What does Ireland has to show for such a large government employees. Health service is in tatters, so is housing. Come on. Put down the rose tinted glasses.
As for health,the health outcomes are 6 years more life per person for $7.1k/person/yr compared to the US which costs $12.5kpp/yr.
Largely bailing out the banks, actually. Debt fell to practically nothing prior to the financial crisis, then leapt up, and has been kinda flat ever since. So, I mean, arguably welfare for the rich? We were arguably over-generous with the banks.
> What does Ireland has to show for such a large government employees. Health service is in tatters, so is housing.
Again, that is because we _don't actually spend very much on it_, to a large extent. As I said, I think we should be spending more, particularly on building housing.
I'm a bit confused; what sort of changes do you want to see? Cuts to the dole? That wouldn't make any significant difference to the state's finances. Cuts to pensions (the bulk of social welfare)? I mean, good luck with that; no politician is going to run on a policy of annoying old people.
Welfare dependency in Ireland is of another level. 4% figure is cooked by engaging people into government skill programs
* Pension (10.69bn) - Can't touch this
* Illness, disability, and carers (5.6bn) - This is also largely old people; a lot of it should arguably come out of the health budget
* Working age income supports (4.11bn) - This is programmes for low-income working people.
Way down the bottom: "Working age employment supports", at 655mn. That's the dole. It is comparatively nothing.
Again, what specific changes do you think should be made? How would they be beneficial?