Category: Government

Ireland: A country incapable of dealing with reality

According to Sunday Times columnist, Justine McCarthy, Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea perjured himself in court.

O’Dea had denied in an affidavit that he had accused Maurice Quinlivan, a Sinn Fein local-election candidate, of owning a brothel.

He only admitted that his remarks were false and defamatory after a tape recording of his comments was produced.

This is very similar to the tactics employed by Bertie Ahern while giving evidence to the Tribunal regarding his dealings in Sterling.

Right up to the moment that documentary evidence was produced, Ahern consistently denied under oath that he had ever had any significant dealings in Sterling.

Let’s immediately cut to the chase here. In a functional democracy perjury is treated as a very serious crime. In a dysfunctional democracy, like Ireland, perjury is only treated as a serious crime for the little people.

People in power and influence are rarely, if ever, even accused of the crime never mind actually charged.

In a functional democracy like the UK, for example, allegations or suspicions of perjury by any citizen are immediately investigated by the police.

There’s no convenient ignoring of the crime by a judge, court or tribunal, there’s no talk about requesting the Prime Minister to ‘advise’ a politician who is under suspicion of committing perjury. There’s no changing the discussion to any other subject that comes to mind so long as it doesn’t focus on the reality of the situation.

No, in real democracies like the UK, when evidence emerges that the crime of perjury may have been committed the police investigate and prosecutions are taken as necessary.

The first thing that happens in a dysfunctional democracy like Ireland is – nothing. The powers that be simply pretend that nothing of significance has happened and hope that nobody notices.

We witnessed the same reaction in other cases like Jim Flavin of DCC or the Neary case. No action was taken by any Irish authority in these cases until somebody from outside the country acted.

O’Dea is alleged to have lied under oath last December and yet it was only when Justine McCarthy wrote her article nearly two months later that anything was done, once again everybody ignored the raging elephant until an outside source pointed it out.

The media and political reaction since the ‘expose’ has also been typical of a country that is incapable of facing reality when it doesn’t suit.

It must be kept in mind when reading the following examples that in a functional democracy there is only one reaction – an immediate investigation by police followed by prosecution if necessary.

The legal system

Nobody involved in the case seemed to take a blind bit of notice when a government minister made a false statement in a sworn affidavit. Compare this to Amanda McNamara who perjured herself because she was in absolute fear of her life about giving evidence in a brutal murder trial.

The judge in this case had no problem in identifying perjury saying that it was a very serious matter that undermined Ireland’s system of criminal justice. McNamara was given 100 hours community service and will have a criminal record for the rest of her life.

Seanad Eireann

Fine Gael spokesman on Justice Eugene Regan demanded to know from Seanad Leader, Donnie Cassidy, if Minister O’Dea was being held to account for lying under oath (Irish Times).

Cassidy ignored the question, simply stating that O’Dea was an excellent public representative and the people of Limerick were very fortunate to have such a capable person. He, (Cassidy) then proceeded to talk about another matter altogether.

This is a typical – if I ignore reality, it will go away – reaction.

Dail Eireann

Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Minister O’Dea said it was a private and personal matter. This is despite the fact that O’Dea said in his sworn affidavit that he was fully entitled to raise the issue and make the allegations as a public representative.

Obviously there’s nothing private about this matter whatsoever. O’Dea, a government minister, defamed another politician in response to questions about his (O’Dea’s) large and expensive staff paid for by the taxpayer – and we’re asked to believe that it’s a private matter?

Even if it was a private matter, is the Prime Minister of our country suggesting that it’s ok for a government minister to make a false statement in a sworn affidavit so long as it relates to a private matter?

RTE, The Week in Politics (34 min)

Sean O’Rourke and Brian Dowling. (One RTE journalist interviewing another RTE journalist).

The fact that very serious allegations of perjury are facing a government minister was completely ignored by the journalists.

The entire discussion focused on the possible political implications for O’Dea if the matter became controversial. Brian Dowling suggested that because O’Dea was a huge vote getter there was unlikely to be any impact on his career.

Irish Times editorial

The following points were made in this editorial.

The Taoiseach was in an invidious position because of the relaxed attitude adopted by his predecessors to ethical issues.

This is just silly logic suggesting that low standards in the past could act as a block to taking action in the present.

Because public confidence in authority had waned there was a need to promote high standards and ensure political accountability.

In real democracies such standards are the expected norm and not something that needs promoting.

The matter may create friction between the Coalition parties.

This is an irrelevant point unless the editor feels that government unity is more important than political, legal and ethical accountability.

