Why Ireland feels poor

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  • Опубліковано 28 кві 2024
  • A look at quality of life in Ireland and the country's quango ecosystem.
    To join our membership program and chat with us on Discord:
    / polysee
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    K Lucid
    V Malhotra
    L Smith
    Narrated by P Nugent
    With thanks to members of our polysee membership programme for valuable input.
    If you have any knowledge of the topics discussed here, please reach out at info@polysee.ie

КОМЕНТАРІ • 686

  • @DublinDapper
    @DublinDapper 20 днів тому +518

    Anything but building a train to the airport

    • @Andrzej360
      @Andrzej360 18 днів тому +12

      They want to build a metro to the airport but it would be better with an actual electric train on electrified infrastructure. They are too short sighted.

    • @shitlordflytrap1078
      @shitlordflytrap1078 17 днів тому +12

      ​@@Andrzej360a metro is an electric train.

    • @Andrzej360
      @Andrzej360 17 днів тому

      @@shitlordflytrap1078 not underground (I phrased it poorly)

    • @Berliner-2020
      @Berliner-2020 17 днів тому

      @@shitlordflytrap1078 No but only metro trains can really run on it (providing it uses third rail). And they've been planning it since the 90s, it really goes to show what state Ireland's transport infrastructure and planning is in.

    • @David-mr3gw
      @David-mr3gw 16 днів тому

      honest to god!

  • @goldenboy06
    @goldenboy06 23 дні тому +711

    I’ve been saying it for years! Scandinavian tax levels without Scandinavian level services!

    • @Prodrive1
      @Prodrive1 22 дні тому +21

      4 year wait to see a hospital consultant. Incredible. Farce of a country.

    • @maikotter9945
      @maikotter9945 22 дні тому

      The Orkney Islands could be a part of the Kingdom of Norway, soon!
      Do you celebrate Beltane?

    • @leanderbarreto980
      @leanderbarreto980 21 день тому +1

      India is said to have similar issues

    • @Art-is-craft
      @Art-is-craft 20 днів тому +2

      If the Irish want a better local economy they need to demand lower taxes and local taxes.

    • @edc1569
      @edc1569 20 днів тому +10

      So the corporations pay no tax but the people pay it all?

  • @Donalob
    @Donalob 16 днів тому +253

    There was a report done recently where when it comes to expendable income, Ireland ranks at the same level as Poland and Romania. We are not a rich country. It's a facade.

    • @killian7486
      @killian7486 16 днів тому +5

      It all goes back to America

    • @TC-qw3lr
      @TC-qw3lr 15 днів тому +13

      That’s consumption and it’s because Irish people save a lot more. If you’ve actually ever been to Romania or Poland you’d know it’s incomparable

    • @dark1810
      @dark1810 15 днів тому +6

      actual lies ireland is above the eu average and 10-15% off the top of the list of Luxemburg and co and thats if you fix for pps and merely 35% higher than poland (113% more if you just go euro to euro) and 50% more than romania (144% euro to euro)....nice facts tho

    • @Donalob
      @Donalob 15 днів тому +11

      @@dark1810 It included the cost of living - what the people of Ireland ultimately are left with is the same as these countries. I can't locate the article sadly, it was several months ago.

    • @kapralas
      @kapralas 15 днів тому +4

      Just search up Countries' disposable income ranked. Ireland slightly above a country who just got their independence not long ago 💀

  • @user-cf5lh5zp8d
    @user-cf5lh5zp8d 22 дні тому +164

    After spending 10 years living in Germany and recently returning to Ireland, it is difficult not to be camparing, but I do. Germany tax system and amazing value for money, in relation to childcare costs, education, services and infrastructure compared to the opposite situation here. As a consequence to that, no one is actually LIVING in ireland. Everyone is just surviving, and with added pressures of imagination taking up services, and housing, it is only going to get worse. I'm already planning moving again, because this country, apart from horrible weather and poor value for money, and the nanny state that it is, I want to live.
    Brilliant video and so well explained 👏 👍

    • @Art-is-craft
      @Art-is-craft 20 днів тому +6

      Germany is a terrible model to compare as they are facing down a population crisis. Ireland needs less regulation not more.

    • @donfalcon1495
      @donfalcon1495 19 днів тому +5

      Less imagination please!

    • @benhur2806
      @benhur2806 2 дні тому

      The funny thing is, Germany itself is often seen as a nanny state by its neighbours...

  • @shxdowplay_
    @shxdowplay_ 23 дні тому +328

    This video hits the nail on the head, right at the core of one of the main things wrong with this country. Great video 👏

    • @ClifftopTragedy
      @ClifftopTragedy 22 дні тому +5

      Yes it does seem a bit far right😆 Noticing stuff is far right don't you know

    • @papi8659
      @papi8659 22 дні тому +7

      Exactly they’ve put an Irish accent on a US or U.K. based right wing video

    • @aidantully6979
      @aidantully6979 16 днів тому +1

      It's rubbish.

    • @MRMK24
      @MRMK24 12 днів тому

      ​@@aidantully6979 why? Explain in detail.

    • @aidantully6979
      @aidantully6979 12 днів тому +2

      ​@@MRMK24It's made up its mind before and looked for examples to try and prove a point. Why not mention a government body like the IDA? The are an unbelievable success and have helped build the country. There is so much of this video to pick holes in it would that an age to go through.

  • @nicholasw
    @nicholasw 18 днів тому +89

    Not Irish, never been to Ireland, but I see these same issues extending to many other countries too. Here’s my token of support, I hope this video reaches as many as possible!

    • @RicoBanani
      @RicoBanani 18 днів тому +1

      yup, I've noticed from the intro there's a lot of similarities withmy home country. We have a VAT of 25% though and not one of those big IT companies.. Wages abt 3-4 times less than Ireland and a pitiful job market. So ye, it could be worse for you 😁

    • @vixen878
      @vixen878 6 днів тому +1

      the issue has a name. generally it's called capitalism

    • @karlslicher8520
      @karlslicher8520 2 дні тому

      @@vixen878 Immigration*

  • @cianmurtagh468
    @cianmurtagh468 23 дні тому +177

    It's jobs for the boys. All of these roles are way higher than the average wage because it's selective uplifting. It won't ever change because that's how little islands work unfortunately especially one as estranged from the average person.

