Inside View

Ravaging Cost of Living

by Bernie Goldbach in Clonmel

THE HEADWINDS OF RECESSION are blowing relentlessly in Ireland. I'm listening to people venting on Twitter.

Sunday Independent Qik Clip

FRONT PAGE HEADLINES, strong editorial opinion, and respected opinion polls all suggest a headless government runs Ireland at the moment. In fact, many Irish citizens believe several current government ministers failed to heed warning signs and blundered Ireland into a deep recession. But it's worse than that--the tactics considered by the current government aren't working and in the minds of more than two-thirds of the population, the government's plodding strategies needs to be put to a public vote now. All the elements of a meltdown now exist in the halls of the Irish government. If I was a betting man, I'd check with Deputy John McGuinness on the timing of the next general election. He has more say in the matter than the fragile leadership at the top.

Four Sunday Papers in 10 Minutes

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One Year Ago -- "Sunday Qik News from NYC" March 29, 2009.

One Month Ago: "Qik Sunday News", February 28, 2010.

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Downturn Forcing Second Car on Me

PART OF THE Irish recession affects public transport because withdrawn subsidies mean fewer long distance commuting options for me. Up until the December budget, I could walk out of my home in Cashel at 0701, onto a bus at 0715 and then onto Dublin's streets before 1000. I could return before 1800, killing three meetings in Dublin. Everything just got more difficult. For me to make those three meetings while using my preferred Aircoach option, one meeting has to occur after 1500 and that puts me back home at 2000. Aircoach is running fewer circuits around rural Ireland. As a resuklt, my average duty day for a Dublin meet-up got extended by two hours. The only work-around is driving to a rail connection and recovering two lost hours that way because the train is faster than the bus. However, that means buying a second car and paying twice as much for the 84-mile run to Dublin (Irish Rail is much more expensive than a bus.). I won't buy a second car. I will start reducing my travel and rely more on virtual conferencing.

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Sent mail2blog using Nokia E90 3G O2-Typepad service aboard Aircoach in County Kilkenny, Ireland.

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