Low quality political leadership

Here’s the story of the West Link in a nutshell.

The bridge cost NTR a mere €14 million to build. In twenty years of operation they have milked a fortune from long suffering motorists/taxpayers. Now, those same taxpayers have to buy back the bridge for €600 million and into the future they will be forced to pay at least another €600 million in continuing tolls.

So who was involved in this very lucrative deal that has massively enriched big business by imposing penal costs on taxpayers?

Those familiar with how our banana republic is run will not be surprised to learn that George Redmond, the corrupt former Dublin Assistant City and County Manager signed the contract in company with the then Environment Minister Padraig Flynn.

To top off the sleazy deal, the bridge was opened by none other than the king of corruption himself, Charles Haughey.

The whole sorry saga stands as a potent symbol of how a country can go rotten when it is greedily exploited by low quality political leadership.

4 thoughts on “Low quality political leadership”

  1. Anthony, may I remind you that the Toll Bridge idea was dreamed up by none other than John Boland (a former Fine Gael Minister). I’m sure you wont want to be reminded of that because it will not suit the particular political agenda you are peddling here. As always you jump on Fianna Fail people (well they have been the favourite of the electorate most often)to try and make whatever point you are continually trying to make (not with much clarity I might add)
    You might just once have a look closer to home (Emmet Stagg in the Park, Michael Lowry and not forgetting Paddy (thundering disgrace) Donegan. It may not suit your cause to be reminded of the exploits of these chaps either but I feel it is imperarive to do so.

  2. I like you blog. It saddens me deeply, but thats a good thing. What i’d like to understand is, how did it come to this??

    There is corruption at every level of irish society it seems. The one that scares me the most is the Health Service. How one could knowlingly put their lives in the hands of such a system is beyond me.

    If I ever get sick I may go back to the North instead.

  3. Anthony, may I remind you that the Toll Bridge idea was dreamed up by none other than John Boland (a former Fine Gael Minister).

    This doesn’t change what has actually transpired. Diversionary finger pointing is a childish tactic.
    Its quite clear that Fianna Fail members are involved in this scandal. How can you not accept that. You sound like Ken MacGinnis.

  4. Niall you are clearly another who will only see one side of the argument just like Gavin and Anthony. At least we now know where they are coming from, their political position and all that. To come out with a statement such as you have just done in response to a statement of fact (proven beyond a shadow of a doubt) shows how limited your capacity is to become involved in any reasoned debate.
    Mr Boland was clearly the Architect of the whole concept of a franchisee being given the right to build the bridge and recoup their investment over a considerable number of years. Obviously if you can not accept something which is perfectly true then you are the one who is so deep in your trench that the light never gets to shine on you.

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