    • @tedcrilly46
      @tedcrilly46 22 дні тому +15

      My supervisor is one, fake-works almost all day, every day.
      You lads do that pile of work over there, and I'll ... I'll tick this box, and brown-nose the boss.

    • @pigeonsareugly
      @pigeonsareugly 21 день тому +1

      Same in Britain just with a few more people

  • @ivanvaraschin657
    @ivanvaraschin657 6 днів тому +5

    As a foreigner living in Ireland, I can see that people mostly blame it to housing crisis but don't see the big picture. Unfortunately, it feels the Irish have some sort of fear to challenge the status quo. Why is there such a big housing crisis and nobody is protesting in the streets? Anyway, I truly appreciate how I've been treated here. I hope you get a president look we did (Milei) to start cutting these kind of stuff.

  • @EannaWithAFada
    @EannaWithAFada 23 дні тому +146

    Everyday I learn the finances of my country are even stranger than I thought

  • @matthewlynch9331
    @matthewlynch9331 23 дні тому +42

    This has quickly become one of my favourite channels. You have been dishing out very tough yet fair critiques of Ireland

    • @papi8659
      @papi8659 22 дні тому

      But we don’t know who’s funding this propaganda ?

  • @shaun7517
    @shaun7517 13 днів тому +12

    Really nice to see a channel like this, the UK and US have plenty of channels that outline issues like this, it really helps to put abstract, nuanced problems that really drive the biggest issues in this country into easy to digest forms for the average person.

  • @PatsPsychologyMSc
    @PatsPsychologyMSc 23 дні тому +65

    Uncontroversially brilliant. Fair play. Keepem coming!

  • @C05597641
    @C05597641 19 днів тому +17

    I work in health care here. We have a 24/7/365 service which is extremely disruptive to our lives and we are permanently under staffed, working hard every single day. We can take or leave our jobs. There are loads to move on to. From what I hear working beyond o to 5 is OPTIONAL in the private sector! We have nothing left to give. So I pity the government there on that one. How can they work us harder? They can only cut pay...but roles are already empty with no interest in them so that might not be such a good idea.

  • @MrDryfield
    @MrDryfield 22 дні тому +66

    If you did a video on the UK, you'd see exactly the same situation. There are no end of pointless NGOs and other bodies. In the area I live, we have an "Arts" organisation who's focus is painting murals and sticking up statues for no apparent reason.... meanwhile we have people sleeping in the doorway of the local Police station.... The fact they can find hundreds of thousands of Pounds for random pieces of Art but can't house the rough sleepers is typical of the problem both our countries face.

    • @polysee
      @polysee  22 дні тому +14

      Interesting, thanks for the UK perspective. Would like to do the UK at some point

    • @chrisgraythereal
      @chrisgraythereal 21 день тому +6

      Noooo! Let them stew in the mess they've made. There's plenty of commentary about that but very little quality analysis of Ireland as a distinct separate entity.
      We've diverged a lot from the UK already and the differences will only get bigger. It's a different country now, not our problem.
      Obviously, comparisons and lessons learned are useful, and the north is a complicating factor. But comparisons with other satraps of Silicon Valley, or Scandinavia, might be more useful.

    • @colinmacdonald5732
      @colinmacdonald5732 20 днів тому +1

      Probably need to make the comparison with other large European countries. Was going to say everyone else was just as bad, but clearly Ireland spends more on pointless bureaucracy than Scandinavian countries, as you demonstrate.

    • @weeeeehhhhh
      @weeeeehhhhh 19 днів тому +1

      Something like £11 million was spent on gold alone for the big Ben restoration.

    • @markcollins3856
      @markcollins3856 15 днів тому +3

      @@chrisgraythereal Ireland is not unique. If you go to most wealthy nations you'd see exactly the same thing with people complaining about housing prices, Health and inflation.

  • @uncleduff7895
    @uncleduff7895 23 дні тому +6

    I love these videos. So good to have a creator like this, producing informative videos about the country I live in.

  • @AuraTrimCoMeath
    @AuraTrimCoMeath 20 днів тому +43

    €2500 a year for car insurance, €1000 per month for a room.

    • @kaykher
      @kaykher 18 днів тому +6

      1000€ is really conservative now

    • @eliotbyrne7648
      @eliotbyrne7648 18 днів тому +11

      In a car dependant country where most people need a car to work, such a joke

    • @debbiegilmour6171
      @debbiegilmour6171 18 днів тому

      Why even bother with a car in that case?

    • @kaykher
      @kaykher 17 днів тому +12

      @@debbiegilmour6171 because the public transport is absolutely shit in this country. Ranked as the worst in EU. Buses never on time. Limited routes. To get to point B from A, you have to go to point C first

    • @grrggrrg4805
      @grrggrrg4805 16 днів тому

      What the fuck car are you driving?

  • @rockysmickey3797
    @rockysmickey3797 23 дні тому +43

    Always felt we had a bloated and inefficient public sector. The problem is they are so bloated they represent a huge proportion of voters and hence the Goverment bending over for them. I get nothing for the 14% VAT in the hospitality sector and my previous work in construction before that wasn’t viable at all with inflation and interest rates. It’s like you get punished here for entrepreneurship, you work so hard and have to figure out your own pension while incapable people you know rise through the public sector and couldn’t have it handier.

    • @cianbrennan4477
      @cianbrennan4477 23 дні тому +6

      I don’t think we do have a particularly bloated public sector; public spending in Ireland is, correcting for GNI* rather than GNI as a basis, the third lowest as a proportion of the economy in the OECD (it’s the lowest if we don’t correct).
      It does seem fairly inefficient- but I think a lot of the cause of that is that we invest very little relative to our spending on current costs.

    • @ruppollock4392
      @ruppollock4392 22 дні тому +2

      ​@@cianbrennan4477It's bloated. State is spending100 billion this year. 30000 NGOs costing 6 billion.
      HSE now spending 24 billion with horrendous waiting lists and criminal waste.

    • @taintabird23
      @taintabird23 22 дні тому +1

      You don't WHY you feel Ireland has a bloated and inefficient public sector. Why do you feel that? I ask this in the context of Ireland not having enough nurses, the smallest defence force in decades and not enough guards or teachers.
      Are you sure your not just jealous that you don't work in the public sector?