This scandal and how it is being dealt with once again confirms that Ireland is nothing more than a dysfunctional, backwater state pretending to be a first world democracy.

Greeks on the street – Irish still sitting at home

There is very little difference between the economies of Ireland and Greece: both are on a slippery slope to disaster.

Neither is there much difference between the principal causes of these disasters – Political corruption and incompetence, massive tax evasion by the rich without consequences and the squeezing of ordinary citizens to pay for the whole rotten system.

There is, however, a huge difference between the reactions of ordinary citizens. A Channel 4 news report on Greek protests makes the point.

This is Greece, not Ireland. We the workers will resist.

We will fight; we will not accept the measures and that can only happen if we protest against them, not if we sit in our houses.

The Irish are still sitting in their houses – like sheep.

Rowing in with the Government

Irish Times letter.

Madam,

The circumstances under which I will row in with the Government (February 8th) are very simple.

1. When the Minister for Education Science insists that his office is located in a 12- year-old secondhand Portakabin and he refuses to be relocated until no school children have to receive their education in a Portakabin.

2. When the Minister for Health insists on sleeping on a hospital trolley every night until no overnight medical patients in a public hospital have to receive treatment on trolleys.

3. When the Minister for Transport insists on only travelling by public transport until all Government ministers car-pool their chauffeurs and black Mercedes.

4. When the Minister for Justice has to spend one day a week holding a speed camera on the M7 for as many years as his department took to approve and sign the contract for the provision and operation of a network of safety cameras.

5. When the Government closes the gap between their world and the Ireland that I live in.

Then, and only then, will I row in with the current Government.

Yours, etc,
Dermot O’Rourke
Westbury Drive,
Lucan,
Co Dublin.

Betrayal through incompetence

During the discussion on last night’s Late Debate Journalist and political scientist, Elaine Byrne provided some interesting statistics that, more than anything else, prove how incompetent our public representatives are and how, through that incompetence, they betray the best interests of Ireland and its people.

Since its establishment in 1937 Seanad Eireann has produced 12 separate unimplemented reports about Seanad reform.

In the 88 years since independence there have been less than 40 private members bills that have become legislation in Dail Eireann. In the 32 years since 1978 almost 300 such bills have entered legislation in the UK parliament.

Since 1997, when the Constitutional Review Group met, there have been ten different progress reports, two substantial reports and another three reports since the committee met in 2007.

Elaine Byrne and the thee political morons

Journalist and political scientist, Elaine Byrne, had her work cut out for her on last night’s Late Debate.

Lined up against her were three moronic dinosaurs representing the current corrupt political system that has destroyed this country.

George Lee’s resignation was the topic of discussion but the underlying discussion was about the Irish political system and the need for reform of that system.

Elaine Byrne was saying the system is broken and, of course, she’s absolutely right but the dinosaurs are so far stuck up their own political rectums that they hadn’t the slightest inkling of what she was trying to tell them.

The political dinosaurs were Senator Regan of Fine Gael, Niall Collins TD of Fianna Fail and Joe Costello TD of Labour.

But before I deal with these morons I want to first quote the daddy of all political morons, Eoghan Harris where he rants on about the need for politicians to serve a political apprenticeship before they get too opinionated.

When reading this quote keep in mind that Harris never did a days political work in his life, he was appointed to the Senate solely for his unassailable ability of licking Bertie Ahern’s rear end

What’s been really concerning and worrying in the last few days is the way the discourse on the George Lee issue has become a general rejection of the notion that there should be no apprenticeship of any sort in politics.

The apprenticeship in politics is a very important preparation in terms of character. Listening to people who are annoying you, boring you, actually cranky people is a test of character and stamina and teaches people how to deal with the public.

I mean at the end of the day politics is about the rule of states and peoples and it starts with human beings, it’s not an abstract issue. I know there’s a delusion among college students and certain sections of the younger sections of the pol course (?) not the old guard I notice.

There is this delusion that all you have to do is assemble people with first class honours degrees and put them into politics and the country will be a land flowing with milk and honey. That is not how the real world works.

Incredibly, this idiot, who pontificates from the benches of that useless organisation, Seanad Eireann, claims to know how the real world works.

This moronic talk about political apprenticeships reminds me of Martin Mansergh’s (a prime example of an intellectual fool) idiotic idea that newly elected TDs shouldn’t address or criticise a Taoiseach until they’ve served for a number of years.

Not surprisingly, the political morons on the panel all agreed with Harris.

Costello (Lab)

I agree with Harris in terms of apprenticeship. I thinks it’s very important that people have to spend some time there learning…Elaine is missing the point she says the system is broken. We all agree that reforms have to take place…it’s not the political system that has failed the country, it’s the government that has failed the country and the two are totally different.

