E-Voting machines scrapped

So, €55 million down the drain on the e-voting machine scandal and those responsible have nothing to say.

Speaking from his art gallery in Florida former minister Martin Cullen said;

I had nothing to do with that. I don’t want to get into that.

Former minister Dempsey also refused to make comment saying he was now a private citizen.

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern also refused to answer any questions.

Three gombeens still as arrogant as ever.

Socialist Party abusing expenses?

Socialist Party TD Clare Daly had some interesting things to say about how her party spends hard earned taxpayer’s money (The Last Word, 26 June).

So interesting in fact that I thought somebody should take a closer look at her comments.

I’m advised that the Ceann Comhairle’s office is the appropriate authority for dealing with these matters.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wish to lodge a formal complaint concerning an apparent abuse of expenses by the Socialist Party.

My complaint is based on the following exchange between Socialist Party TD Clare Daly and journalist Matt Cooper on Today FM on 26 June last.

Matt Cooper: But why claim the expenses? It has been claimed that Mick Wallace doesn’t claim expenses, why not follow his example?

Clare Daly: We do accept the money and the money is used for local campaigning, supporting works in our area or community campaigns or trades union issues or whatever and we account for that.

I have checked the allowances and expenses section on the Houses of the Oireachtas website and can find no reference that allows politicians to use expenses for political campaigning or trades union activities.

Yours sincerely,

Anthony Sheridan

Gene Kerrigan: Fooled by Wallace's false shame

I have always admired Sunday Independent journalist, Gene Kerrigan, as a writer who pulls no punches particularly when he’s writing about corruption in Ireland.

I was therefore very disappointed to read his article of June 24 where he effectively makes a complete fool of himself by defending the activities of thief, liar and tax evader Mick Wallace.

Kerrigan begins by making the idiotic claim that Wallace is the man to stop corruption in Ireland.

All Wallace has to do, according to Kerrigan, is introduce legislation that would make tax evaders ineligible for membership of the Oireachtas.

Once the legislation was in place Wallace would resign (with honour, apparently) and get on with what Kerrigan describes as his varied and useful life.

And, presumably, the people of Ireland would find themselves living in a land of milk and honey basking in ever lasting happiness.

Clearly, Kerrigan has been reading up the gombeen’s guide on how to defend the indefensible – some quotes with comment.

Wallace did wrong in defrauding the Revenue. He’s paid a price, quite rightly.

Wallace did do wrong but he has not paid the price.

He’s still contaminating our parliament. He hasn’t’ been brought to justice for his actions.

He will not be brought to justice because our corrupt political/administrative system makes no provision for taking action against the activities of people like Wallace.

To introduce and enforce strong, effective anti corruption laws would endanger the entire corrupt system.

This is not going to happen in the short to medium term.

Since the revelation, Wallace has brought to Irish politics a quality that has been blatantly absent – shame.

Wallace, to his credit, displayed the shame appropriate to his misbehaviour.

Only a fool believes Wallace is ashamed of his actions or that his activities can be excused by (feigning) shame.

He has/is exploiting the corrupt political/administrative system for all its worth to avoid accountability for his self-confessed crimes.

Only today we read that the thief/tax evader has refused to cooperate with members of the Dail committee investigating his activities.

Wallace, the man suffering from great shame according to Kerrigan, refused to supply the exact date when the settlement with Revenue was reached.

This is a key detail because he can only be investigated by his fellow TDs if the settlement was agreed after he was elected.

Wallace also refused a request to give Revenue permission to hand over their file to the Dail Members Interests Committee.

These are not the actions of a man feeling shame and remorse for his crimes, they are the actions of a man bent on evading responsibility and justice.

The odium heaped on him has by now become comical.

Odium, as all Irish politicians know, is harmless when compared to the great benefits to be had from operating within a corrupt political/administrative system that accepts corrupt practices as the norm.

In the great tradition of Fianna Fail supporters of the criminal Haughey, Kerrigan resorts to the ‘sure worse things have happened’ argument.

What about King Leopold’s economic and physical rape of the Congo and what about the shameful treatment of Eastern European mushroom pickers – Kerrigan bizarrely asks.

What kind of mushrooms, I ask, is Kerrigan on?

I don’t know Mick Wallace, but I’ve liked him for about a decade.

This final quote is, apparently, the reason for Kerrigan’s bizarre defence of Wallace.

He likes the man therefore he (Wallace) should be let off, should not be brought to account.

This narrow, blind mindset is common in Ireland. It allows criminals like Haughey and others to plunder the state with complete impunity.

Genuinely, I never thought Gene Kerrigan, of all people, would fall prey to such a damaging mindset.

Copy to:

Gene Kerrigan

Herr Noonan forbids free expression

Finance Minister Michael Noonan on Cabinet ministers expressing personal views.

Cabinet ministers are Cabinet ministers. They’re Cabinet ministers when they go to bed at night, they’re Cabinet ministers when they get up in the morning.

So Cabinet ministers don’t really have personal views, they have views as Cabinet ministers.

Jawohl mein Fuhrer.

Whatever happens; the Quinn family will be treated with respect

The first thing to be said about the Quinn contempt ruling is – No one will go to jail.

That’s not how things are done in Ireland. The Quinn’s are ‘respectable’, they’re part of the ruling elite of Ireland.

If they were sent to jail it would truly be revolutionary.

Revolutionary because it would be the first time in the history of the state that people of power and influence were actually dealt with in the same manner as ordinary citizens are dealt with when it comes to crime and punishment.

The judge has, apparently, three options. Jail, jail and a fine or a simple fine.

Her decision will depend on what deal can be worked out before Friday between the State, Anglo Irish Bank and the judge.

Everybody will be working away feverishly to work out a deal to save this ‘respectable business family’ from their own greed, arrogance and criminality.

And, of course, there will be no question of charging this ‘respectable family’ with something as ignominious as the crime of perjury.

Over the decades it has become clear that the crime of perjury only applies to the little people.

Here are some quotes from the judge regarding ‘truth telling’ in her court.

Sean Quinn’s evidence was not credible.

Impossible to accept the evidence of Sean Quinn Senior.

Sean Quinn’s son was not telling the truth.

The evidence of Sean Quinn’s nephew, Peter Darragh Quinn was most untruthful.

(The Quinn’s) have acted in a blatant, dishonest and deceitful manner.

They have consciously misled courts here and elsewhere.

The behaviour of the respondents outlined in evidence before me is as far as removed from the concept of honour and respectability as it is possible to be.

We can be absolutely sure, however, that the Quinn family will be treated with honour and respect with it come to handing out justice.