The Headline News: Increase in Company Failures and Economic Challenges
The headlines have focused on the decline in corporation tax receipts, but an even more concerning issue is the recent survey results revealing a 33% increase in company failures in the nine months leading up to September, in comparison to the same period last year. The retail sector has been hit particularly hard, with 116 retailers failing this year. The survey conducted by PwC predicts that there will be a rise in insolvencies due to rising costs in the coming year. Additionally, investment in commercial real estate has significantly dropped.
Anecdotal evidence indicates that consumers are struggling to pay for essential services, such as car maintenance. This problem is in addition to the increasing number of households facing difficulties with electricity and gas bills, with 256,000 and 168,000 homes in arrears respectively at the end of June. There is concern that these numbers will worsen as winter approaches. The situation is further compounded by the European Central Bank’s 10 interest rate increases aimed at combating inflation.
Surprisingly, the government has reinstated excise duties on essential fuels and increased the VAT rate on the hospitality sector to 13.5%, contributing to inflation and adding to the financial pressure faced by businesses. Ireland has one of the highest electricity rates in Europe, but the coalition government has shown no interest in promoting competition in wholesale markets where record profits are being made.
The country may have full employment, but the shuttered premises across the nation paint a different picture. It’s no wonder that many elected representatives are choosing not to seek re-election and are heading for the hills. The overall sentiment is that the economy is not as vibrant as it should be.
The Gaza Strip: Global Complicity in Israeli Expansionism
In the past, media outlets frequently highlighted the UN’s prediction that the Gaza Strip would become “unlivable” by 2020. Unfortunately, this prediction was quietly forgotten after the passing of that year, reflecting the lack of action taken by politicians. The focus on Palestinian human rights has been marginalized, even during the debate surrounding the imminent judicial overhaul in Israel and in global media coverage. Palestinian human rights continue to be ignored.
Given the worsening conditions in the Gaza Strip, where over two million people, mostly from refugee families, have been confined for 17 years with their electricity cut off, and in the West Bank, where Palestinians are living in fragmented enclaves with expanding illegal Israeli settlements, it is unrealistic to expect Palestinians to accept their deteriorating circumstances. The Israeli government has consistently dismissed the idea of negotiations, and the notion of a “two-state solution” has become irrelevant due to the grim realities on the ground.
We must not only mourn each life lost but also seek to understand the root cause of this ongoing violence – global complicity in Israeli expansionism. The European Union should suspend the Israeli state from the Euro-Med Trade Agreement, as the Israeli government has repeatedly violated the human rights conditions that form the basis of this agreement. In Ireland, our government needs to acknowledge the accusations of apartheid made by human rights organizations and pass long-overdue legislation, such as the Occupied Territories Bill and the Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill, without further delay. Implementing these measures is the right thing to do for the sake of justice and credibility.
Hamas and Use of Human Shields
Hamas initiated its war against Israel by attacking the dance music festival at Kibbutz Re’im, resulting in the deaths of many young people. Additional individuals have been kidnapped and taken hostage back to Gaza, where they will be used as human shields. This act of using human shields is a war crime that terrorists regularly commit.
Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah, all proxies of Iran, have rejected peace and are responsible for the murder of innocent children. It is important for Hamas apologists to remember this fact and not ignore the young lives lost at the dance festival.
The Illusion of a Two-State Solution
The ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians has been grossly one-sided, enabling Israel to act with impunity towards the people living on the land they occupy. The US consistently supports Israel and vetoes any UN resolution condemning Israeli actions, while the rest of the world has largely turned a blind eye to the continuous expansion of Israeli settlements on Palestinian land. Israel has created an apartheid state where people lack freedom of movement, democratic rights, and are treated as second-class citizens.
While the attacks on Israeli civilians by Hamas cannot be justified, such desperate measures serve as painful reminders that Israel has no intention of ever allowing the formation of an independent Palestine. Any politician who still believes in the possibility of a two-state solution is out of touch with Israel’s true intentions.
Economy Over Children’s Welfare
Ellen Coyne makes a valid point in stating that wanting to work full-time as a parent should be a choice and not a compulsion. Parents are best suited to care for their children, yet governments have consistently ignored their wishes and even penalized them if they choose to stay at home. The tax system disregards the value of parents who care for their children at home and instead discriminates against them through taxation. This injustice has been highlighted numerous times, but the government refuses to address it.
It seems that our economy is prioritized over the well-being of children, despite the fact that a declining population will also negatively impact the economy. Hungary has successfully reversed its declining population through tax allowances for families with three or more children. This topic needs to be debated in Ireland. As Ms. Coyne pointed out, parenting should be valued in its own right.
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