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Still no answers on Secretarial Assistants Scheme for former Taoisigh

July 7, 2010 in Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Government by Anthony | 1 comment

The Department of the Taoiseach replied to my last email concerning the Secretarial Assistants Scheme for former Taoisigh.

Rather than answering my questions the Department has referred my queries to the Minister for Finance.

I believe my questions are simple and reasonable.

Is the money paid directly to ex Taoisigh to dispense with as they see fit or is the money spent on secretarial salaries and computer equipment costs and then reimbursed to ex Taoisigh after receipts are produced?

Who was responsible for introducing the scheme?

Under what mechanism/law/Act was the scheme introduced?

No standards too low for our greedy ex Taoisigh

July 6, 2010 in Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Government by Anthony | 5 comments

Despite being hardened by decades of political corruption, greed and arrogance there are still some events that really shock and disgust me to the core (Irish Independent).

In 2001 somebody thought it would be a good idea to hand out massive payments to former Taoisigh to employ secretaries and buy computer equipment.

According to Cowen the payments are made so that former Taoisigh can:

Carry out a normal range of secretarial duties to support the former Taoisigh in carrying out those aspects of work associated with their former roles which remain after their period in office has ceased.

This, in plain language, is complete and utter bullshit. In my opinion this massive payment is yet another legal scam devised by greedy politicians to enrich themselves at the expense of impoverished taxpayers.

The first question that comes to mind is how the criminal Haughey qualified for payments of €199,887 under the scheme between 2001 and his death in 2006.

The criminal retired in 1992 so how could he have incurred expenses which are specifically designated to cover the first five years after leaving office?

If there’s no time limit on the payment why didn’t Liam Cosgrave, who served as Taoiseach between 1973 and 1977, receive his share of the loot?

It’s hardly surprising that low grade Fianna Fail politicians like Haughey, Reynolds and Ahern have no scruples about accepting these payments but many Irish citizens (foolishly) believe that the likes of Bruton and Fitzgerald operate to higher ethical standards.

This scandal demonstrates that they are perfectly at home in the Fianna Fail low standards sewer.

I rang the Department of the Taoiseach with some questions on this matter and was met with the standard ‘put it in writing’ tactic.

I wrote:

To Whom It May Concern:

According to a report in the Sunday Independent of 20th June last the Department of the Taoiseach pays a special allowance to former Taoisigh to cover the salaries of secretaries and computer equipment.

I would be grateful if you could answer the following questions.

Is the money paid directly to ex Taoisigh to dispense with as they see fit or is the money spent on secretarial salaries and computer equipment costs and then reimbursed to ex Taoisigh after receipts are produced?

According to the newspaper article the initiative was introduced by the Department of Finance in August 2001.

Who was responsible for introducing the scheme?

Under what mechanism/law/Act was the scheme introduced?

Yours sincerely.

Anthony Sheridan

The Department replied with an acknowledgement and informed me that my email would be brought to the attention of the Taoiseach as soon as possible.

My reply to this (dismissive) email:

Thank you for the acknowledgement.

I would appreciate if you could answer the following question.

Is the Taoiseach the only person with access to the information required to answer my relatively simple questions?

Yours sincerely

Anthony Sheridan

I received a long and detailed reply from the Department full of useless and irrelevant information.

My reply:

Thank you for the interesting email. I would be grateful if you could answer the following questions.

Is the money paid directly to ex Taoisigh to dispense with as they see fit or is the money spent on secretarial salaries and computer equipment costs and then reimbursed to ex Taoisigh after receipts are produced?

Who was responsible for introducing the scheme?

Under what mechanism/law/Act was the scheme introduced?

Yours sincerely

Anthony Sheridan

I’m putting together an FOI on the matter.

Richard Bruton: No leadership qualities

July 2, 2010 in Fine Gael by Anthony | 1 comment

I have no problem with the Fine Gael rebels who have now accepted a place on Kenny’s front bench. To my knowledge, none of them actually said they would refuse to serve with Kenny. Politics is politics.

Richard Bruton is, however, a different matter. He led the heave and, if memory serves me correctly, he clearly stated that it would be hypocritical of him to accept a front bench position should he lose the challenge.

His failure to stand by his principles confirms his poor leadership pedigree and while he’s likely to be a minister in the next government it will almost certainly mark the high point of his political career.

Hypocrisy and greed still rampant within our political system.

