As anticipated, Junior minister Ivor Callely has tendered his resignation from Government this morning. Poor old Bertie must be fuming, he's been waiting weeks for budget day to boost the beleaguered Fianna Fail ratings with another election buying budget and then Ivor comes along and overshadows the whole affair.

It was a rather unexciting budget anyway. No increases in booze or smokes, bugger all changes in tax and they got rid of a few tax loopholes that should have gone years ago. Most of the commentary seemed to be about the additional money being given to parents with children under 6.

This doesn't affect me personally but I imagine throwing €1100 a year at parents with young kids isn't necessarily the best means of improving childcare. Surely there is no guarantee that this money will be spent on the welfare of the child? Perhaps this is an age old problem with all childcare payments but would it not have been more beneficial to give free medical care to children under 6 or subsidise child minding fees through tax breaks? Im sure the government spent plenty of time deliberating on these issues but they always seem to end up with the same solution of aimlessly throwing more money at the problem.

I wonder does Ivor have a few sprogs under 6. Maybe he could pay his dues to that painter with the extra childcare dosh he'll be getting next year.

Published by Padraig.