Upon analysing Ireland’s per capita exchequer revenues for 2023, it becomes evident that the nation is prosperous. With an annual government expenditure of €16,700 per citizen, Ireland surpasses the UK’s €12,200, Sweden’s €10,900, and Spain’s humble €5,600. However, the nation is still embroiled in an array of crises, including housing, healthcare, law enforcement, and the more recent disheartening fate of many local enterprises, amplified by significant policy-stimulated cost surges.
Unfortunately, these predicaments do not stem from a dearth of funds, but rather an inefficient utilisation of the diverted resources. It’s common knowledge that our public services suffer from inefficiencies—a factor most staff wish to change. This inadequacy primarily emanates from substandard management at the top level and the unwillingness to make tough choices for the necessary transformations. We, the public, are also partly to blame for not holding our leaders accountable for the way they dispense our resources.
Expressions such as “value for money”, “efficiency”, and “productivity” should be standard parlance in national dialogues—especially within media circles. This is necessary for preventing the wasting of resources, as evidenced by the steep budget hikes for projects like the national children’s hospital and the new Dáil bike sheds from becoming the norm. Politicians must realise that it’s now unacceptable to brag about the money they’ve collected, rather than the value derived from their management of our funds.
It’s high time we held our representatives accountable for their management of our national resources to the benefit of all. We need to evaluate our political, public, and civil service based on the worth they add relative to their cost.
In light of the impending elections, it is crucial to establish our expectations of better management of our resources, and an end to the era of empty excuses.
Kind regards,
MARK WHEELER,
Dublin 14.