June 23, 2010 in Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, The State by Anthony | 1 comment

Fianna Fail MEP Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher still hasn’t decided whether to give up his pension of €23,634 which he receives along with his €91,500 MEP salary (Irish Independent).

He claimed he had issues from his constituents on his plate and had to focus on them without thinking about his pension.

Fine Gael MEP, Jim Higgins, said a court order relating to a “family law matter” was preventing him from surrendering his ministerial and Dail pensions, which amount to €60,000 a year.

Hypocrisy and greed still rampant within our political system.

Fitzgerald: A coward in office, brave in retirement

June 23, 2010 in Fine Gael, The State by Anthony | 2 comments

Writing about the disastrous legacy caused by political appointments to State enterprises Garret Fitzgerald, unwittingly, put his finger on one of the reasons Ireland evolved into a corrupt state (Irish Times).

After the establishment of the State in 1922, according to Fitzgerald, almost all government appointments were made by an independent Civil Service Commission.

In 1926 widespread corruption and bribery in local appointments was brought to an end by the establishment of the Local Appointments Commission.

So, by 1926, according to Fitzgerald, state and local appointments were transparent and accountable – no corruption.

Then, in 1932, Fianna Fail came to power and began to make political appointments outside the framework of the two appointments commissions.

This was the moment when the system began to go corrupt, this was the moment when the Opposition should have shouted stop.

This was the moment when good Irish men and women should have challenged Fianna Fail in the interests of the country and its citizens but nothing was done because of what Fitzgerald describes as ‘a complication’.

Apparently, the ‘complication’ was the fact that after the Civil War hundreds of leading republicans, who continued to reject the new State, had been blacklisted for public appointments.

The reaction to this ‘complication’ should have been – tough luck lads, you backed the wrong horse now you have to suffer the consequences. But Fitzgerald writes that the Fianna Fail action was ‘understandable’.

We can see why Fitzgerald is so ‘understanding’ when we read the next chapter in the corrupting of Irish public life.

When Fine Gael came to power in 1948 it continued the Fianna Fail practice of making political appointments outside of the appointments commissions.

Fitzgerald tells us that this was an ‘unhappy’ development that was justified by Fine Gael at the time by what they saw as a need to balance Fianna Fáil appointments during the preceding 16 years.

This is a mealy mouthed, pathetic excuse. Obviously, the reason Fine Gael continued this Tammany Hall scam was to reward and enrich its favoured members and supporters at taxpayer’s expense. In this respect Fitzgerald’s party is no better than the Fianna Fail.

Fitzgerald claims that when Taoiseach he made some attempt to control the abuse but admits:

We should, of course, have initiated legislation to control these abuses, but regrettably economic/financial pressures during the life of that government plus our involvement with Northern Ireland distracted us from thus institutionalising reform of appointments to State boards – a reform that would of course have involved a huge battle with Fianna Fáil under its then leader.

Again, this is just another mealy mouthed excuse for not having the courage to act in the interests of the citizens Fitzgerald allegedly represented.

A few senior civil servants assisted by some legal experts could have had a reform package on the table for Fitzgerald’s signature in months if not weeks.

Fitzgerald may have wanted to end the practice but he didn’t have the courage to challenge the by then deeply ingrained ‘entitlement’ culture of party hacks who expected reward for their services.

He ends the article with the hope that the opposition parties will commit themselves to reform of the appointments system and other abuses of public office.

Well, let’s see. The abuse of appointments to state boards began in 1932 and has been going on ever since with the active cooperation of all parties.

Fitzgerald was active in politics from 1965 until 1992 which included two periods as Taoiseach and in all that time, despite being aware of the abuse, he failed to take effective action.

Now, safely in retirement, he ‘courageously’ calls on others to do what he himself feared to do.

Something completely new is required

June 17, 2010 in Fine Gael by Anthony | 3 comments

The best outcome of the FG war today would be the defeat of Bruton and Kenny and the election of a completely new, fresh leader.

When the war is over nothing will have changed

June 16, 2010 in Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Labour Party, The State by Anthony | 1 comment

In March 2009 I wrote the following about Enda Kenny’s leadership.

One of the greatest mysteries of Irish political life is how Enda Kenny is still leader of Fine Gael.

His performance in poll after poll is pathetic and the reason is obvious, he’s a nice man but a completely ineffective politician.

