine a 3r level qualification would do wonders, perhaps an easy 2 year diploma course? plus in 2 years you will know for sure whether you want it or not.

i could be wrong on any of the points above mind, i am no expert. :rolleyes:

conno3001

Cato wrote: »

cant be that bad your about18/20? ur not going to be overage in a couple of years like me, if it doesent work out you can get more education/work expeirence this will give you more options when you finally get in, id imagine a 3r level qualification would do wonders, perhaps an easy 2 year diploma course? plus in 2 years you will know for sure whether you want it or not.

i could be wrong on any of the points above mind, i am no expert. :rolleyes:

Lol well actually your fairly correct, I'm 16 turning 17 is 14 days... was hoping to get in as early as possible... oh well back to FAS for me then college maybe... *dies a little inside* :cool:

Ducksanctuary

conno3001 wrote: »

Lol well actually your fairly correct, I'm 16 turning 17 is 14 days... was hoping to get in as early as possible... oh well back to FAS for me then college maybe... *dies a little inside* :cool:

Have faith conno. age is on your side. Patience and perseverance and you'll get there

c-90

conno3001 wrote: »

Lol well actually your fairly correct, I'm 16 turning 17 is 14 days... was hoping to get in as early as possible... oh well back to FAS for me then college maybe... *dies a little inside* :cool:

im in the exact same boat:( i really will be pissed if there not recruiting til 2010

arybvtcw0eolkf

Injuries...

Lads DON'T DEFER due to an injury.

The first few weeks of recruit training aren't that physically demanding, if its just sprains, pulled muscles, sore knee's or backs etc you'll wing it - honestly you will.

Also as much as we (the guys in the PDF) like to slag off ''Bricins'', you will get to see a doctor without three days on a trolly, you'll get X-Rays - bloods etc that same morning, plus physio referrals if you need and all free.

Jesus lads, with the upcoming cut backs please don't defer because of a small niggling injury.

ChapOfDRyans

I sent in my paperwork 2-3 weeks ago to eastern section anybody any idea what my chances are of getting in?

tribulus

Does anyone have any idea what the story will be with cadetships as well?

arybvtcw0eolkf

tribulus wrote: »

Does anyone have any idea what the story will be with cadetships as well?

Frontal Lobotomy's will continue for officer cadets as normal.

Poccington

conno3001 wrote: »

Depressin bunch ain't yeah?

Don't mind all that bollox.

I know a lad that was a year on the waiting list before he got in. I applied in July and started training 3 months later, so in 3 months I got Interview, Medical and Fitness Test done and started training.... So just apply and ya might get lucky.

Keep the faith lad.

Fonzee

conno3001 wrote: »

And how would we prove their guilt and send them to prison without the tribunals?

you know the killing part about them tribunals, bertie ahearn is gone from the goverment now and even if they prove he stole the money they'll never get a cent off him like look at charles haughey, the mans dead and buried and they're still try to get money off him.

long story short i dont know y ur talking about proving their guilty and sending them to prison, It not going to happen, there just wasting tax payers money{full stop}.