Creative Solutions?
Is that your best shot?
I’m not sure about you but I felt a huge sense of the inevitable about this years budget – it was a huge nothing, not in terms of what will be taken from the “easy suspects” , which is wrecking our domestic economy but it was a nothing in terms of the “solutions” , initiatives, incentives to try to revitalise and generate growth in areas that badly need it.
I was deliberately ignoring all the “headlines” on budget day but I did manage to accidentally tune into Michael Noonan being interviewed on the radio – he was declaring it a budget “for” SME’s and designed to help jobs and growth..
That was interesting – I eagerly started looking for some of the budget detail. I am a little confused as to what is in place to make it a budget for SME’s and for generating jobs and growth. Nothing!
Our government who admittedly have a really tough job in a tough economic climate had a lot of time to work and prepare for this budget – considering the job creation issues and the huge challenge with sectors of our economy it was a huge nothing.
This budget was lazy and unimaginative, it did nothing to stimulate our economy and most significantly it did nothing to restore confidence or any spark that would encourage you to drive on and start “making things happen”.
What is sure is that the budget won’t beat us and we will drive on and create our own future … As I have said to our own team “F**k the budget“.
Is that your best shot? Unfortunately, it probably was …..
Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion
Tags: Budget 2012, Fuzion, Greg Canty, Michael Noonan
Greg Canty Fuzion Blog 
December 9, 2012 at 4:55 pm |
No Vision. No Courage. Pen-pushers! Back to us all over again, to keep ourselves going (those of us who can and those of us who are not very weary at this point). However, sometimes, great things can come from such lack of leadership. We have to dig even deeper than ever before – and often, there is something else to pull out. It’s also a time for us all to be ever more inter-dependent and supportive and not just be thinking of ourselves. Yes Greg, you’re right, “F**k the budget”!
December 9, 2012 at 8:11 pm |
well done Paul ….. Fxxx the budget !
December 9, 2012 at 11:12 pm |
Great summary Greg, needless to say that the current Irish government has a major communication issue. The media reveals some proposals, and asks for explanations behind the Government’s decisions, but the Government simply neglects the right of citizens to know it’s planning and strategy. There is no so badly needed public discussions/debates that can suggest where we all are being taken to? I agree with the previous comment, that we all need to work harder now, and become more inter-independent, plus supportive. Least thing I would add on though, would be that we also need to stand for our rights, and maintain the right doing in civilised and democratic country. The only way to maintain it now, currently, is to oppose the regressive budget being implemented by the current Government. In what way, I don’t know, we all are here to think of it……………
December 10, 2012 at 10:36 am |
You make some interesting points – I wonder how many proposals did the government look at in terms of balancing the books – what would be gained from each and what would the impact be on our economy. I would love to think that this was a measured and fair process and that all of the best decisions were made, not ones that were ranked for “popularity” or with an eye on avoiding those who are most organised and could make the loudest noise in terms of lobby groups.
December 10, 2012 at 12:58 pm |
A simple and important measure for us would be to allow some flexibility for job seekers – we work on a project basis and have a need for flexible labour. The way the current social welfare system works it is very hard to give people a week or two’s work which they desperately want but are too afraid to take because of getting back on the dole….
December 10, 2012 at 2:58 pm |
Brian – You are so right, its easier to stay on the treadmill when it is too hard to step off and try to get on again.
December 10, 2012 at 1:23 pm |
I think what many people miss in all the debate on the budget is that it is of course idealogically driven. It is not about building up a fair and equal society, it is about balancing the books and therein is the core of the idealogy. A balanced book may does not necessarily mean recovery, it is in essence, companies and business being left to flounder to the detriment of the common good. It is maintaining a particular lifestyle of the most comfortable in our society to the cost of those who are very vulnerable. Even the most neo-liberal countries in the world, the USA did not take the Austerity line, nor did Australia. Instead they invested and stimulated their economies and recovered. We, in line with our European masters, chose Austerity measures and this has resulted in even a further downward spiral of our economy in line with European economies who are not recovering like America and Australia. Employment will stimulate the economy and drive us foreward and this government just don’t have what it takes to break rank and drive us forward. Even the Troika did not ask for some of the measures that were introduced in this budget. This is the 6th austerity budget and we are not, despite the nonsense that government politians are spouting, recovering one bit. To the contrary, more and more businesses are going under, emmigation is becoming more common and our vulnerable are going suffering unspeakably. They’ve had their opportunity, now it’s time for them to get out and leave it to those who are brave enough to lead.
December 10, 2012 at 2:57 pm |
Thank you Deirdre – I love your line “brave enough to lead”. The answer is probably not !
December 10, 2012 at 11:10 pm |
just a suggestion guy’s !! perhaps somebody like I B M / Microsoft / or even Google or dare I say it ” LinkedIn could help to set up and sponsor a major online petition from small/medium business all over Ireland. They would have the targeting techniques to make sure the awareness campaign was a success. The big companies like those mentioned depend on many partnerships with smaller businesses. Perhaps they would endorse a call for this government to increase better support levels to S M E ‘s. This would need a sustained multi-dimensional campaign across all media.
Let’s face it they have lots of lip service initiatives to say ” THEY ARE ” supporting small business, but it’s been well documented at the coalface that this is not the case.
I’m sure the petition would receive thousands of signatures, I’m also not sure if they would pay a blind bit of attention to it.
Keep it positive though and I would endorse the excellent suggestion above of reaching out ” with a helping hand ” or reach out ” for a helping hand ” from others in business. There’s lots that could be done, but it would need people to band together in reasonable numbers to effect any plausible action.
December 10, 2012 at 11:13 pm |
I like it Martin – if those big sweet “candy” blue chip IT companies started to get behind SME’s they might listen up !