    • @rockysmickey3797
      @rockysmickey3797 22 дні тому +2

      @@taintabird23 no man, i have a good life. The bueraracy in every sector, mates telling me how little they do, and as illiustrated in the video multiple agency's doing the same job. So yes, bloated. That said, I'd like the money saved from trimming some of the fat put into getting moe, guards, nurses, SNAs, teacher and fill the woeful gaps in child services.

    • @Art-is-craft
      @Art-is-craft 20 днів тому +1

      Irelands problem is not the public sector. Irelands needs a larger public sector. Irelands real issue is too much regulations that result in centralised government, high taxes, poor local planning and a constantly overheated economy. In other words Ireland has always been very expensive for the Irish.

  • @oguzalp7636
    @oguzalp7636 23 дні тому +136

    Very well put. Big government for a small nation simply doesn't make sense.

    • @cianbrennan4477
      @cianbrennan4477 23 дні тому +17

      I’m not sure we have big government tbh; multiplying our figure for general government spending as a proportion of GNI (from the OECD, 24.4%) by the GNI to GNI* ratio (1.4x to correct for multinationals distorting our economic statistics) you get ~34.16% of the economy being government. This seems like a lot, but puts us 3rd from last in the OECD.

    • @deadwaste1
      @deadwaste1 22 дні тому +7

      @@cianbrennan4477 we dont have a big government, weak little kittens more like.

    • @papi8659
      @papi8659 22 дні тому

      This video is propaganda from undeclared lobbyists . Organisations like the IDA, bird bia, failte Ireland are world famous success stories that other countries have fought hard to copy

  • @TheMarkieGoodBoy
    @TheMarkieGoodBoy 17 днів тому +1

    This needs as much attention as possible. Thank you for putting in the work!

  • @declankelly5989
    @declankelly5989 17 днів тому +1

    Thank you for making this video Polysee, it was a lot of work and we all so appreciate it. x

  • @grizzyb4149
    @grizzyb4149 20 днів тому +10

    HSE employ agency staff at exorbitant costs. Those agency staff sometimes also work for the HSE. Double jobbing. there’s staff shortages because the Agencies take the staff and syphon our taxes. Poor work and No oversight on the work and more profitable to remain in crisis after crisis. It’s sick. Incompetent treacherous failure. All for managerial snobs to have nice houses and drive their range rovers around a declining city.

  • @baneofbalor5881
    @baneofbalor5881 23 дні тому +40

    I agree in large part with the video. The problem is though, that no-one is calling for any of these changes. Nobody will ever protest in favour of shutting/merging these entities, and nobody will run for election on the platform of reducing spending.
    The only way reforms like these will ever pass is when shit hits the fan once again and the government is forced to examine it's books and see what they can afford to cut, along with other austerity measures which defeats the purpose of rediverting the funds to improve the quality of Irish citizens in the first place.
    Then when tax revenue increases, these departments grow again and we're right back to square one.
    Still, love the video though. Keep them coming

    • @johngrimes93
      @johngrimes93 23 дні тому +3

      Independent Ireland Party are currently running on this platform. Look at their website a lot is about how much tax money is wasted on pointless stuff instead of putting it in peoples pockets!

    • @baneofbalor5881
      @baneofbalor5881 23 дні тому +12

      @@johngrimes93 Yeah but I also don't want to vote for a vaccine skeptic, anti-immigrant, anti-abortion right wing party. It's not worth compromising so many of my own personal values for the sake of a set of very specific reforms.

    • @cianoconnor6081
      @cianoconnor6081 23 дні тому +1

      It seems to be particularly bad this cycle because the crash put a complete stop to the govt’s capital spending. Then when the money came back there was more of it available to spend directly on jobs. If we had been using the money for housing or rail lines it would have imposed more discipline.

    • @Whatshisname346
      @Whatshisname346 23 дні тому +1

      This is true. Back during the boom I remember Michael Noonan as Fine Gael leader ran on a platform of tying 'benchmarking' to public sector reform, cutting quangos and voluntary redundancies. It was about as popular as a fart in a lift. Instead Fianna Fail trounced Fine Gael in the next election and continued expanding the public sector until we were bankrupt.
      The reality is that the Irish people have no idea what their taxes can actually get them in terms of good public services. Most have never lived in continental Europe much less experienced the balance these places have between progressive taxes and functioning, efficient universal public services. They only understand that it's an either/or situation where you're shoveling cash into public services or cutting it to the bone. Reform has no place unless you're looking for trouble.

    • @Whatshisname346
      @Whatshisname346 23 дні тому

      @@johngrimes93 How would 'putting money in peoples pockets' fix the public service?

  • @Whatshisname346
    @Whatshisname346 23 дні тому +12

    I couldn't agree with you more.
    But there is a reason why these departments are run in this way. Getting a job in a semi-state or state agency is literally the only way you can get a secure job with good working conditions in Ireland. So you have agencies full of people who are dedicated to protecting and enhancing a very rare commodity; pensions, flexible hours, voluntary overtime, the right to join a union and a less oppressive management environment.
    I would suggest that we're looking at this wrong. If we want to engender a better and more dynamic public sector we could start with having a standard pension system across all work places so as people can move in and out of the public sector more easily without the fear of losing this benefit. We could make union membership a right in all work places and we could provide more funding to the private sector to train better management; less obsessed with the short term bottom line, more interested in building a sustainable dynamic workplace.
    My point is that it's not a simple as closing down a load of agencies. This won't stop other agencies and their budgets ballooning afterwards to fill in the gaps. There needs to be more convergence between the public and private sector job markets. To do this we need a change of work culture.