The last thing Ireland needs at this time is a ‘nice man’. What’s needed is a courageous, visionary, kick-assing son of a bitch with one focus – the best interests of the Irish people.

In the end it doesn’t matter who wins this latest Fine Gael war because neither Kenny nor Bruton has what it takes to lead Ireland.

Cowen is dead man walking so that just leaves Gilmore who will, most likely, enter a coalition with FG after the next election.

So will Gilmore do what’s necessary to save Ireland – highly unlikely?

A new government may make some changes perhaps even significant reform but the corrupt system itself will remain intact.

We will see the same parties, the same politicians, the same civil servants operating the same corrupt system that benefits a minority but is extremely damaging to the Irish people and the country as a whole.

Because you’re the injured party…

June 15, 2010 in Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Green Party, Labour Party by Anthony | No comments

A current advertisement warning against insurance fraud goes as follows:

Joe had an accident but when he exaggerated his injuries to get more compensation he put his hand in your pocket and took your money.

Every day in Ireland false and exaggerated insurance claims are driving your premiums up.

Protect yourself, report suspect claims; because you’re the injured party.

A similar advertisement can equally serve as a warning against alleged fraud by politicians:

Politician X receives unvouched expenses but when he exaggerated his claims to enrich himself he put his hand into your pocket and took your money.

Everyday in Ireland false and exaggerated claims by politicians are driving up already high levels of cynicism and contempt for the State.

Protect yourself; throw these people out of public office, because you’re the injured party.

Expenses scandal confirms political system is still rotten to the core

June 11, 2010 in Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Government, Green Party, Labour Party, Seanad Eireann, The State by Anthony | 3 comments

We are constantly told by politicians that things are different now. We’re told that the (corrupt) political system has been reformed, that the system is now transparent and accountable.

The ongoing expenses scandal gives the lie to all such assertions.

There’s not even a need to make an argument on the matter, the words of the politicians themselves are sufficient to confirm that the system is still rotten to the core.

Michael D Higgins: (Labour TD)

I think it’s important that we acknowledge the new system is there and hope that people will realise that people like Ivor Callely are exceptional and allow the rest of us to address the really serious issues.

I would worry about my own sanity if I regarded it as politically important.

I do insist that presenting this exotic behaviour as anything typical would be quite irresponsible.

Clearly, Higgins does not think that alleged fraud by an Irish politician is a serious issue or politically important.

This attitude displays a disturbing ignorance of reality.

All corruption in Ireland ultimately originates from the corruption of the political system but people like Higgins have yet to even notice that fact never mind actually act against the disease.

He’s happy to wallow in ignorance and denial while blaming the media for everything.

Dr. John Doyle (DCU)

Irish politicians have very few supports in staff and other facilities compared to other EU parliaments…the broader picture is that Irish politicians are not on the gravy train compared to the Europeans and North Americans.

Lise Hand (Columnist with Irish Independent) when asked to respond to Doyle’s comments.

Just picking my jaw up off the floor here.

Mary O’Rourke (Fianna Fail TD)

Apparently he (Callely) is hunting for a get out clause. I think it’s all very nauseating and awfully bad for the body politic and it’s wrong, wrong, wrong.

This is the politician who believed Bertie Ahern’s lies were quite reasonable explanations and was/is a great admirer of the criminal Haughey.

After Haughey died O’Rourke described his long and destructive record of criminality as ‘a few bumps on the road.’

Mary Hanafin (Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism)

The answers that have come forward to date are not very clear. Senator Callely has to explain the situation to the Senate Committee.

There are certainly serious questions being asked and I believe he should be absolutely up front and clear about it.

Answers not very clear? Callely should be up front and clear. Is this the same politician who regularly stated, without embarrassment, that she believed every convoluted word from the mouth of the chancer Bertie Ahern?

The reason for this rank hypocrisy from O’Rourke and Hanafin is simple. Callely is not important; in fact he’s not even liked within Fianna Fail. He’s not a Fianna Fail mafia don so he can be discarded,

Senator Regan (Fine Gael)

I think this is an important issue, an issue of fraud by a member of this house.

Regan was told to withdraw the remark and did so immediately. Fraud by an Irish politician – the very idea?

Senator Dearey (Green Party)

Dearey was asked what should happen next (regarding Callely)

Well, you’ll appreciate I’m the newest kid on the block in there. I was appointed in the last couple of days in February so the intricacies of Oireachtas procedures are not something I would claim to be an expert on yet.

