Category: Fianna Fail

The C & AGs annual (farce) report

The Comptroller and Auditor General has once again revealed a massive waste of taxpayer’s money caused by the incompetence of various government agencies. There are only two certainties about this annual farce – the wastage will continue and nothing will be done.

Here’s how three of our most senior, so called leaders, responded to the latest report.

The Taoiseach, Brian Cowen refused to make any comment whatsoever.

The Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan, also refused to make any comment and instead referred the matter to the useless Dail Public Accounts Committee.

The Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern said he ‘didn’t ever involve himself in procurement issues.’ He then bizarrely went on to congratulate the officials that were criticised by the C & AG.

PDs legacy

The legacy of the PDs was discussed on Saturday View. Former PD minister Bobby Molloy said;

“One of the most important things we did was having the tribunal established to investigate the beef industry and all the stuff that has been revealed following that and other tribunals.

None of that would have happened were it not for the fact that we were absolutely adamant there must be an independent judicial inquiry.”

Molloy is right in his claim that the PDs were responsible for the establishment of the Beef Tribunal but when the report was finally published and it became crystal clear that it was a whitewash his party fell into line with everybody else in sticking their heads in the sand.

Every tribunal since has seen the same reaction. Massive corruption revealed but no action taken. Everybody congratulates themselves for doing a wonderful job, the media analyse the report for a week and all is then forgotten until the next investigation.

It will be the same when the present batch of tribunals comes to an end – no action will be taken.

Molloy related an interesting story about how he and O’Malley forced the corrupt Haughey to establish the Beef Tribunal. Apparently, Haughey at first refused outright but when the PDs stood their ground Haughey offered an enquiry by the Attorney General. Again, the PDs stood their ground until finally Haughey gave in and established a full judicial enquiry as demanded.

It was this kind of integrity and courage that made the PDs and it was the abandonment of such principles by Mary Harney that destroyed the party.

Ahern has nothing to worry about

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has submitted his resignation letter to the country’s President, Shimon Peres. Olmert is under investigation by police on corruption charges.

Bertie Ahern, who is suspected of far more serious crimes, is not being investigated by the police and nobody would even think of using the word ‘corruption’ when reporting on the allegations against him.

Immediately after resigning Ahern was hailed as a great statesman and all thoughts of making him accountable in Dail Eireann were forgotten.

Enda Kenny called for a general election and was roundly condemned by all and sundry. The general consensus, even among the media, was that this was Bertie’s day and any criticism was crass and unwarranted. Even Kenny’s party colleagues maintained an embarrassed silence.

By resigning Ahern became untouchable because there’s no State authority capable or willing to make him accountable. The tribunal farce will run its course but no matter what conclusions it reaches Ahern’s status as a hero will not be affected.

During a media interview after his last appearance at the tribunal Ahern said he had nothing to worry about – He’s absolutely right, he hasn’t.

PDs drown in Fianna Fail sewer

About the only sensible thing Michael McDowell ever said during his political career was that the PDs had to be either radical or redundant. The party stopped being radical and thus became redundant the moment Mary Harney decided to share power with Bertie Ahern.

Of course, the PDs had shared power with Fianna Fail before but there was always a degree of instability so long as the PDs stuck by their ethical principles. It’s actually impossible to maintain ethical standards and, at the same time, share power with a corrupt party like Fianna Fail as the Greens have quickly discovered.

Harney, realising this, quickly abandoned the party’s core value of defending high ethical standards in public office and led the party back down to the Fianna Fail sewers from which the original leaders of the PDs, including Harney, had courageously extracted themselves in 1985.

Once back in the sewer, political life became much easier for Harney and most of her colleagues, both parties floated along at the same level, happily sharing the same stench.

The problem of course was that voters couldn’t tell the difference anymore so why bother voting for a party that had voluntarily made itself redundant.

PDs – A humiliating end

It’s almost, and I stress ‘almost’, sad to see the PDs (Pathetic Dopes?) spin out their inevitable demise in such a humiliating fashion.

