Competitive lip-service
by planetparker
In a report the National Competitiveness Council has once again drawn attention to the lack of competitiveness in charges amongst the professions and locally-traded services. The council has been highlighting this for years and pointing to its manifest dangers to the Irish economy.
But one fears that Dr Thornhill and the council, while sincererly committed to greater competitiveness, are whistling in the wind.
NCC chairman Don Thornhill
By professions we understand such services as those provided by doctors, dentists, accountants and other financial personnel, lawyers and architects. By their definition these are self-regulating professions, so no outside agency such as the legislature can tell them what to do; Furthermore, the vast majority of the senior cohort of most of our political parties, who in turn form our legislature, are members of these professions, so nothing will be done to rein in their anti competitive behaviour.