  • @barryosullivan6225
    @barryosullivan6225 18 днів тому +1

    Another great video! Looking forward to this continued series

  • @amergin3362
    @amergin3362 23 дні тому +77

    Nílim cinnte fén gcáineadh ar Bord Bia, ní hamháin go mbronnann siad lipéidí ar bhia nó go mbíonn siad ag taispeáint do dhaoine conas uaineoil a chócaireáil. Má tá lipéad Bord Bia ar tháirge bia, ciallaíonn sé sin, ní hamháin gur as Éirinn don táirge ach go bhfuil caighdeán éigin i gceist. Bíonn cigirí de chuid Bord Bia ag tabhairt cuairte ar fheirmeoirí an t-am ar fad ag féachaint an bhfuil an fheirm á rith go sábháilte (do na hainmhithe, na feirmeoirí agus na tomhaltóirí go léir - mar shampla ag scagadh admhálacha leighis, leasú talún srl.). Táim cinnte gur féidir cuid mhór den airgead a théann chucu a ghearradh siar, ach tá i bhfad níos mó i gceist leo ná eagraíocht fógraíochta. An-suimiúil mar sin féin, táim ag tnúth go mór leis an gcéad cheann eile.

    • @superiorniall
      @superiorniall 23 дні тому +7

      ní feirmeoir mé ach maidir le na cigirí, nach bhfuil cigire ón Roinn Talmhaíochta cuairt ar na feirmeacha ar fud na tíre freisin. chomh maith le Bord Bia agus bhféidir cigirí eile ón na HSA?
      táim ag tacaíocht feirmeoireacht sábháilte agus gach le sin. ach cén fáth nach bhfuilimid in ann an t-aon eagraíocht a bheith acu chun iniúchtaí feirme a bainistiú
      Aontaím freisin gurb é airgead margaíochta an chuid is lú dár n-imní ach bhféidir gur áit níos éasca chun tosnú leis?

    • @amergin3362
      @amergin3362 23 дні тому +1

      @@superiorniall Ní raibh ceann ón HSE againn riamh, measaim go bhfuil an ceart agat fén Roinn Talmhaíochta, ach formhór acu is ó Bhord Bia a thagann siad pé scéal é. Ach tá sé dochreidte go bhfuil buiséad na tíre méadaithe faoi dhó laistigh de cúpla bliain.

    • @cormacbrowne9571
      @cormacbrowne9571 23 дні тому +3

      All bord bia inspections should be done by the dept. of ag - get rid of the others - including coucil and hsa inspections. Far too much duplication. The med. records are done for the dept. of ag anyway

    • @thomasconneely3945
      @thomasconneely3945 23 дні тому +3

      Tá an Bord Bia thar a bheith usáideach. Tá gá leis, ach tá eagrachtaí eile a bhfad níos measa .

    • @uvacasmweeniv7317
      @uvacasmweeniv7317 21 день тому +3

      Ta mise i mo chonai thar lear so ta aithne agam ar cupla daoine ata ag obair le Bord Bia agus d'fhreastal me ar event no dho a bhi eagraithe acu. O mo thaobh fein, bionn cuma air ar an sceal go ndeanann sian an-obair anseo (thar lear). Ar an gcead dul sios, nil a dhothain airgead ag an cuid is mo de na brands as Eirinnn le haghaidh marketing a dheanadh thar lar, agus nil na achmhainne acu le haghaidh caidreamh le suppliers agus distibutors a thogail. As an meid a chual me, cabhrionn Bord Bia leis na brands beaga sna habhair seo. Chomh maith le sin, is saghas springboard e Bord Bia do dhaoine a bhfuil talent acu. Dar no, bionn mi-usaid ann ach ar iomlan ta me ceaptha gur ceann de na quangos mhaithe iad. Faraor, nil ach anecdotes agam so ta me ag tnuth go mor leis na sraitheanna fise ata ag teacht.
      p.s. ce chomh alainn e le bheith ag caint as Gaeilge ar an abhair seo?

  • @johnkeating4221
    @johnkeating4221 22 дні тому +7

    The State is the people of Ireland not the politicians. Politicians are hired to row our boat and we are the coxswain. Somehow we forgot our task and allowed the rowers to command our boat and we became mere bystanders.

  • @oscarmcglynn4235
    @oscarmcglynn4235 23 дні тому +80

    Yes there is incompetence in the Irish government and quangos, however i question the solution put forward in this video, which to a large degree is simply privatisation.
    This is making the assumption first off that the private sector is competent which is doubtfully, but more worryingly there is a naïve belief that the free market would leads to optimal resource use. It needs to be made clear that the sole motive of the private sector is shareholder profit, and that does not translate to an equal distribution of wealth.
    Last part about investments in trains and medical equipment rather than motorways is brilliant !

    • @cianoconnor6081
      @cianoconnor6081 23 дні тому +9

      “Equal distribution of wealth” and “optimal resource use” are very different goals. Free market is great at the latter, it just may not be what we want.

    • @oanacalinandrei4111
      @oanacalinandrei4111 23 дні тому +2

      equal distribution of wealth as in communism ? do people produce equally so that they deserve equal income ? this way you will fast track everyone being equally unproductive. Why would people work harder if all wealth is distributed equally? smh, go north korea plz, heard it's wonderfully equal there

    • @mattpotter8725
      @mattpotter8725 23 дні тому +8

      @@oanacalinandrei4111 Communism was never about an equal distribution of wealth just that no one owns private property or means of production which is why it failed, but those are the top were still living in relative luxury compared to those at the bottom.

    • @Whatshisname346
      @Whatshisname346 23 дні тому +9

      As a taxpayer wouldn't you want your money to go further?
      I live in continental Europe and despite my adopted country being considered a 'social democracy' we have virtually none of these pointless quangos. The ones that do exist also have a commercial remit so they have to break even in some way to justify their existence.
      Because of this, while I pay Irish tax rates, I also get free education to masters level for my kids, very affordable childcare, universal healthcare, affordable housing and transport. The system is entirely unionized but constantly reforming as unions see it as their duty to improve their professions rather than simply protect outdated work practices.
      This is the way things should work in Ireland but we've decided that any public sector reform is always a cutback or some slippery slope to private sector interests running everything. It means nothing ever changes.

    • @Sionnach1601
      @Sionnach1601 22 дні тому +2

      We didn't need a quarter of this when the little nuns were running the hospitals. They ran VERY tight ships and you would be in and out in an hour, having been seen and competently treated.

  • @foleyboyoo6165
    @foleyboyoo6165 20 днів тому +1

    This is a brilliant analysis, and hope it gets more attention.

  • @markmcdonnell7642
    @markmcdonnell7642 19 днів тому

    Such a brilliant video, well done guys. Really informative and taught me a few things I didn’t know.

