The Commission on Taxation Report is irrelevant. The patient is on the operating table right now getting full open heart surgery and, quite apart from the ongoing rows between surgeons on the best way to avoid death, along comes a report on how the patient could best prepare for a triathlon! The Commission on Taxation Report is about as welcome as a blood test at a funeral and equally as well timed. The report was envisaged and commissioned at the time of the Tiger with its working group established in February 2008. Sure, it contains many laudable goals and aspirations with plenty of specifics on how to disassemble our Swiss cheese tax system and make it more effective in driving an entrepreneurial culture.

But, hello, that was then, this is now. The biggest and most immediate task facing this country is to reduce the gap between tax revenues and spending to avoid bankruptcy – not how we should go about collecting the poxy taxes. The Minister for Finance would be nuts to attempt to introduce any sweeping tax reform this December. Instead, he should focus his full attention on reducing the public sector pay and pensions bubble, postponing tax major tax reform until next year at the earliest. To do otherwise risks killing the patient completely.

Don’t be fooled by claims that these changes would be tax neutral. In the long run that may be true, but you can’t stuff taxpayers who aren’t changing home for property tax and then tell them it’s neutral because the total received equals the old stamp duty take. Neither can you implement any serious tax changes, especially those that involve detailed means testing, when most of the population is on its knees struggling to survive. To do so risks serious unrest. The Irish public, especially in the most recession-vulnerable parts of the economy need to first see a steady hand on the tiller, leadership prepared to take the courageous and necessary actions to stabilise, the public finances. After that, with a fair wind from a global economic uplift, comes recovery and with it, the phased introduction of tax reform. Do it any other way and you may as well, put the notice in the paper, order the roses and ring the undertaker now.