The Corruption Perception Index for 2005 has been published by Transparency International and Ireland continues its gradual slide on the scale. In 1996 we ranked 11 but this year we come in at 19. Iceland at 1 is the least corrupt country while Chad and Bangladesh at 158 are the most corrupt. The outside world is beginning to notice, this comment from the BBC.
The situation worsened in countries such as Costa Rica, Russia and Sri Lanka – as well as Canada and Ireland.
However, within this Banana Republic the large elephant continues to be ignored. Writing in today’s Irish times, John Devitt, chief executive of Transparency International Ireland makes the same old excuses. The media exaggerates the phenomenon, great work is being done to combat corruption, we are moving away from a culture that tolerates corruption blah blah blah. (Obviously, he hasn’t yet heard about the thieving solicitors)
This refusal to face the reality of corruption in Ireland is not surprising when we consider that the chairperson of Transparency International Ireland, Colm McCarthy agrees with former Finance Minister, Charlie McCreevy, that robbing hundreds of millions through tax evasion is not really corruption, they agree it is stealing, but not corruption.
No wonder I have little hair left.