  • @ShapeyFiend
    @ShapeyFiend 23 дні тому +6

    Wonderful video. Feel like HSE needs separate budgets one for admin/management and one for frontline with the admin one capped or cut on a monthly basis based off productivity targets.

  • @iljacepelov3561
    @iljacepelov3561 7 днів тому +1

    Im greatefull to Irealand and Irish ppl for taking care of my grandmother who moved there 24 years ago. She is a full fledged citizen for 6 years now too. Ive been to central Ireland and Dublin right before covid, and it got me depressed. Lived in Ireland for a year in 2004/5. After visiting in 2019 the difference was staggering, 2008 crisis did hit Ireland hard. I live in England, and I would have never thought id see an empty motorway in the middle of the day anywhere in this region - yet in Ireland thats what I saw. Smaller towns in huge decline to. Havent seen any young ppl on the streets in town that my grandma lives. Probably brain drain into bigger cities, wasnt like that in 2004. I feel for Ireland. Beautiful country with beautiful and nice ppl. I wish Ireland and Irish ppl all the best

    • @iljacepelov3561
      @iljacepelov3561 7 днів тому

      dont get me wrong. England has many problems of its own. Probably same situation in smaller population centers (I live in Manchester). We have our own problem of South getting all the funding and North basically holding on by being carried by strong regional leadership. I doubt if our mayor wasnt as good at his job as he is - that Manchester would be developing as fast as it does

  • @a.b2966
    @a.b2966 19 днів тому +6

    They just slashed my university budget for next year. The building has a colapsing leaking roof. The university is the Technological university but cant even get the engineering building from falling in on itself. This is a help call from a student.

  • @eIIemenopee
    @eIIemenopee 23 дні тому +2

    This is great stuff, this needs to be seen by more people!

  • @techie2udonegal
    @techie2udonegal 23 дні тому +13

    Why stop the western rail at sligo, why not continue into Donegal and link up to Derry/Northern Ireland railway system.

    • @polysee
      @polysee  23 дні тому +4

      All for continuing it!

    • @techie2udonegal
      @techie2udonegal 23 дні тому

      @@polysee Not a criticism loved the video, however, the Wild Atlantic Way does after all begin in County Donegal and we have no rail links to Northern Ireland or the rest of the Republic and no motorways either. A rail link from Donegal to Tuam would be a godsend along with access to northern Irelands rail network to Belfast.

    • @polysee
      @polysee  23 дні тому +3

      Agreed on that, Donegal is neglected there is no doubt about it. An oversight on our part!

    • @Whatshisname346
      @Whatshisname346 23 дні тому +2

      @@polysee You might want to look and passenger numbers in the Limerick to Athenry section which are abysmal consisting mainly of day trippers and pensioners. If they simply reinstate the line and don't look at population densities at the stops it will be a complete waste of money. It will then have to stay operational because closing down or reforming a white elephant in Ireland is nigh on impossible.

    • @darthjedi5420
      @darthjedi5420 16 днів тому

      Someone told me their county had many train services/lines. Gov stepped in and now only 1.

  • @DrArcadius
    @DrArcadius 23 дні тому +11

    I'll be honest although i agree with most of what you said, there's something about the Bord bia Mark on food packaging that reassures me.

    • @polysee
      @polysee  23 дні тому +5

      Fair enough! And you’re not alone no doubt. Saying that we could survive without the Q mark isn’t to say that it is completely useless. The argument is rather that there are better things the state’s finite resources could be spent on

    • @davek89666
      @davek89666 23 дні тому +1

      Ireland doesn't need bord via to do any checks while we're part of E.u. There are extreme strict food production laws

    • @Art-is-craft
      @Art-is-craft 20 днів тому +1

      @@davek89666
      EU food standards are terrible. When ever I see EU sourced meat on a package I set it back down.

    • @Antody
      @Antody 19 днів тому +2

      I didn't know this mark means anything, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. You buy something, you see if it's good or not to make an educated decision about future purchases, one "certificate" shouldn't dictate if the food is good or not.

    • @DrArcadius
      @DrArcadius 19 днів тому +1

      When I was growing up you'd never knowingly purchase British beef, not out of some sense of nationalism, but due to foot and mouth and the poor standards they had set for themselves. The quick way of distinguishing what was what was to see the bord bia quality mark, I know it's Irish, which sure doesn't mean anything more than seeing a union flag on British beef. However it reassured me and still does that it was good quality.

  • @breakfastfoodanddarkhaired280
    @breakfastfoodanddarkhaired280 20 днів тому +3

    What a brilliant video and channel 👏 The endless addiction to an expansionary state spending is a worrying trend indeed. As they say the only NGO that was cut in recent years was Benifacts, the entity that recorded the financial affairs of the other NGO's

  • @jirislavicek9954
    @jirislavicek9954 18 днів тому +2

    This video is so spot on! 👍
    I am so tired of so called "professionals" who are just free loading or cause active harm.
    Real professionals and productive classes are so squeezed and overworked. Think doctors, nurses, builders, private sector employees. All whilst unproductive class is ballooning!

  • @colinmacdonald5732
    @colinmacdonald5732 20 днів тому +10

    Average salary in Ireland is higher than Germany or Sweden. If you just look around Sweden or Germany, can we really see any justification for this? Are Irish workers really more productive? I think there's a economic bubble going on here, and when it pops the ramifications will go way beyond Ireland.

    • @thetidycookie6713
      @thetidycookie6713 16 днів тому +2

      We all know what's causing it. We just don't want to say it. American companies are huge for us but the money doesn't spread equally.

    • @baileyharrison1030
      @baileyharrison1030 12 днів тому

      Irish income taxes are very high. When countries have really high income taxes that apply to even the working classes, it causes what looks like wage inflation, but with no tangible economic benefit.

    • @cian69
      @cian69 8 днів тому

      Average salary is pretty meaningless statistically, you’re better off looking at median salary.

  • @LFiloktetes
    @LFiloktetes 22 дні тому +5

    Will certainly watch the video about the Irish health system, it's ridiculous how it's run and funded. If instead of having multiple bodies inside it like trusts as St James hospital and CHI there was only one central body, management costs could be massively lowered and procurement could be done nationally which would increase the leverage on negotiating with suppliers greatly reducing the price per unit.

