For any Irish citizen who, for even for the briefest moment, thought that this government would be different from what went before need only look at the Kevin Cardiff affair.
The whole affair confirms that Ireland is an irredeemably rotten state run by an arrogant, self serving ruling elite.
We need only focus on one event where Cardiff is concerned – he was head of the Dept of Finance when an accounting error of €3.6 billion was made.
In a functioning democracy there would be no further discussion. In a functioning democracy he would have been given a few hours to consider his position and if reluctant to take the honourable route he would have been sacked forthwith.
In Ireland, he will be awarded lottery amounts in pension and lump sum payments and offered a plum job in Europe.
This not unusual, it is how things are done in Ireland. We saw it with disgraced Central Bankers, we saw with disgraced FAS executive officers; we saw it with disgraced politicians.
Such rewards for incompetence are an integral part of Irish culture.
This scandal is almost a carbon copy of the Judge O’Flaherty/Sheedy scandal of eleven years ago.
Judge O’Flaherty had been nominated as Ireland’s representative to the European Investment Bank by then Finance Minister, Charlie McCreevy.
Despite massive public anger and an admission by McCreevy that it was the wrong thing to do the then government pushed ahead with its plans.
The dismissive arrogance of the then government was only stopped when it came into conflict with the high standards of accountability common in European countries.
The EU effectively told the Irish government to take a hike and bring their judge with them.
This government is also determined to press ahead with the appointment of Cardiff despite widespread objections and anger.
The Irish people can only hope that, once again, the Europeans will intervene and put a stop to the gombeen activities of our politicians.