Mary O'Rourkes's memoir: Dishonest and self-serving drivel

After months on my local library waiting list I finally got my hands on ‘Just Mary’ a memoir by former Fianna Fail politician Mary O’Rourke.

On principle, I would not buy the book. It would have made me physically sick to think I had contributed in any way to the wealth of this low grade, gombeen politician.

As I expected the book is nothing but a dishonest, self-serving attempt by O’Rourke to distance herself and her beloved Fianna Fail from any blame for the catastrophe visited upon Ireland and its people by her party.

On what went wrong for Fianna Fail and the country.

The biggest factor in our decline as a party was the blight of the global recession which hit us in 2008.

This is a dishonest claim: It was political corruption that destroyed the country and led to Fianna Fail’s downfall at the last election.

The Progressive Democrats:

O’Rourke claims that loose financial regulation was a key tenet of the PDs and became possible with the cooperation of Mary Harney’s friend Charlie McCreevy.

There is no escaping the fact that some aspects of their central philosophy and the concrete measures which this engendered – such as policies on taxation and financial regulation – undermined our effectiveness during a crucial time in government.

This is a dishonest and sly attempt to put the blame on others.

But most of all, this arrogant and dishonest politician blames the people of Ireland (My emphasis).

Banks can be blamed for speculation but they were responding to demands from the people – ‘It is the people who pressed for such financial facilities.’ Everyone wanted the bigger house, the next holiday the private school for their offspring and so it went on and on.

This is just a taste of the drivel that seeps from every page of this rag of a book.

More analysis later.

Update on Mick Wallace complaint

I contacted Cobh Gardai yesterday to make inquiries in respect of my complaint against Mick Wallace that I submitted nearly one year ago on 8 October 2012.

On 10th October 2012 my complaint was passed on to Wexford Gardai for further investigation, presumably because Wallace is based in Wexford.

The Garda I spoke with expressed surprise that I had not been contacted about the matter since and promised to ring Wexford Gardai today for an update.

Civil law takes precedence over all gods

Letter in today’s Irish Independent.

Our Enlightened laws

According to David Quinn, unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law of (his) god (Irish Independent, August 30).

This logic means that laws on divorce, contraception, homosexuality and the recently introduced law on abortion are all unjust laws.

Fortunately, we live in an age where enlightened civil law enjoys precedence over all gods.

Anthony Sheridan

Cobh,

Co Cork

Senator Landy to be investigated

I rang the Clerk of the Seanad during the week for an update on my two complaints against Senator Landy.

I was informed that they have been passed to the Committee for Members Interests for further investigation.

As usual I was treated with barely concealed contempt particularly when I asked some questions about procedures within the office of the Clerk of the Seanad

For example I wanted to know:

Is the office officially required to acknowledge receipt of complaints?

Where would I find the legislation covering complaints to the office?

Bizarrely, I was told I would have to get my own legal people on that, that the office was not in a position to give legal advice on such matters.

Eventually I got answers to my straight-forward questions but, as usual, I had to wrestle with the non-cooperative bureaucratic mindset first.

UK Parliament: Real democracy in action

It’s always refreshing to witness a real democracy at work.

The British Parliament defeated the Government on the question of military action against Syria.

It’s refreshing to see articulate, intelligent politicians debate the matter in front of a packed house without the crutch of zombie statements prepared by anonymous civil servants.

If the same situation existed in our gombeen parliament the decision would be made by three or four individuals behind closed doors covered by a blanket of absolute secrecy.

The Dail, Opposition and the people would then be informed of what action was going to be taken in their name.

And fuck anyone who had a problem with it.

Morgan Kelly: Straight talking and accurate

While looking at the Village Magazine website I came across a very interesting clip from RTE’s Prime Time in which Professor Morgan Kelly valiantly warns of the impending economic disaster that was about to hit the country.

His warnings were summarily dismissed by economists Brendan Keenan and Jim Power.

It’s noteworthy that we now seldom hear from Professor Kelly while Keenan and Power, who got it so wrong, are a constant presence on the airwaves analysing the disaster that they didn’t see right in front of their eyes.

It’s well worth having a look at the short clip for the full impact of Professor Kelly’s accurate forecast.

Pat Rabbitte: Wouldn't know a caveman if he met one in Dail Eireann

According to Pat Rabbitte there are no cavemen in the country (Morning Ireland).

Clearly, Mr. Rabbitte has never met a caveman otherwise he would be aware that the Houses of the Oireachtas are full of this particular species.

Indeed, Mr. Rabbitte is himself an excellent example of what a political caveman sounds like given his primitive response to a government invitation to businessman Denis O’Brien to attend the Global Irish Economic Forum in October (Irish Times).

I don’t know what kind of tests you would expect the Government to cause invitees to the Global Economic Forum to jump through.

Clearly, Mr. Rabbitte’s caveman brain has never heard of concepts like – ethics, morality, the public good, a country’s international reputation or even respect for a political system although, in fairness, respect for the latter predates even Mr. Rabbitte’s time in politics.

Denis Foley's Ansbacher account

From the Attic Archives – Irish Examiner 19 May 2000.

The Dail Committee on Members’ Interests has released its report confirming that Deputy Denis Foley breached the Ethics in Public Office Act.

