Category: Government

Economist Dan O’Brien: A seriously confused man

Economist Dan O’Brien is a seriously confused man.

On the one hand he believes Ireland is heading toward a state of ungovernability because of a very serious lack of trust in institutions like government, business, media and NGOs.

There is no other country among the 27 covered in the world-wide survey in which people have less trust in their nation’s politics and civil society institutions.

On the other hand O’Brien is adamant that such institutions are no worse than similar institutions in other countries.

While Irish media, NGOs and businesses have all been guilty of wrongdoing – and it is easy to find examples where each has undermined trust – I simply do not believe that they are all to be distrusted more than their counterparts in almost every other country.

O’Brien was responding to the findings of a world-wide poll taken by a public relations firm late last year which – he concludes;

Suggests that something is seriously awry in Irish society. And not just among those who feel excluded.

And this is where O’Brien is confused.

On the one hand Ireland is no worse than any other country while on the other there is something seriously awry in how our country is governed.

If O’Brien follows the logic of his own thinking then all 27 countries polled are suffering from serious flaws in how they are governed. This, I’m sure he would agree, is not the case.

So why is Ireland different, what is seriously awry in how we are governed?

The answer is as simple as it is stark – Ireland is an intrinsically corrupt state.

Like all countries Ireland has always suffered from a degree of corruption but this all changed in 1979 when the criminal politician Haughey came to power. His corrupting influence infected every level of Irish society but in particular, his corrupt activities transformed the political and financial sectors into little more than co-operating mafia outfits.

It is these two corrupt pillars of Irish society that are directly responsible for the catastrophe that occurred in 2008. Nothing whatsoever has changed since then. The same corrupt political system is still in power, the same financial sector is as corrupt as ever and the same so called regulatory agencies continue to look on with approval.

The Irish people have lost trust in the political system because that system has betrayed them time after time. This is not just opinion, the facts speak for themselves.

In the run up to the 1992 general election the leader of the Labour Party Dick Spring adopted a very strong anti-corruption stance going so far as to accurately describe Haughey as a cancer on the body politic. But once elected, Spring promptly betrayed the trust of the people by abandoning his principles and joining forces with the cancerous Haughey.

Similarly the Progressive Democrats, a party that came into existence in response to Haughey’s corruption, also abandoned their integrity and principles in exchange for power and influence. Once again the people were betrayed.

Then we had the Green Party, full of laudable principles while in opposition but once in government they too abandoned their political integrity in exchange for the benefits of power.

The complete absence of political courage, vision or integrity within the body politic led to the evolvement of a culture where financial institutions, property developers, the legal system and practically every other individual, group or organisation with access to political favour were allowed to indulge in serious criminal activity with total impunity.

The inevitable catastrophe came to pass in 2008 when the whole system collapsed under the sheer weight of its own putrid rottenness.

The 2011 election was the last desperate attempt by the Irish electorate to elect a decent, accountable government but once again their desperate pleas for honest and courageous political leadership was thrown back in their faces.

Rampant political corruption is the reason Irish citizens have lost trust in the political system. Rampant political corruption lies at the heart of all our problems.

Mr. O’Brien is confused because he simply cannot bring himself to believe that reality.

Sadly, for Irish citizens such denial from influential opinion makers will only serve to protect and encourage the corrupt and prolong Ireland’s agony.

Copy to:
Dan O’Brien

Vincent Browne: Captured by the bankers

US banking expert Professor Bill Black recently gave evidence at the Oireachtas Banking Inquiry where he pulled no punches.

He effectively stated, correctly, that at the time, Ireland was a country without a financial regulator, governed by a bunch of morons.

Later he appeared on the Tonight with Vincent Browne show where we witnessed a perfect example of the mindset that makes it possible for our country to be governed minus a financial regulator and led by a bunch of morons.

Professor Black was telling us (correctly) that the bankers were lying about the state of their finances in the run-up to the crisis.

Vincent Browne took great exception to this smear on the reputation of bankers.

Wait a minute now, this is quite serious, the insinuation on the bankers who went to see the Government that night is very serious, and I know some of them, and I don’t believe they said something they knew was untrue.

Yes, you heard right; Vincent Browne is saying he believes the bankers told the truth to Brian Cowen and Brian Lenihan on the night that our economic sovereignty was handed over to the Troika.

Even the most ignorant, the most disinterested, the most ill informed Irish citizen knows that the bankers lied through their teeth that night.

So why is it that a journalist who has spent decades investigating and analysing scandal after scandal in the Irish financial sector can mouth such an idiotic comment?

The answer can be found in these six words spoken by Browne:

And I know some of them.

This comment confirms a disturbing trend in Irish journalism. A trend that sees some journalists loses their objectivity after coming ‘to know’ those they are investigating.

And this is not the first time Vincent Browne has lost his professional objectivity as a result of ‘getting to know’ financial/political criminals.

