Michael Taft

‘Housing targets will not be met until builders are weaned off state supports, warns LDA’ .. state supports have been sold as a ‘kickstart’ to supply, when in fact they over-inflate land values & increase systemic risk. How now to wean without a supply shock? www.independent.ie/irish-news/h...

The Tánaiste claims his focus is on supporting people ‘who get up early and go to work’ – except for the low-paid and workers who get sick, or take the bus, or rent, or visit a GP, or have children. These early risers get left paying the high living costs: tinyurl.com/cz6rzxdn

The Tánaiste claims his focus is on supporting people ‘who get up early and go to work’ – except for the low-paid and workers who get sick, or take the bus, or rent, or visit a GP, or have children. These early risers get left paying the high living costs. tinyurl.com/cz6rzxdn

‘study suggests that nearly 50,000 homes could have been built if the resources in the data centre build-out were directed elsewhere’ #housing #Speirgorm www.thejournal.ie/government-d...

‘Irish people don’t want to live in ‘mostly awful’ apartments. Here’s five ways to fix them’ - Lorcan Sirr www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2026...

‘Govt to remove environmental assessments for certain developments’ ‘no environmental screening for projects up to 250 homes, basic screening up to 750 homes, full EIA will only be required for developments above 750 homes’ ..yet more “quick-fix” deregulation for profit www.rte.ie/news/politic...

‘Housing Minister wants €20,000 tax refund hike for first-time buyers of new homes in Budget 2027’ .. this is like giving people money to bid for concert tickets*, instead of putting on extra shows** *limited homes **building homes www.independent.ie/irish-news/p...

How are the top 1% doing? They earn more than 7 times the average-income worker. And this gap is growing. They take in even more capital income. We need structural policies that shift power in the economy away from the 1% and towards the rest of us. tinyurl.com/mws3v8hn

‘Fall in number of homes added to social housing stock’ in 2025 .. the real story is the local authorities now own *fewer* homes than they did 10 years ago, so where is all the money going? 31/12/2015: 159,336 31/12/2025 158,672 www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026...

How are the top 1% doing? They earn more than 7 times the average-income worker. And this gap is growing. They take in even more capital income. We need structural policies that shift power in the economy away from the 1% and towards the rest of us: tinyurl.com/mws3v8hn

Keeping the low-paid down. Despite profits and VAT cuts, employers still claim they can’t afford minimum wage increases. But rising revenues, generous subsidies, small business profitability: all the evidence shows they can well afford it. tinyurl.com/ytfy74k2

Keeping the low-paid down. Despite profits and VAT cuts, employers still claim they can’t afford minimum wage increases. But rising revenues, generous subsidies, small business profitability: all the evidence shows they can well afford it. tinyurl.com/ytfy74k2

Childcare today: business down-sizing, dividends, corporate concentration, speculative investments – childcare as a commercial activity . Fortunately, there is an alternative. It starts with the employees and the service they provide – a public service. tinyurl.com/mr2mzamd

Childcare today: business down-sizing, dividends, corporate concentration, speculative investments – childcare as a commercial activity . Fortunately, there is an alternative. It starts with the employees and the service they provide – a public service: tinyurl.com/mr2mzamd

"We are chronically dependent on income we did little to earn." Https://www.independent.ie/business/adrian-weckler-ireland-has-set-up-one-of-the-greatest-cash-gathering-operations-from-multinationals-in-european-history.-how-long-can-it-last/a/160319883.html?utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=share

Elinor Ostrom the first woman to win a Nobel in #economics was born today 7th August 1933, she worked on commons ownership, deep democracy and tackling #climatechange. We should respect her rules for radicals! www.plutobooks.com/product/elin...

We can significantly increase current spending and still remain within the Government’s fiscal parameters. Just increase, not cut, tax revenue. This money could be redirected into significant reductions in cost-of-living, childcare fees and child-poverty. tinyurl.com/2s4er22m

We can significantly increase current spending and still remain within the Government’s fiscal parameters. Just increase, not cut, tax revenue. This money could be redirected into significant reductions in cost-of-living, childcare fees and child-poverty: tinyurl.com/2s4er22m

CEO pay increased by nearly 10% last year. Should be no complaints if workers put in similar pay claims. CEO pay in Ireland in 2025: One executive earned $237m www.irishtimes.com/business/202...

Last call for Tressell Tickets Saturday in the RDS, Ireland’s premier political and union festival is happening. Tickets here: www.eventbrite.ie/e/robert-tre...

Despite claims to the contrary, Irish personal tax rates for middle-income earners are not high. In fact, they are at the lower end of the EU. We need an evidence-based debate. If the middle is being squeezed, it is not tax that is doing the squeezing: tinyurl.com/mtjh6mzc

Despite claims to the contrary, Irish personal tax rates for middle-income earners are not high. In fact, they are at the lower end of the EU. We need an evidence-based debate. If the middle is being squeezed, it is not tax that is doing the squeezing. tinyurl.com/mtjh6mzc

The Irish haulage sector is a low-productivity, low-investment, and ultra-low waged sector compared to our EU peer group. Instead of reforming it, the Government is subsidising poor performance. We need to negotiate and plan a productive haulage sector: tinyurl.com/53rwvpn9

The Irish haulage sector is a low-productivity, low-investment, and ultra-low waged sector compared to our EU peer group. Instead of reforming it, the Government is subsidising poor performance. We need to negotiate and plan a productive haulage sector. tinyurl.com/53rwvpn9

How do you spend €500 million on an energy support package to so little effect? You have to really, really try.