The 30-page document highlights how the Kerry North TD did not declare he had an Ansbacher bank account while voting on the matter in the Dail.

Chaired by Fianna Fail’s Tony Killeen the five-strong committee castigated Mr. Foley over his failure to make it known he had the account when he voted with his party against a Labour Party motion seeing to extend the terms of the Moriarty Tribunal to include the Ansbacher accounts.

A Dail resolution will be moved next week to suspend Mr. Foley from Leinster House for 14 days without pay.

In a functional democracy Mr. Foley would have been hauled before the courts for having an illegal account in an illegal bank run by a criminal for the benefit of corrupt politicians and other members of a golden circle.

In Ireland he gets a two-week holiday.

Two more complaints against Senator Landy:

As I mentioned in a previous article the Clerk of the Seanad has rejected my complaint regarding bribery claims by Labour Senator Denis Landy on the grounds that I did not make a complaint against a specific member of the Senate.

During my research compiling a new complaint I came across a code of conduct for members of Seanad Eireann on the Standards in Public Office (SIPO) website.

Delighted with this new information I rang SIPO to enquire about the procedure for making a complaint.

Sorry, Mr. Sheridan, we only deal with complaints against office holders. We cannot accept a complaint against an ordinary member of the Dail or Senate.

So why is this code of conduct published on your website?

Oh that’s just to inform citizens that such a code exists but it has nothing to do with us.

So what authority does a citizen submit a complaint to for breach of this code?

The Clerk of the Seanad or Dail.

So here I am again – back at the start of yet another circle.

I have now submitted two complaints to the Clerk of the Seanad specifically against Senator Landy (See full complaints below).

The first complaint is made under the Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995 and 2001, Section 8 (2) and is centred on the fact that Senator Landy did not report the bribery allegation to the relevant authorities and that he has refused to reveal the identity of the person alleged to have offered the bribe.

The second complaint is made under the Code of Conduct for Members of Seanad Eireann, specifically under sections 1, 2, 3(i) and 3(ii) which states.

Members must interact with authorities involved with public administration and the enforcement of the law in a manner which is consistent with their roles as public representatives and legislators.

Complaints to Clerk of the Seanad.

15 August 2013

For attention of: The Clerk of the Seanad.

This is a formal complaint made under the Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995 and 2001, Section 8 (2) regarding a reported incident that occurred within the Houses of the Oireachtas on a date between the 1st and 19 July 2013.

The incident concerns a claim by Labour Senator Denis Landy that he was offered a plush holiday to coincide with a series of votes on the referendum to abolish the Seanad.

Senator Landy is reported as saying:

I was approached by an individual in Leinster House and offered flights and a stay in a top hotel in New York should I go missing during this week.

Senator Landy expressed the opinion that the offer was made in an attempt to defeat the Government.

According to the report Senator Landy has refused to name the person who approached him but he did describe the person as a political figure.

The incident was first reported in the Sunday Independent on 21 July 2013. I have included the complete report below.

My complaint against Senator Landy is that he has failed to report this incident to the relevant authorities. He has also refused to reveal the identity of the person alleged to have offered the bribe.

I base my complaint on the Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995 and 2001, Section 8 (2) and specifically on the words “or done a specific act” contained in the legislation.

Senator Landy’s failure to report allegations of a serious crime to the relevant authorities is a specific act of omission.

Senator Landy’s refusal to reveal the identity of the person alleged to have offered the bribe is also a specific act.

Yours Sincerely
Anthony Sheridan

15 August 2013

For attention of: Clerk of the Seanad.

This is a formal complaint against Senator Denis Landy for breaches of the Code of Conduct for Members of Seanad Eireann.

The incident concerns a claim by Labour Senator Denis Landy that he was offered a plush holiday to coincide with a series of votes on the referendum to abolish the Seanad.

Senator Landy is reported as saying:

I was approached by an individual in Leinster House and offered flights and a stay in a top hotel in New York should I go missing during this week.

Senator Landy expressed the opinion that the offer was made in an attempt to defeat the Government.

According to the report Senator Landy has refused to name the person who approached him but he did describe the person as a political figure.

The incident was first reported in the Sunday Independent on 21 July 2013

My complaint against Senator Landy is that he has failed to report this incident to the relevant authorities. He has also refused to reveal the identity of the person alleged to have offered what is, in effect, a bribe.

Senator Landy’s failure to report the alleged crime and his failure to reveal the identity of the person alleged to have offered the bribe are in breach of the following sections of the Code of Conduct for Members of Seanad Eireann and in particular is in breach of Section 3 (ii).

1. Members must, in good faith, strive to maintain the trust placed in them, and exercise the influence gained from their public office to advance the public interest.

2. Members must conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions and spirit of the Code of Conduct and ensure that their conduct does not bring the integrity of their office or the Seanad into disrepute.

3. (i) Members have a particular obligation to behave in a manner which is consistent with the proper performance of the functions of the Office of Member of Seanad Éireann and with the maintenance of confidence in such performance by the general public.

(ii) Members must interact with authorities involved with public administration and the enforcement of the law in a manner which is consistent with their roles as public representatives and legislators.

Yours Sincerely

Anthony Sheridan