So, this politician needs to become an expert on the intricacies of Oireachtas procedures before he can give an opinion on the difference between right and wrong.

Senator Mullen (Independent) (From Galway but lives in Dublin)

On being asked what advice he received from a fellow politician in relation to claiming expenses when he first entered the Senate in 2007.

You could claim your expenses from Ahascragh (Galway) and if you’re here long enough you’ll have a house out of it.

Senator Mullen’s response to this advice:

We all deal in our own way with bad suggestions like that. You don’t necessarily give the person a lecture on ethics and propriety on the spot.

Senator Mullen is a deeply conservative Catholic who constantly lecturers Irish citizens on ethical matters.

It would appear that ethics in politics, if that’s not an oxymoron, do not feature in this Senator’s sense of morality.

Senator Butler (Fianna Fail)

Gets paid €20,000 more in travel expenses because he says he’s moved home to county Carlow although his home address is listed as Foxrock in Dublin.

Senator Doherty (Sinn Fein, Donegal)

Senator Doherty questions why Fine Gael TD Dinny McGinley, who lives in the same town land as Doherty, claims substantially more travel expenses.

McGinley claims that he was advised by security people back in the troubles to stay within the state. Fear that he might become a war casualty results in him having to take a longer route to and from Dublin.

Apparently, nobody has informed the TD that the war ended about 20 years ago.

Senator Regan (Fine Gael) who angrily accused Callely of fraud said that McGinley’s claims were a minor matter but Senator Doherty responded that they amounted to tens of thousands of Euros.

Senator Doherty believes that politicians are grossly overpaid on expenses.

It doesn’t cost me €466 to get from Donegal to Dublin. I have a car over a four year loan period. Repayments are €310 per month and I get €466 per return journey.

Senator Regan (Fine Gael) on being asked why politicians do not use public transport.

There’s an efficiency problem with that. Coming from Donegal might not work for a local TD who needs to get back to his constituency to attend particular events. Some have to go back mid week so there’s a practicality to it.

Bullshit is the only possible response to this view.

Senator O’Brolchain (Green Party)

Asked did he think people (politicians) were going by train and claiming mileage for it?

Well, I’m absolutely certain of it. I know of many instances of that, there are many instances where people are abusing the system.

Senator White (Fianna Fail) The following comments are a mixture of insult, paternalism and lies.

I’m very conscious listening to the discussion so far that the Irish public is listening out there very, very worried and probably incensed.

They’re not understanding some of the language that’s being used -vouched, unvouched etc and I think it’s very confusing.

First of all I would like to reassure the Irish people that a new regime has just being brought in. It’s a radical change over what has gone on forever as far as I’m concerned.

It is highly transparent system now and to be honest when I first came to the Senate in 2002 I was amazed at the lack of transparency and the lack of having to produce vouched receipts.

I am acutely conscious that it’s taxpayers’ money that I am being paid and accountable for every day.

But I would really like to reassure the people that we now have a highly transparent system.

This stupid politician, who, by the way wants to be President, didn’t say if she intends educating a ‘confused’ and ‘ignorant’ Irish public on the meaning of such ‘complex’ words like vouched and unvouched.

Senator Labhras O’Murchu (Fianna Fail) (Based in Tipperary)

When O’Murchu was asked about his expenses he said that when in Dublin he stays at Comthlas headquarters for about €50 per night. He claims that he uses the balance of money to pay for the rest of his daily expenses.

O’Murchu is Director General of Comthlas. Comthlas has refused to make any comment on the matter.

Jackie Healy-Rae (Fianna Fail independent)

Healy Rae admitted that up until recently he has been driving to the Dail from his Kerry constituency in the company of another Oireachtas member. He refused to name the other politician or whether both of them have claimed expenses.

When pressed on the matter he responded:

I know my own business and I won’t be declaring it to you or anybody else.

In other words this backwoodsman is telling the media and the people of Ireland to take a hike.

His ignorant and arrogant attitude is a clear indication that nothing has changed in this country and as I have said on many occasions nothing will ever change until these traitors are thrown out of public office and the entire corrupt system under which they enrich themselves is brought crashing down.

Copy to:

Fianna Fail
Fine Gael
Labour
Green Party
Senator Mullen
Seanad Eireann
Dail Eireann

Elaine Byrne and the thee political morons

February 10, 2010 in Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Government, Labour Party, The State by Anthony | 1 comment

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.

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