Mary Robinson: Sorry folks, you're to blame and I can't help

I won’t play the blame game.

This was the banner headline in last Sunday’s Sunday Times (Sub. Required) introducing an interview with former president Mary Robinson on the occasion of her return to Ireland after a 13 year absence.

Robinson then went on to play the blame game in unequivocal terms.

We can certainly put a great deal of responsibility on the banks and those with political responsibility, but it’s our own mistakes as Irish people, collectively. There was a sense of foolishness and, unfortunately, we’re now paying a high price.

The clear message here is that while the political system and banks had some responsibility it was the greed of ordinary Irish citizens that caused the catastrophe.

It should also be noted that the ‘we’ who will be paying the price does not include the ‘partially’ responsible bankers and politicians or, indeed, Mrs. Robinson herself.

The ‘we’ is strictly confined to the ‘greedy’ citizens desperately struggling to feed, clothe and provide shelter for themselves and their families while the non ‘we’ continue to live comfortable, non accountable lives.

Don’t misunderstand me; I have great admiration for Mary Robinson, she’s a woman of great courage and vision.

But it is depressing to realise that she, in common with the rest of our ruling elite, has no understanding whatsoever of the deeper cause of our destruction as a nation.

Nor can the ‘guilty’ Irish citizens expect any help in their hour of greatest need from this highly respected global leader.

I don’t want to get involved in the politics because as a former president it’s important to stay outside the political blame game.

So out of respect for a corrupt political system and the expensive and useless office of president this potentially great national leader has written herself out of any participation in the nation’s recovery.

Barry Andrews: A typical Fianna Fail gombeen clone

Fianna Fail TD, Barry Andrews was asked a very simple question on Frontline last week.

Do you actually believe that Fianna Fail deserve support in the next election?

If I was a member of the most corrupt political party in the country, a party that has betrayed the nation and brought catastrophe on its people I would (cannily) answer something like this.

Yes Pat, we have made mistakes, I admit that. I think a term or two in Opposition will be good for the party and indeed the country.

It will give us time to reflect on our policies and reconstruct the party so as to better serve Ireland and its people into the future.

This is how Andrews actually answered the question.

Look, Pat, I mean, the political system is ripe for change and it will be a very different country in five or ten year’s time.

I hope, on reflection, at the next election people will be able to say, well, ‘they made the best effort they could and they put the taxpayers first.’

His comments were interrupted by boos and angry comments from the audience.

A person of average intelligence would instantly realise that a different approach was needed but Andrews is not of average intelligence.

Pat Kenny put the question again.

Do you think FF deserves to be back in government in one form or another?

What I’m saying Pat is that on reflection you will see that we put the taxpayer first.

It’s very hard in a very…

(interrupted by audience anger)…

in the feverish atmosphere you can hear now.

In this feverish atmosphere it’s almost impossible to put that point without eliciting the kind of response I’ve just elicited but I certainly believe that there are enough common sense people to know that we did the right thing.

The audience was even angrier now but Andrews was still incapable of interpreting their mood or demonstrating the slightest sign of political intelligence

Kenny, once again, put the question to him.

Do you think Fianna Fail deserve to be back in government?

Well, I just answered that question to the best of my ability Pat.

Exactly, to the best of his ability.

During discussion Andrews showed himself as incompetent with little understanding of what was happening in the country.

His body language was that of a bumbling schoolboy struggling to impress at his first school debate.

Kenny described Andrews as coming from a long pedigree of political ‘leaders’ suggesting that the people of Ireland have been well served by the Andrews dynasty.

Looking around at the wholesale destruction of our country and the despair into which the people have been plunged I think flawed pedigree is a more appropriate description.

Andrews is nothing more than a typical gombeen Fianna Fail clone who mindlessly regurgitates the standard party drivel while remaining totally oblivious to reality.

It is disturbing to think that Andrews, as a relatively young man, is likely to be around for some time to come.

The people of Ireland can only despair at such a prospect.

Copy to:

The gombeen clone

EU officials: No idea what's coming down the tracks

I am confident that the Irish people realise that is it extremely important in the long run to be competitive and prove what they have proved in the past that they are able to cope with difficult periods.

Jean-Claude Trichet, president of the European Central Bank (ECB)

This statement tells me a number of things.

That EU officials have swallowed, hook, line and sinker, the government line that Irish citizens are compliant, loyal citizens more than willing to make any sacrifice to save their economy.

That Irish citizens have full trust in the competence and good intentions of their political leaders.

That EU officials have no inkling whatsoever of how corrupt the Irish political and administrative system is.

That the Irish financial crisis is under control and resources can now be safely switched to dealing with Portugal and Spain.

That they have no idea what’s coming down the tracks.

Dermot Ahern's great burden of sorrow

You have to feel great sadness and sympathy for Justice Minister Dermot Ahern at his “huge regret” at being unable to engage in his hobby of windsurfing for the past two years due to his rheumatoid arthritis (Irish Independent).