  • @davidoh14
    @davidoh14 20 днів тому +3

    Hereditary positions are a key part; long-ingrained expectations of friends and family on those in government-funded positions to take their place/alongside simply expands the issue.

  • @hyper7354
    @hyper7354 23 дні тому +12

    These videos are incredibly important. These are high quality well researched videos that shine a lot where people generally don’t have the time or understand to do themselves. You should be proud of yourselves, these videos bit by bit make our population demand better

  • @C-on
    @C-on 4 дні тому +1

    I despise politicians 💯

  • @bodiddly12
    @bodiddly12 23 дні тому

    My word. How informative. Thanks so much.

  • @tomwalsh96
    @tomwalsh96 20 днів тому

    Excellent video, very well researched and articulated. I have and will continue to support you on patreon so you can cover this type of stuff. Do you have contacts in government (local or national) where you could get the ball rolling with talk of an "efficiency task force" for want of a better word?

  • @toyotaprius79
    @toyotaprius79 23 дні тому +9

    Ask Gary Economics

  • @kof867
    @kof867 22 дні тому +4

    I have been saying this for years. Too many people in the public sector doing jobs that have no purpose

  • @MaVOfficialHD
    @MaVOfficialHD 23 дні тому +7

    Connolly doing backflips in his grave

    • @papi8659
      @papi8659 22 дні тому +1

      Connolly would be very happy - he was not a small state libertarian

    • @MaVOfficialHD
      @MaVOfficialHD 22 дні тому +2

      @@papi8659 he was a socialist lol what u smoking blud

    • @MonaLisa-lu8zi
      @MonaLisa-lu8zi 21 день тому +1

      I doubt it. Was he not paralysed.

  • @SolarpunkMonk
    @SolarpunkMonk 23 дні тому +2

    I wouldn’t say some jobs and positions are not needed any more, rather they have evolved and transformed from their original purpose. In this case they have been left behind rather than not being needed any more. Still very informative video, loving the content ❤

  • @mrharvest
    @mrharvest 9 днів тому +1

    Excellent video. Very sensible.

  • @christopherconlan7410
    @christopherconlan7410 18 днів тому +1

    Excellent podcast,I look forward to more!

  • @user-ke1nb2fm6k
    @user-ke1nb2fm6k 21 день тому +3

    They are squandering taxpayers' money 😱😱😱😱

  • @DJKONNECTDUB
    @DJKONNECTDUB 14 днів тому +1

    I love this, and would really like to see a deep dive into the NGO sector and the influence it has on the state ❤

  • @Philboh8
    @Philboh8 23 дні тому +28

    Minor point here, but Bord Bia do provide some great marketing and market research services to irish food brands. So the certifications arent their only purposes
    Edit: also hell yes on that rail from Sligo to Galway. I basically never go to Galway because the road is not great, and it's just not worth it. If it was only an hour and a half on the train though I'd be down there a lot more often

    • @polysee
      @polysee  23 дні тому +11

      Thanks, agreed all these quangos do good work, the question we ask is this the very best way we can spend public money

    • @Philboh8
      @Philboh8 23 дні тому +2

      @@polysee completely agree! I'm almost 27 and the thought of having a home and living a life similar to my parents seems absolutely laughable. You're doing great work with these vids and I hope they blow up!

    • @cormacbrowne9571
      @cormacbrowne9571 23 дні тому +2

      As a farmer I despise bord bia and it's quality assurance. The bottom line is money - it has not resulted in a price rise in ag products ( we were told it would) - and the purchaser buys overwhelmingly on price too, nevermind little overlooked badges. If it benefits anyone it's the processors. The quality, price or taste of the product does not change regardless. Processors would not be long in letting you know if there is a problem.

    • @ruppollock4392
      @ruppollock4392 22 дні тому +3

      ​@@cormacbrowne9571100% correct, Bord Bia gets nearly 100 million. It treats farmers terribly with a horrendous audit and does the dirty work for the dept of ag.
      It's a few cents for heifers and bullocks ,nothing for cows buls.
      Fat salaries and pensions for this monster. All benefit to the retailers.

  • @lin82
    @lin82 12 днів тому +1

    Correction: our income tax is nowhere near 52%. It’s 20% on income below 42,000 and 40% after that. And thats before credits, which everyone gets 1.8k. So the average person pays about 30% tax, if not less… better than the EU average

    • @polysee
      @polysee  12 днів тому

      The dialogue says "Ireland’s top rate of income tax at 52%" which is the case, and it's even higher for the self-employed.

  • @roryoconnor5700
    @roryoconnor5700 21 день тому +12

    Thank you for this illuminating piece of work. 75% of the Irish people know something is wrong in Ireland, and it manifests itself in a number of ways: housing, homelessness, mismanagement of immigration, HSE inefficiencies, to name but a few. There are 30000 employed in the NGO sector alone.The core issue is too many people seeking secure relatively well paid jobs with relative status, and why wouldn't they as a return on their.efforts in third level education. Except, third level education is not necessarily the edifying thing that people might assume it is. Look at the current protests on US campuses, for instance.We need to repurpose some of these Quangos towards better awareness of big government, towards more trades and technical apprenticeships, and more export driven startups.

    • @roryoneill9444
      @roryoneill9444 21 день тому

      What are you talking about???? Public Sector workers are not NGO sector workers eg Teachers, Gardai, the Administrators that deal with your Dole payment. Also the MNE sector in also employs over 300 thousand people and that is thanks to the IDA (one of these NGO you are on about), which in both 2022 and 2023 got over 240 multi-million dollar investments into Ireland, which increase jobs in this sector. The US Census Bureau reported that Ireland was the second largest European Exporter in the the US market in 2023 and for the first quarter of this year. Housing shortage is a labour shortage in the construction industry and the NIMBY Planning Permission laws in Ireland as well as the increased demand due to the much faster than expected Irish Economic Recovery (Ireland's economy recovered faster than any other European Country and years ahead of the UK, which got the Lion's Share of the Bailout money as it went to Uk investors). Refugees are being shipped to Ireland via the North by the Uk Government to undermine the North's economy as it is the only part of the uk doing well after brexit.