Collins (FF)

There’s an attempted circling of the wagons by the establishment around all the political parties and anyone who’s associated with politics saying the system is wrong. The system needs tweeking in particular areas, nobody’s disputing that, we all accept we have to try and better ourselves but this notion that Dail TDs and senators shouldn’t be available to the public who elects us on any level I think it’s farcical and the people who are making those comments don’t understand the work of public representatives in this country as far as I’m concerned.

Collins went on to give an example of how Irish political representatives work which sounded like a sketch straight out of Ballymagash.

We had a debate in our parliamentary party this evening about the dog breeding legislation. I met three groups of my constituents who are involved in dog breeding, that’s all part of it, we get out and about.

Byrne was completely stumped.

Dog breeding, you talk to them about dog breeding?

At this stage I lost the run of the discussion after falling to the floor in convulsions of contemptible laughter.

Collins wasn’t laughing though, he was, again, attacking Byrne because she’s an academic, what would her type know about the plain people of Ireland?

But Byrne is more tuned into the brutal reality of Irish politics than any of these morons.

It’s about politics, it’s about Ireland. We should have citizen assemblies where the citizens take ownership of the reform process where people can go into a room and say what needs reform.

I agree completely but would go much further. These political dinosaurs and all their fellow representatives from all parties have lost their right to govern or represent the people of Ireland.

The system they represent and defend so strongly is corrupt and beyond redemption, beyond reform.

We should indeed have citizen assemblies, the people should indeed take ownership, not of the reform process, but of the political system itself. The first step in taking that ownership is to destroy the current rotten system.

Waiting for the revolution

Thousands of students had gathered to vent their rage. Marching, waving placards and shouting.

We’re standing here united as students; we’re not taking this any longer.

One of their leaders shouted at the nation.

The situation is not acceptable anymore.

Was this the ‘revolution’ Elaine Byrne wrote about recently?

Had the young people of Ireland finally woke up to the wholesale destruction caused to their country by corrupt politicians and bankers?

Had they woken up to the fact that corruption had destroyed any prospects for their future in their own country; that they and their children would be paying for the greed and corruption for generations to come?

Alas, no. The anger and fury was sparked because a dispute in the college was preventing the publication of some exam results (RTE News, 13th report).

Every day I check the headlines, beat the bushes, scan the horizon, waiting for the revolution but, to date, nothing. Not a sign of a ‘revolutionary’ student to be seen.

Vincent Browne was writing about student ‘action’ in the Sunday Business Post yesterday. A group of Trinity College students were invited to give their views on the constitution to the Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution.

Boring and entirely pointless writes Browne. He concluded that nothing can be done about the people who have destroyed our country until the next election.

We can see by this that Browne is just as ‘revolutionary’ as the young people of Ireland. Imagine the revolutionaries of 1916 saying.

The situation is intolerable but let’s waits for the next election and then we’ll show them what’s what.

Sadly, there’s not a revolutionary bone in the body of a single young Irish citizen and ‘revolution’ for most older citizens like Browne involves switching allegiance from one corrupt, ultra conservative party to a slightly less corrupt, ultra conservative party and five years later switching back again.

Lies, secrecy and arrogance is still the prevailing attitude

The latest report by the Comptroller & Auditor General (C&AG) into FÁS reveals some very questionable activities by its staff.

€200,000 on flights for people not working for the agency. Apparently, this gravy train, funded by the taxpayer, included journalists, politicians, spouses and friends.

There was also questionable expenditure on golfing events, sporting events and concerts, the majority approved by the incompetent, disgraced but well compensated Mr. Molloy.

Money was spent without authority, the FÁS board was effectively lied to and credit cards were thrown around like drunken sailors in a brothel.

But the most shocking and disgusting aspect of this scandal is the arrogance of the civil servants involved including the C&AG himself.

For example, it is reported that up to six top executives at FÁS were paid bigger bonuses than they were entitled to in 2008. These bonuses were approved by the incompetent Mr. Molloy and sanctioned by the Departments of Enterprise and Finance.

Incredibly, the executives have not been asked to pay back the money which FÁS says was paid in error.

If this was a social welfare ‘error’ the applicant would instantly find himself the subject of an investigation and the money would be deducted from his income forthwith.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Enterprise declined to comment. The incompetent Mr. Molloy also declined to comment.

These people are effectively telling the ripped off taxpayer – take a hike, we don’t have to account for how we spend your money.

Despite constant praise from the media the office of the C&AG also has questions to answer.

