At the very beginning of a Prime Time special last night viewers were ‘informed’ of who was responsible for Ireland’s woes.
2,000 miles away a country in turmoil lit the spark in a wildfire that would overwhelm Ireland and threaten to destroy the single currency.
Greece, according to the programme, was brought to the brink of financial collapse by a combination of corruption, chronic indebtedness and a dysfunctional tax system.
Ireland, on the other hand was ‘damaged’ by a combination of reckless banks, inept regulators and disastrous economic policies.
For a full hour the programme analysed the loss of Ireland’s financial independence without once mentioning the word ‘corruption’.
It is no mean achievement to analyse a country brought to ruin by political, financial and administrative corruption without once referring to that reality.
Greece is corrupt; Ireland is not, apparently.
So let’s bring ourselves up to date on who is to blame for the catastrophe visited upon Ireland.
The global financial crisis.
Lehman Brothers.
The German and French banks
And now – the Greeks.
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Prime Time