  • @maryg3597
    @maryg3597 22 дні тому +3

    Please tell me who to vote for, your energy is new and we need more of it. Well done!

    • @polysee
      @polysee  22 дні тому +5

      Whichever party / politician agrees that Ireland is too centralised and we need to let the counties and regions do more

    • @camicus-3249
      @camicus-3249 18 днів тому +1

      vote for me

    • @AlastorBG3
      @AlastorBG3 16 годин тому

      Sinn Fein

  • @paulb4298
    @paulb4298 23 дні тому +1

    Great stuff as usual! Fairplay

  • @nointernet5852
    @nointernet5852 23 дні тому +17

    is there any political momentum behind localism? it seems like a good idea but i haven't seen anyone talk about it outside of this channel

    • @polysee
      @polysee  23 дні тому +13

      Not yet. We’re doing our best 😄

    • @Art-is-craft
      @Art-is-craft 20 днів тому +1

      @@polysee
      So are you in favour of lower taxes and local taxes and less central government.

  • @Ohallors208
    @Ohallors208 22 дні тому +3

    We can all sense the lack of value from government but thank you for showing us where our money is going. I paid less taxes and got a lot more where I am from. I just presumed partly there is a deficit in infrastructure from when the Ireland was poor, and that it just has further to catch up.

    • @colinmacdonald5732
      @colinmacdonald5732 20 днів тому +2

      No rail electrification apart from some suburban transit in Dublin. Even Scotland does better, and by European standards we're pretty crap.

  • @geoffreyraleigh1674
    @geoffreyraleigh1674 15 днів тому

    Nicely presented. Definitely subscribed.

  • @NocFA
    @NocFA 13 днів тому +2

    Beautifully told!

  • @dominickskinner407
    @dominickskinner407 12 днів тому +1

    I agree with all, except, bord bia quality assurances, one of Ireland greatest achievements around food

  • @curtisflynn3924
    @curtisflynn3924 10 днів тому +1

    Very well put together video

  • @conradverschuren8944
    @conradverschuren8944 23 дні тому +2

    Very good video, quangos also support each other and their governing departments (make those administrations look good). Dept loyal CEOs are prioritised (eg BIM, B Bia). The potential savings are staggering.

  • @steelcrank1
    @steelcrank1 23 дні тому +26

    An outstanding analysis by Polysee. Other worthless QUANGOS include the Education and Training Boards, and The Teaching Council of Ireland.

    • @TheHorseOutside
      @TheHorseOutside 23 дні тому +4

      Why is the ETB worthless?

    • @achillesgeroko8714
      @achillesgeroko8714 23 дні тому +1

      How so? (not baiting, genuinely curious to learn)

    • @martinrea8548
      @martinrea8548 23 дні тому +1

      The Road Safety Authority...... try booking a driving test. Clown world.

    • @TheHorseOutside
      @TheHorseOutside 22 дні тому +1

      @@martinrea8548 there's a very definite line between inefficient and worthless. The RSA is by no means worthless

  • @roberttreston9385
    @roberttreston9385 22 дні тому +2

    Absolutely right on , this Country is fecked so expensive to live here

  • @ChrisLovesThisGame
    @ChrisLovesThisGame 16 днів тому +1

    A similar situation occurs in Canada. Interesting that there aren't more efficiencies given your geographic/population concentration. Canadians are so, so spread out over such an enormous area that costs are necessarily very high. For example, the province I live in has a bit smaller population than Ireland but is nearly 8 times the area in square kilometres (84,000 vs 661,000 with Canada being 9.9M sq. Km). Somehow, it seems like a smaller country would have an advantage in that way.
    Proportionally, you are paying more though. 90B for 5 million vs. 450B for 39 million. So, Ireland spends roughly 18B per million people and we spend roughly 11B per million.

  • @ivanokeeffe6457
    @ivanokeeffe6457 13 днів тому +1

    I work in the energy industry, and generally the biggest issue is navigating the governmental bodies...
    Eirgrid, CRU, SEAI, EPA, DECC, ESB.. List goes on, and they all have a reasonably similar function

    • @polysee
      @polysee  13 днів тому

      Interesting, thanks

  • @paraiccooney5270
    @paraiccooney5270 21 день тому +1

    These videos are a public service at this stage. Great work clearly laying out with facts and figures what most people in Ireland suspect - that there's very little value for money in the tax spend and that the front line isn't being prioritised.

    • @polysee
      @polysee  20 днів тому

      Thanks for the kind comment. Much appreciated

  • @markfla
    @markfla 22 дні тому

    Brilliant brilliant video. Thank you

  • @annytgingatall
    @annytgingatall 23 дні тому

    That was very well put.
    Fair play yonng man

  • @connoroleary591
    @connoroleary591 18 днів тому

    We are an island which also has an effect on costs of imports.
    We have a population the size of Yorkshire, and maintain an army, navy and airforce. Two houses of parliament and we have a president. To maintain this, we pay high taxes, however, many of our educated and entrepreneurial class will emigrate to avoid the tax system, housing shortage and indeed the climate.

  • @jnaur6849
    @jnaur6849 19 днів тому +1

    Incredibly informative video, this is the kind of information the people of Ireland should arm themselves with to annoy the politicians about. Any waste of public spending is a huge middle finger to the working person, who could otherwise be benefitting from better public transport or lower wait times to see a health professional!
    This country is in dire need of a shift towards looking after the taxpayer. Without us the country would be in ruin!

  • @Andreas4696
    @Andreas4696 День тому

    Same thing in Norway. During the covid pandemic, government spending was 2/3 of GDP.

  • @annamoriarty5223
    @annamoriarty5223 18 днів тому +2

    pleaseee this make so much sense

  • @D.Sheridan
    @D.Sheridan 22 дні тому

    I've so wanted a channel like this! ❤

  • @magma440
    @magma440 19 днів тому +1

    This video is missing a headline figure at the end of the video showing how much potential savings there are if your cuts were implemented. My intuition tells me that the cuts would not amount to a huge amount of money, but I could be wrong.

    • @shewasmadeofchimps
      @shewasmadeofchimps 19 днів тому

      Absolutely. Really light on hard numbers. EG I looked up Bord Bia, the salaries are 18 million per year. That’s not much in the grand scheme of things.