Mary Harney has always been a dyed in the wool Fianna Failer, a fact clearly demonstrated by her complete abandonment of ethical standards after taking over leadership of the PDs.

Her unwavering loyalty to a chancer like Bertie Ahern was bound to result in the destruction of a party that once had the potential to really break the mould of Irish (corrupt) politics.

The untouchables

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

Good news from the navy

I got some good news from a navy friend of mine last night.

During the week he overheard a conversation in which the commanding officer of the navy expressed anger about my letter criticising the involvement of a State ship in honouring the corrupt Haughey.

Apparently, he wanted to know if there was anything that could be done about this letter writer. He was informed that as Mr. Sheridan was no longer a serving member of the naval service, there was nothing that could be done.

I wrote last week that my letter hadn’t been published, I’m delighted to report that I was mistaken in that belief.

O'Connor's Bertie love in

They say love is blind, that those struck by the condition find it impossible to see any bad in the object of their desire. And so it seems with Brendan O’Connor and his undying love for Bertie.

His article in today’s Sunday Independent is entitled ‘Tis Bertie’s summer of love’. Here are some of O’Connor’s Bertie endearments.

On criticism of Bertie’s performance on The Road to Croker.

“The thing that mattered about Bertie on The Road to Croker was what always mattered with Bertie. It was that feel good factor he radiates.”

“For an hour (with Bertie) there was no recession, no bad weather and everything was alright.”

On (grumpy bird) Cowen’s performance.

“As we deal with our current grumpy bird, Bertie is reminding us how good we always felt when we were with him. And how we always looked on the bright side of things. We need the Bertie Aherns of the world right now.”

On Darren Sutherland’s comment that winning bronze at the Olympics was like winning gold.

“We believed when we listened to him that bronze was the new gold. And that’s what we need right now, guys who can convince us that bronze is gold. Never mind Cowen addressing the nation — every day at noon, Bertie Ahern and Darren Sutherland should address the nation. And tell us that everything is alright. And we’d believe them.”

No Brendan – Only fools believe Bertie.

Copy to:
Brendan O’Connor

Fianna Fail Cllr. attacks delinquent trees

“I am sick of trees all over this city causing annoyance at one level or another for residents.”

With this comment Fianna Fail Cllr. Michael Crowe brings a whole new meaning to the term ‘Fianna Fail backwoodsman’.

Crowe was giving out about problems caused by trees in and around Galway city (The Last Word, Today FM). Here’s some of what he had to say.

“While trees serve a very worthwhile purpose across the city and country definitely they are causing significant difficulties and it is becoming a hazard for communities and residents.”

According to Crowe these trees were hiding (deliberately?) some very anti social behaviour like illegal drinking and illegal dumping. He didn’t say whether the trees themselves were also involved in these activities.

From a distance, according to Crowe, everything looks fine but the reality is somewhat different. These trees are harbouring dangerous rodents just yards away from where our children are playing football.

“We’ve got to cut them down. You wake up one morning and the trees and vegetation are out of control, you just don’t know what’s happening in there.”

“I’ve had a significant problem with a number of trees both individual trees and trees in residential areas, trees that are too tall and pose a danger to people’s houses.”

The Cllr. didn’t actually name any ‘individual’ tree but we can assume he’ll have no problem identifying the culprits, if required, in any subsequent police line up.

I have to say it’s a very strange case but if what the Cllr. says is true, if the trees really are responsible for illegal drinking and dumping, if they’re providing shelter for nasty rodents, if they are deliberately attacking human by growing too tall with the intention of falling on houses then there’s only one thing to be done – Kill, kill, kill them all.

I do, however, disagree with the good Cllr, on one point. The trees shouldn’t be summarily executed. They should be arrested, put on trial and only then executed.

After all, humans, unlike trees, are civilised, intelligent creatures, masters of nature and guardians of the future of the planet.

Copy to:
Cllr. Crowe