The people of Ireland can only hope that Ahern’s massive retirement package will go some way towards easing the pain of this devastating loss of pleasure.

I’m sure, as the peasant class struggle to feed themselves over the next few decades; they will retain in their simple hearts a special place of warmth and worry for Mr. Ahern and his family.

Mansergh: Stupid or arrogant – or both?

Martin Mansergh speaking in our Parliament last Tuesday.

Deputy O’Mahony spoke about a five year old worrying about whether he would have to emigrate. I have a daughter who spoke in her teenage years of emigrating, but she is working in Ireland.

These things go around in cycles.

Emigration (enforced) goes around in cycles???

Mansergh is either an extremely stupid man or he is so filled with arrogance that he has become completely immune to the awful tragedy of emigration, I suspect the latter.

As for his daughter working in Ireland – well of course she is. She’s the daughter of a Fianna Fail Minister.

At least 4.5 million people would have to emigrate before such privileged citizens would need to worry about their circumstances.

Liar Lenihan reduces himself to scumbag status

Speaking on The Last Word (Wed. Nov. 24th), markets analyst, Paul Somerville said that Brian Lenihan should be nominated for an Oscar.

Lenihan, he said, while always sounding plausible is also always wrong.

I would be a little more direct – Lenihan is a plausible liar and his lies are invariably at the expense of the Irish people.

On the same programme, presented by Matt Cooper, Lenihan demonstrated that he’s just as ruthless as the scumbag Bertie Ahern when it comes to shifting blame and abdicating responsibility.

On the (damaging) delay in establishing NAMA.

I stayed up all night in Dail Eireann until six and seven in the morning listening to nonsensical arguments about NAMA…

The political system didn’t seem to agree at the time that it should be enacted as quickly as possible, the political system decided we should have a huge ideological argument about a particular approach to banking.

The suggestion here is that the Government should not have been subjected to any questions whatsoever regarding the establishment of NAMA. In other words, democracy should have been suspended while draconian legislation was being introduced.

On the very bad decisions made by government.

Keep screaming and making value judgements and don’t listen to answers.

On asking outside advisors to make a contribution.

David McWilliams?

He’s an interesting commentator but not very constructive.

Morgan Kelly?

He did call the fire correctly on a previous occasion but you don’t always call the fire correctly.

Moore McDowell?

I’d be delighted to see Moore McDowell tomorrow in the Dept. If he wants to give me a view on it, he’s more than welcome. I have huge respect for Moore McDowell.

The dismissal of McWilliams and Kelly is predictable, they don’t toe the party/government line, but McDowell should be asking himself some serious questions at such an endorsement by an incompetent politician.

On the suggestion that those at the top should show leadership by making a little more sacrifice in the national interest.

Matters of that type are not in the national plan because they don’t affect expenditure or receipts.

They do fill airwaves but they don’t save any money I can tell you or very marginal amounts of money and that’s why they’re not dealt with in the plan because the plan focuses on what will sort out our problems.

Reducing the minimum wage, cutting social welfare to the bone, etc, etc, will, apparently, sort out our problems.

On the question that Cowen is paid more than Barack Obama.

He doesn’t have the facilities of the White House.

This is the same answer that Bertie Ahern gave as justification for a proposed massive salary increase.

This arrogant/insulting reply reduces Lenihan to the same scumbag status as the former Taoiseach.

Lenihan should have been nailed to the wall after giving such a dismissive reply. He should have been forcibly challenged to explain and justify his answer.

Regrettably, Irish journalists have yet to evolve a killer instinct when it comes to challenging so called people of authority who have destroyed our country.

Power pay

Barack Obama, leader of the most powerful nation in the history of the world earns

$400,000 (€304,690, 25) per year.

Padraig McManus, CEO of the power company in a bankrupt, two bit banana republic on the edge of Europe, is handed

$985,000 (€750,000.00) per year.

Banks win, new quango wins – People lose

The Credit Review Group was launched on 6th April last.

The purpose of the quango is to ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have access to credit from the banks who are participating in the NAMA scheme.

Borrowers can approach the CRG if they believe they have been treated unfairly by any of the banks availing of NAMA.

But, according to an RTE news report, the CRG cannot force banks to change their minds on any loan decision but banks will be required to comply with recommendations.

This is typical banana republic logic.

On the one hand we’re told that banks must comply (with recommendations) but they cannot be forced to do so.

This arrangement allows the state to say they’re getting tough while continuing to allow the banks do as they please.

The banks win, the new quango wins (big salaries and pensions) but, as always – the people lose.

Yet another quango, yet another incompetent assessment

On November 18th last (3rd report), John Thredowen, head of office at the Credit Review Office had the following to say in regard to the financial health of AIB.

Allied Irish Banks are now approaching the finalisation of their restructuring and they’re out with their staff and about to approach the market to say – ‘we’re open for business’.

A couple of days later AIB announced that investors had withdrawn €13 billion from the bank.

John Thredowen is head of just one of over 800 quangos that costs the taxpayer over €13 billion per annum.