Every trade union and interest group has their hand out for their share

OUR elected TDs returned to Leinster House this morning after their summer recess.

Recess and not holidays they stress, they have been working away in their constituencies throughout this time they will tell anyone who cares to listen.

Doing what exactly? Ensuring they work hard to secure their re-election when the next election is called, or working on drafting and examining leglisation which will come before them in the new term?

The focus for the coming weeks will the minority government’s first budget.

There will be feverish speculation on what will be contained within Michael Noonan’s speech, on whether the influ- ence of the independent TDs supporting the government will be evident and whether Fianna Fail are really the tail wagging the dog and their demands such as a €5 increase in the pension will be delivered.

Against this backdrop of budget fever we have the first sustained period of industrial unrest.

Dublin Bus drivers have had a number of days of strike action and there are threats of more to follow if they do not reach an agreement with the company in the coming days.

The Gardai have reached an agreement on a rent allowance for incoming recruits which has allievated the potential for a ‘ blue flu’ amongs the rank and file members.

Other sectors in the public sector are sure to follow suit and seek pay awards should the Dublin Bus drivers be successful in getting improved terms following the Luas drivers earlier this year.

Of course everyone is within their right to seek a pay rise and better terms following the period of austerity.

As we slowly recover from that dark period, the upcoming budget might not be as feared as in previous years.

However economic experts have differing views on how the one billion euro fiscal space should be spent, some say tax cuts to relieve some of the enforced pain on those at work, others say it should be spent on in areas such as house building, education, child care and infrastructure which will help generate additional wealth and tax revenues.

Lobby groups will want their slice of the billion euro for their interest group.

Whatever Michael Noonan decides in the coming weeks he won’t please everyone but at least he has some funds to allocate this year.

HE WON’T PLEASE EVERYONE BUT AT LEAST HE HAS SOME FUNDS TO ALLOCATE THIS YEAR