I mentioned before how difficult it is to keep track of corruption in Ireland. The following list compiled from media reports over the last few days will help to make the point.
1. Two nursing home patients who died last year were buried without death certificates being issued. No action taken.
2. 75 year old man dies from blood loss after attempts to transfer him to three different hospitals for emergency surgery failed. This case is related to a chaotic and incompetent third world health service still suffering from ruthless cutbacks in the 1980s.
3. Transparency International annual report sees Ireland again slipping down the corruption index.
4. Billionaire Dermot Desmond writes an open letter to the Moriarty Tribunal complaining, among other things, that the tribunal is a waste of public funds. Dermot is a close friend of corrupt politician Charlie Haughey. Dermot apparently had no problem when his friend cost the taxpayer a lot of money by his non co-operation with the McCracken tribunal some years ago.
5. An Oireachtas committee is to inquire into the multi-million euro conference centre deal entered into by Dublin Port Company with a number of private developers. This case has been simmering for some time now. An Oireachtas committee is just a talking shop. Whatever is going on here we can be sure of two things. It will cost the taxpayer millions and no action will be taken.
6. Computer systems that cost millions for the Dept. of Health but don’t work. Millions paid to consultants to make sure they did work. Nobody accepts responsibility. Taxpayer is hit yet again.
7. The family of Brian Rossiter (14) who fell into a coma in Garda custody and later died have said they cannot afford to take part in the inquiry unless Minister for Justice Michael McDowell increases their fees.
8. Dublin’s Mater hospital stopped the trials of an important drug for treating lung cancer because the scheme didn’t comply with the Catholic ethos of the hospital
9. Dozens of vulnerable people who were abused by the State and church have again been abused by their solicitors who double charged them for work before the Residential Institutional Redress Board.
10. The pensions ombudsman, in his first annual report states clearly that some employers, particularly in the construction industry, have been stealing money from their employees. No action will be taken.
Keep in mind that all these cases have been in the news in just the last 7 to 10 days. Neither is this just a once off, this level of corruption and dodgy dealing is common all year round in Ireland. I would ask readers to carry out a small experiment. Check out media reports from a number of other countries and compare them to the above list of cases. You will find that even the most base banana republics will come nowhere near the level of corruption seen here in Ireland.