Tags

Tax reform, economic reform, politics, programme for government, manifesto,

Client

Political party in opposition

Terms of Reference

Develop a fully integrated tax and economic reform plan that would be the basis for an election manifesto, help win a general election campaign, form a fundamental plank of the programme for Government and deliver substantial economic benefits for Ireland

Outcome

The political party was voted into office and the tax and main points (but not all) were adopted by the coalition parties as part of the programme for Government.

Some of the most fundamental and important points were adopted years later.

Others have since been accepted by all political parties as essential but the resources and political will still does not exist to introduce the necessary changes due to resistance by vested interests, eg, the poverty trap which prevents people returning to work, the myriad of tax incentives that benefits the few, the obsession with property investment rather than with investment in business and job creation, the necessity of bureaucratic and local government reform, the need for reform of the Health services, Legal system, government procurement, etc.