WITH the Republic of Ireland’s finance minister Jack Chambers recently announcing personal tax cuts and cost-of-living support in the budget, the contrast between Ireland and the UK could not be greater.
Ireland will run a €25 billion budget surplus this year, and that windfall will be set aside for investment in infrastructure, tackling that nation’s challenges in housing, energy, water and transport.
The budget included €8.3bn in tax cuts and spending increases, alongside one-off cost-of-living supports worth a further €2.2bn. These include two double child benefit payments before Christmas, continued mortgage interest relief, a €1000 renters’ tax credit, as well as a €1000 winter fuel payment for pensioners.
In contrast, continued Westminster austerity has seen the loss of the Winter Fuel Payment for 880,000 Scottish pensioners, cuts in vital public services and a warning from the Prime Minister that “things can only get worse”.
Brexit Britain is broken, and a prospering Ireland illustrates what small independent countries with full control over their resources and economic levers can achieve.
Alex Orr
Edinburgh
IRISH pensioners with an income of £22,308 or less receive around £750 to help heat their homes, while Scottish pensioners with an income of £11,500 are now not entitled to a penny.
Ireland has a surplus of €24 billion. The UK has a black hole of £22 billion.
In a mad moment I was thinking perhaps we should campaign to unite with our Celtic cousins in Ireland (with or without the six counties of Northern Ireland). It would appear to bring with it many advantages, including an easy and instant return to the EU.
Brian Lawson
Paisley
WITH the imminent closure of Scotland’s only oil refinery plant at Grangemouth, I draw your attention to the Scottish Resistance campaign to save Grangemouth oil refinery and the event which is happening at the refinery on Saturday from 2pm to 4pm. It’s important to show that the closure of Scotland’s only oil refinery is totally unacceptable, so I hope many of you will attend this event.
While the UK Government clearly won’t do so, the Scottish Government taking this plant into public ownership shouldn’t be an extortionate cost as the current owners obviously don’t value it. The value to Scotland of retaining it, however, could be considerable.
It would continue income generation by retaining approximately 400 jobs and avoid the resultant costs if these jobs are lost. Profits from refining Scotland’s oil, including exporting refined products, would be benefitting Scotland rather than us paying private companies to refine our oil even for our own use. When possible, the refinery should be able to be gradually converted to alternative use as reduction of use of oil products progresses.
The Scottish Government should show some strength and sense in protecting Scotland and its assets, not just accept this ridiculous situation which is against the interest of our people and our country.
Please spread the word and attend the event on Saturday.
Jim Stamper
Bearsden
THARE’S something I dinnae understaun, weel quite a lot I dinnae unnerstaun, but rail fares is ane o thaim. Ma pairtner an masel haed tae ging tae Glasgow frae Arbroath. Noo gin we gaed by bus it wuid hae cost us £1 but on this occasion the train wis mair convenient at a cost o £76.
Fit I dinnae unnerstaun is, fit wey the state-owned railway maun pay fur itsel, while private enterprise busses are rakin in the siller neive ower fit!
Thare are five different companies running intercity intae Dundee, an ilka ane, I wuid jalouse, makin braw profits. In Dundee I seen skule bairns jumping on ae bus fur twae bus stops nae a quarter mile apairt. Ae bus dreiver frien tells me this is widespread. I thocht thay wis supposed tae be encouraging mair health an exercise in skule bairns, nae encouraging thaim tae be sat on thair dowps?
But fit div thay bus companies dae in return fur aa this ready lucre? Fan Brexit was careering dounhill ilka BBC Newscast showed Boris Johnson’s muckle rid bus wi the bare-faced lei £350 million fur the health service made visible. The BBC kent fine weel yon image flashed itae wir hames wis ae potent symbol tae impress the viewers.
Noo, I’m nae suggesting untruths, we dinnae need thaim, but busses cuid be shawn adverts wi aa the benefits frae devolution an foo independence wull gae us muckle mair. Fit kin o potent symbol wuid that mak tae fowk undecided anent independence gin thay seen thay positive messages?
By the wey, we baith cocht Covid an wir too nae weel tae trevel!
George T Watt
Arbroath
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here