The Taoiseach wants to cut capital gains tax. This is yet another example of ‘doing-something-so-that-you’re-seen-to-be-doing-something’. It will have little impact on the productive economy but it will be expensive, wasteful, unnecessary, and regressive. tinyurl.com/mrx8kc2e

The only thing keeping a weakened US economy afloat is AI capital spending (mostly data centres). What happens if the AI bubble bursts? To the US economy? And the Irish economy?

Progressives should oppose regressive cuts in VAT and Excise as part of a household energy support package. A combination of a new electricity credit and social protection measures would be far more progressive. We need evidence-based policy making. tinyurl.com/y3exyxt3

Progressives should oppose regressive cuts in VAT and Excise as part of a household energy support package. A combination of a new electricity credit and social protection measures would be far more progressive. We need evidence-based policy making: tinyurl.com/y3exyxt3

We can’t control global prices. But we can introduce energy price accountability with new powers to allow the Regulator to end price-gouging and opportunistic pricing. A little bit of democracy could help a whole lot. tinyurl.com/5e9ytbub

We can’t control global prices. But we can introduce energy price accountability with new powers to allow the Regulator to end price-gouging and opportunistic pricing. A little bit of democracy could help a whole lot. tinyurl.com/5e9ytbub

New substack: politics is not about cosy debates or soundbites on silly TV shows. It’s about conflicts of interest. chrisdillow.substack.com/p/economic-g...

If employment is a good indicator of economic health, we might be getting a bit under the weather. The private sector generated no new net jobs in the last year and overall job growth is falling towards zero. We need to debate how to maintain job growth: tinyurl.com/6dap783e

If employment is a good indicator of economic health, we might be getting a bit under the weather. The private sector generated no new net jobs in the last year and overall job growth is falling towards zero. We need to debate how to maintain job growth. tinyurl.com/6dap783e

Solidarity to the people of Minnesota and the fantastic turnout in opposition to ICE. #ICEOUT

A most insightful piece here from @ingridrobeyns.bsky.social Recommended reading @ciarannugent.bsky.social @michael-taft.bsky.social

Progressive parties and civil society groups should jointly campaign to force the Government to abandon any visit to the White House on St. Patrick’s Day. This would highlight Ireland’s support for the international rule of law: tinyurl.com/2fy9hfvz

Progressive parties and civil society groups should jointly campaign to force the Government to abandon any visit to the White House on St. Patrick’s Day. This would highlight Ireland’s support for the international rule of law. tinyurl.com/2fy9hfvz

This shows the function of "independent" regulation. It is not to improve the working of an industry, but to allow the government to avoid responsibility.

Amazing. Not only did the Irish Government fail to condemn the US attack on Venezuela, it didn’t even mention the US in a statement released by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. tinyurl.com/ytjw82vy

Electricity credits? VAT cuts? Means-tested payments? The best way to reduce electricity costs for low/average income groups way is to provide every household with a minimum amount of free electricity. Don’t tinker with price markets. Reshape them: tinyurl.com/4v4x5zbv

Electricity credits? VAT cuts? Means-tested payments? The best way to reduce electricity costs for low/average income groups way is to provide every household with a minimum amount of free electricity. Don’t tinker with price markets. Reshape them. tinyurl.com/4v4x5zbv

The perverse logic of Government’s immigration policy: it points to the benefits that immigrants bring to the economy. Then it says there are too many immigrants. And if you point out this contradiction, you're accused of wanting to close down the debate! tinyurl.com/r3s9myka

The perverse logic of Government’s immigration policy: it points to the benefits that immigrants bring to the economy. Then it says there are too many immigrants. And if you point out this contradiction, you're accused of wanting to close down the debate! tinyurl.com/r3s9myka

🚨 One in every 22 homes in Ireland is either vacant or derelict. GeoDirectory Residential Buildings Report Q2 2025: 🏚️80,328* VACANT homes 🏚️19,821* DERELICT dwellings #DerelictIreland #HousingCrisis In my visualisation, red blocks represent some of the Derelict and Vacant Sites in Dublin City.

Interesting critical take on new housing strategy in today’s @independent.ie by john mccartney‬⁩

“Cost of agricultural land rises 10% with Dublin most expensive” Dublin median price/acre €24,125 (so €57,900 /hectare) 1 hectare can fit 35-50 new homes at site price ≈ €80,000/home Hence windfall profits from re-zoning agricultural land to residential land www.irishtimes.com/business/202...

New substack: the government could pay a heavy cost for increasing military spending: chrisdillow.substack.com/p/some-costs...

The first electoral test for progressives in the Connolly Coalition will be the Galway West by-election. A voter-transfer pact is essential to maximising support and the minimum needed to show that progressives are serious about building an alternative to the current Government.

50% of households find it difficult making ends meet. Temporary measures won’t solve this. We need to promote wages and incomes, reshape market prices, and provide free public services. Affordability is one of the foundations of an alternative government: tinyurl.com/wzj3usnf