According to the Sunday Tribune, Celia Larkin, Bertie Ahern’s ex-girlfriend, was paid almost €30,000 in fees and expenses for sitting on the board of the National Consumer Agency – a position she described as purely voluntary.
The NCA is a useless organisation that claims to act in the best interests of consumers but, for the most part, fails miserably in its mission.
This useless quango, which has a pitiful budget of €10 million, has a bloated board of 12 and has cost the taxpayer more than €330,000 in expenses and fees. Its chief executive, Ann Fitzgerald, is paid a disgracefully high wage of €182,333.
There is nothing new about this scandal. We know, and have known for years, that there are thousands of Irish citizens doing exactly what these people are doing – sucking the State dry of vital funds that could otherwise be used to benefit those who deserve help.
Does anybody really believe that Ahern, who appointed Larkin, is worried about these revelations, that he’s chewing his nails with worry about possible consequences? Is there anybody naïve enough to think that Larkin gives two damns what people think? Is there anybody fool enough to believe that there’s some state authority or some politician out there who will challenge these people, who will act in the interests of the people?
No, low grade people like Larkin and Ahern do not care what people think, they are confident that they operate in a jurisdiction where accountability is almost non existent, where they are practically untouchable.
None of this will change until the Irish people learn how to express their anger en masse – I’m not holding my breadth.
Copy to:
NCA
Fianna Fail
Wow Anthony you are really sticking it to them there. Incidentally visit any district court and you’ll be amazed at the amount of people pulled up for Tv Licences.
Yes, I know ferdia but sometimes, just sometimes I get really depressed at Irish people’s inability to get angry
I can only say, thank you Celia, for all the hard work you have done to protect the consumers of “rip off” Ireland. As usual, you and Bertie must be congratulated for your integrity and humanity. Bertie is nothing less than the light of the nation, and you Celia, shine in the afterglow of this light. Thank you for your noble commitment to the pursuit of justice for consumers. And, all that hard volunteer work for only a mere 30,000 Euro.
Tis not too bad they lost the Lisbon referendum and they deserved to lose it, maybe things are about to change.