Budget in Ireland is next headache.

There is an air of nervous expectation as we await next weeks budget here in Ireland. No matter what job or business you are in here right now you can expect to be hit. The government say that they want to stay clear of increasing taxation but i still think that many of the old favourites will be hit. As someone in the chauffeurdrive/private driver and guide or tour operator business, i will not be surprised if we are hit with fuel or road tax and other motoring cost increases. There will be cuts in social welfare and great cuts in the public services where the government wants huge voluntary redundancies. Everybody agrees that we need to make huge cutbacks but nobody wants it in their own area. The amount of people out of work continues to rise and our welfare bill is just ridiculous. There was a time when people could consider emigration as a solution but now where can you go to get work? This is a worldwide problem and nobody needs new emigrants. They are finding it hard to even look after their own. Many businesses are pulling out of Ireland and heading to far away places where they can get workers for a lot less. We cannot compete with these countries and our situation is critical. Nobody seems to have the answer.
In the meantime the flooding has not eased and things have now actually gotten worse in many places due to the drinking water becoming polluted. People now will have to boil their water until this is sorted out and that could take up to five weeks in many areas. It is hard to watch those affected being interviewed on our news programs as they are distraught due to their losses. Homes destroyed...brand new homes in many cases. Old people being rescued in tractors and trailers, animals isolated and starving from lack of fodder. Huge areas of land under many feet of water. Insurance companies looking for loopholes so that they can escape as many claims for compensation as possible. What is happening in Ireland in recent times is like something out of the old testament. If Noah was still around he would be building an Ark....if there was a bank to give him the money. Where all this will end is anybody's guess.
I can only say that i am a very lucky man that my business does not depend on the amount of traffic that comes my way at this time of the year. A private driver in the west of Ireland would not be in great demand at this time of the year. Hopefully this will all pass on sooner rather than later and then we can all start to get a little positive once again with regard to the coming year. I still remain hopeful. Coming to Ireland is still a dream to many people especially Americans. A return to the old sod is something that they feel they must do before they can die happy. If things continue to improve over there as they seem to be doing then that will certainly help and i know that some of those who decide to come will find their way to me and my chauffeurdrive business.
If you have a comment please do not be shy.