Former acting chairman of FÁS, Mr. Niall Saul, was told by Mr. Buckley that controls at FÁS were excellent, that there were no serious problems.

Mr. Saul rightly concluded that if the C&AG was a private company it would be lucky not to be fired.

This shouldn’t surprise ripped off taxpayers when we remember the infamous Bord na gCon investigation carried out by the C & AGs office.

Despite findings of at least one case of serious fraud and many other questionable activities the C&AG, who, bizarrely, is also the auditor of Bord na gCon, concluded that

in general the funds of Bord na gCon were properly applied.

As I write another scandal has broken involving the C&AG and the Central Bank. The media is focusing on an error made by the C&AG when he reported that 52 spouses of staff attended meetings on a single trip when in fact the meetings involved several trips.

The real scandal here was the refusal by the C&AG to disclose what organisation was responsible for this alleged abuse of taxpayer’s money.

Once again, Irish citizens had to rely on the media, RTE on this occasion, to provide them with information that should be immediately forthcoming from state agencies.

Just who does Mr. Buckley think he is in refusing this information to Irish citizens? What were his motives in putting the interests of Central Bank staff above the interests of the people he is allegedly representing?

And what does this affair tell us about the new and much praised Central Bank governor, Patrick Honohan?

On the first occasion he is asked to account for his office he tells us to take a hike. Even now he is refusing to disclose who went on the trips or how much they cost. Irish taxpayer’s have a right to know this information.

And what does all this say about the so called reform of the political and financial sectors? Well, it’s obvious;

There is no reform, secrecy is still the name of the game, ripping off the taxpayer is still rampant, lies, half truths and dissembling is still the favoured response and arrogance is still the predominant attitude.

The political, administrative and financial system that has run this country into the ground is beyond reform.

Nothing will change until the Irish people wake up and throw these people and their corrupt system out of office and out of power.

Copy to:
Central Bank
Comptroller & Auditor General
FÁS

Stupidity of the people protects dishonest politicians?

Responding to damning criticism by the Comptroller and Auditor General over the €900,000 pay off to former FÁS Director General Rody Molloy, Tanaiste Mary Coughlan said on RTE (8th report).

We wanted to ensure that we did not find ourselves in a litigious situation whereby we would still be discussing this matter in the context of court proceedings as opposed to moving on in the best interests of the people who work for FAS and in the best interests of the taxpayer.

The first thing to be said about our incompetent Tanaiste is that she’s a liar. It has been established that she and Cowen lied regarding the question of legal advice surrounding Molly’s resignation.

With this in mind I don’t believe a word this woman says in the above quote. I believe the government took €900,000 of taxpayer’s money and gave it to Molly to keep his mouth shut.

What continues to astonish me is the abject docility of the Irish people. It seems our politicians can glibly throw out any excuse or lie to hide the truth with no fear whatsoever of possible consequences.

When low grade politicians like Coughlan make statements like the one quoted above they are in effect saying to the Irish people.

We have come to believe that you, the Irish people, are so stupid that you will believe anything we say no matter how ridiculous, no matter how dishonest and we will continue to treat you with the contempt that such stupidity deserves.

Giving the recent poll which indicates a dramatic rise in support for Fianna Fail I am beginning to believe they’re right.

Gavin continuing to make an impact

Gavin, my nephew, continues to do Trojan work on his Freedom of Information campaign and is beginning to get noticed by the wider media.

Here’s a report from the Sunday Times on 24th January.

Blogger gets big discount on the price of freedom

Hats off to Gavin Sheridan, the blogger who has embarrassed the Moriarty tribunal into posting all the transcripts of 370 days of public sittings on the internet.

Sheridan first applied for the transcripts to the Department of An Taoiseach, under Freedom of Information.

It refused on the basis that they can be purchased from Doyle Court Reporters.

Doyles quoted a fee of €16,600 with a discount of 25% for anyone bulk buying.

“I did suggest that since the public had already paid nearly €1 million for the transcripts, it seemed a little odd that I, as a citizen, have to fork out another €16,600 to get copies.”

Sheridan writes on thestorey.ie.

Talk to the Moriarty tribunal, it suggested. So he did, and they said copyright rested with Doyles.

They later relented, offering Sheridan a disc with the transcripts, but such was the volume of requests that the tribunal is now posting everything online.

A small, but significant victory for freedom of information.

Some questions that come to mind.

What kind of contract does Doyle Court Reporters have with the state and how is it that the Moriarty Tribunal can, on the one hand, say that DCR have copyright and then, on the other hand, publish all the material?