For many years he was a strong critic of the criminal politician Haughey but in Haughey’s latter years Browne enjoyed some great nights out in Abbeyville drinking wine and discussing the old days with the gangster.

Before long he was a great admirer and defender of the traitor/criminal.

Junior Minister Dara Murphy: Not just politically stupid

In a previous article I described Junior Minister Dara Murphy’s decision to engage in political prostitution as stupid because it will obviously do a great deal more damage to his election prospects than any benefit.

But after doing some research on the man I find that he really is stupid, it’s not just political stupidity.

Here’s a video of the gombeen being justifiably torn to shreds by Vincent Browne.

He made the fatal mistake of sneeringly asking Browne whether he knew the difference between GNP and GDP.

Keep in mind that this idiot is the Minister for European Affairs and Data Protection at the Department of Taoiseach and Foreign Affairs and Trade.

He’s the man who negotiates Ireland’s business interests with our European partners, no wonder we’re broke.

Also note how he slyly tries to get off the (Vincent Browne) hook by dragging another panel member into the row.

Leo the liar

3 Nov 2013: (Leo Varadkar: Marian Finucane Show).

The property tax collected for 2013 went to central funds but the 2014 tax will go to local authorities to fund local roads, community centres, libraries, public parks and to a certain extent social housing.

5 February 2015: (RTE).

Irish Water received €439 from the Local Government Fund made up of motor tax and local property tax receipts for 2014.

Minister for Justice: If only she practiced what she preaches

Here’s what Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald had to say to new Garda recruits in Templemore today.

Courage is called for without any physical threat. Courage can be called for in the middle of a quite normal day. The courage to say ‘No’ if you believe the instruction is wrong.

The courage to cry halt to a practice that may have been going on forever, but that should stop right there and then.

If only the Minister had the courage to cry a halt to a practice that has been going on forever – the corrupt nexus between the body politic and the Gardai.

Unaccountable deals made by state officials should be made a criminal act

RTE’s This Week programme has exposed the latest dodgy deal surrounding the establishment of the Irish Water quango.

The goings on in smoke filled backrooms is justification alone for Irish citizens refusal to pay the water tax.

Here’s an analysis of the dodgy dealing.

The following groups were involved.

Irish Water and the Dept. of the Environment representing the interests of Irish Water and the Government.

The County and City Managers Association (CCMA) which was representing the County and City Managers (I know, I couldn’t figure it out either) and, presumably, representing the workers of these entities.

Ordinary citizens/taxpayers.

The first decision, made by the groups with power, Irish Water, the Government and the CCMA, was to exclude the taxpayer.

It seems at least some meetings were held in secret and no minutes were kept during the most crucial meeting. This is standard practice in banana republics.

The second decision taken was that the taxpayer would pay for all agreements reached by the interested parties. There was no need to inform the taxpayer of this decision since the practice has been in place since the establishment of our banana republic.

Ok, so here’s how the deal went down.

The CCMA had information that Irish Water badly needed to ensure its successful establishment. The CCMA effectively blackmailed Irish Water by threatening to withhold or delay handing over the information unless their demands were met.

Irish Water and the Government quickly conceded to all demands. This was no problem since the non-represented taxpayer was paying for everything.

The agreements reached, if implemented, will cost Irish citizens countless millions over the years.

In my opinion the individuals involved in this agreement are traitors. They made their decisions in full knowledge of the pain and loss suffered by their fellow citizens since 2008, yet they ruthlessly went ahead anyway.

The unaccountable divvying up of our money by public officials, particularly when it’s done in secret; should be made a criminal act.

Copy to:
Dept. of Environment
Irish Water
CCMA

Ceann Comhairle Sean Barrett is a goner

Ceann Comhairle Sean Barrett is finished; he will be forced to resign. His behaviour since taking up office has been incompetent and biased.

Bias in favour of the party that hands out this plum job is the default position of all appointees to the office.

The current ‘crisis’ involving the Ceann Comhairle is just the latest example of infighting among our corrupt body politic, a further example that the corrupt political system is beginning to fall apart.

The sooner the better.

Elaine Byrne: Misreading the political mood

Ceann Comhairle Sean Barrett was on Today with Sean O’Rourke desperately trying to explain the latest scandal involving his office.

Corruption expert Elaine Byrne tweeted the following in response.

Sympathy for the creeping attempt at politicising the position of Ceann Comhairle but manner of response does himself no favours.

This misses the underlying reason for this and other more recent incidents involving the Ceann Comhairle’s office.

The reality is as follows:

The first republic came to a shuddering and ignoble end on 29 September 2008 when the current political regime lost control of the nation’s economy.

Since then, the regime, which is irredeemably corrupt, has been desperately struggling to reclaim its full power and control.

This latest pathetic spat between the various groups that make up that corrupt regime is just the latest indication that they are failing, that the entire system is crumbling.

Meanwhile, the significant numbers of ordinary citizens who have been politically radicalized as a result of the oppressive measures taken by the corrupt regime to maintain its power are patiently, for the moment, waiting in the wings.