  • @slawko26x
    @slawko26x 18 днів тому +2

    Well done 👍

  • @Corcor94
    @Corcor94 21 день тому +1

    Excellent analysis.

  • @ndld4955
    @ndld4955 14 днів тому +2

    There is an entire generation of people who will never know the pleasure of owning their own home and i One of them😢
    We have effectively been robbed as a generation by government's big business And the wealthy
    At a certain point it should be reasonable for this generation to simply stopped paying taxes for services that they aren't receiving any benefit from and the basic requirements for a reasonable life our grandparents were able to afford on one in come Because we have been failed by the system..

  • @sean_haz
    @sean_haz 13 днів тому

    Couldn't agree more on cutting back governent spending. The people of a country produce wealth, not its government.

  • @I-am-back-again
    @I-am-back-again 19 днів тому

    I was hitting the like button just two minutes into the video, hit every nail on the head!

  • @rianconway8613
    @rianconway8613 17 днів тому +2

    these bodes act as cushioning for a deeply centralised governnment, diverting money on a national level from Dublin that would be put to better use by local governnment.

  • @peterjodonovan2025
    @peterjodonovan2025 23 дні тому +1

    Excellent stuff

  • @caolindennehy2553
    @caolindennehy2553 23 дні тому +1

    Fantastic, once again. Brilliant video. I agree there is too much money focused on management and not critical staff and I think an intergovernmental body would be fantastic.
    My fear however is that as always seems to happen the management are spared and the workers aren't, to me it seems like in these acts of cutting expenditure usually a small group has power to sack and is influenced to help management over doing what would be most effective.

    • @polysee
      @polysee  23 дні тому +1

      Thanks. A hands on minister could prescribe what cuts should be made, but sadly yes I think it will follow a course more like what you’ve outlined

  • @Togher01
    @Togher01 23 дні тому +1

    Class video. Never thought about the simi state organising being a drain on Ireland's money.

  • @Census__
    @Census__ 23 дні тому +1

    You seem knowledgeable and well researched. Where do i go to even learn a little bit of what u know about irish politics?

  • @kieranmoloney9396
    @kieranmoloney9396 18 днів тому +1

    Well thought out video

  • @colintwomey7554
    @colintwomey7554 19 днів тому +1

    As a farmer, the bord bia mark is incredibly important, but for a reason that it shouldnt really have to be... When you see the bord bia quality assurance mark, you know 100% that the food was grown/raised/produced and processed in ireland. Unfortunately, too many brands and supermarket own labels try to mislead us (and are infuriatingly allowed get away with) on provenance by conflating "produced in Ireland" vs "produce of Ireland" green packaging, irish flags/symbols, irish sounding farm names etc. None of this should be allowed but unfortunately it is, thus making the bord bia qa mark the only reliable guarantor that people should look out for if they want to buy genuine irish food and support irish food producers.

    • @polysee
      @polysee  19 днів тому +1

      Thanks for the interesting perspective. It would be interesting for a study to do be done on the effect of the Bord Bia quality mark. Yes, we're told it's important, and we're told that customers pay attention to it, but it would be nice to quantify that effect.

  • @wolf6543211
    @wolf6543211 18 днів тому +1

    Excellent video.

  • @seandavey8360
    @seandavey8360 22 дні тому +2

    When I saw the title I was afraid it would be another tax heaven = bad. Video but I was relieved to see it was pointing the actual flaws with the country

  • @MegaHolyduck
    @MegaHolyduck 21 день тому +1

    Excellent video

  • @BlackJ007
    @BlackJ007 19 днів тому +1

    Brilliant video 👍

  • @ArthurG59.
    @ArthurG59. 16 днів тому

    For context and some nuance, worth mentioning that regulated financial service providers in Ireland are subject to pay a funding levy to the Central Bank for being regulated. It also does not have a competition mandate. The Bank also manages a substantial portfolio where 80% of profits are returned to the Exchequer and 20% go toward the Bank. I do not know the specific breakdown of funding but worth highlighting it is not wholly funded and paid for by Irish citizens taxation. Previous points are all publicly available information

    • @polysee
      @polysee  16 днів тому

      Thanks for context. Fees paid by industry will ultimately be borne by consumers

  • @kieranmaye2290
    @kieranmaye2290 14 днів тому

    I arrived in Australia in Melbourne last week its like a fog has lifted. The public transport works and arrives on time. There are great sports facilities in public parks. Visible police, Loads of options for apartments to rent that are of a high quality. its just the basics done well and it makes a difference

    • @polysee
      @polysee  14 днів тому

      Enjoy it there! Hopefully we’ll have this place fixed by the time you return, apart from the weather

    • @kieranmaye2290
      @kieranmaye2290 14 днів тому

      @@polysee I hope so too. But sounds like I'll have to stat away quite a while

  • @davidleonard37
    @davidleonard37 20 днів тому +2

    If you look at the hse jobs site their are as many admin jobs as front line ones. Great video and I would agree with most of it. I work for a multinational in the private sector and to say we're lean is an understatement. If there's a saving to be made we will find it. Budgets don't get bigger, they get smaller. I wonder are a lot of these quangos a throwback to our post colonial times that for lots of reasons we haven't moved on from. Ireland created state jobs for people and times have moved on.

    • @polysee
      @polysee  20 днів тому +3

      Thanks. It seems to a phenomenon in many countries

  • @Shammm23
    @Shammm23 14 днів тому +2

    This man for Taoiseach

  • @user-iy3dv8ch4s
    @user-iy3dv8ch4s 16 днів тому +1

    Brilliant! Spot on. The health system in Ireland is like that of a developing country. Not one single issue has improved since COVID. No lessons learned.

  • @ythehunter755
    @ythehunter755 10 днів тому

    All the other costs in this graph also doubled... What a frame to only highlight one.
    Or to stay with your example. The rowers also doubled in size

  • @TheCianhogan
    @TheCianhogan 23 дні тому

    I would love to hear an opinion on Local Tax systems, as they seem to be central to the idea of Localism. Towns in America that rely on tourism for their income spend local budgets derived from local taxes on improvements specifically targeted at their local tourism industry. This creates competition between towns and local ownership and accountability for their tourism industry.