Tammany Hall passports – Update (2)

I spoke with an official from the Dept of Foreign Affairs yesterday for an update on the review being conducted by the Dept concerning the special passport service provided by TDs (See here).

He didn’t have the terms of reference to hand but informed me that the review had commenced and was expected to be completed before the summer recess.

Essentially, TDs and Senators will be asked for their views on the service and a check is to be made on other jurisdictions to see if a similar service is provided.

Bertie – "The man totally devoted to bounce."

I genuinely thought it impossible that any Bertie fanatic could surpass the stupidity of Declan Lynch’s defence of the great leader – but I was wrong.

Brendan O’Connor wrote things in last Sunday’s paper that I’m sure, if he has an ounce of self respect, will make him cringe in embarrassment for years to come. The principal point of the piece is that Bertie the great leader was down but now he’s back – with bounce.

Here are some choice quotes.

In his heyday, Bertie used to rival Tom Cruise for bounce.

He became the public man, the man with no personal life, the man totally devoted to public service and to his public, the man totally devoted to bounce.

It was only when the Bertie bounce returned last week that we saw what we’d been missing.

He draws strength and energy from us, and we from him. That’s what being a leader is about. Hence, the bounce of the last week was good for everyone.

Bertie’s never happier than when he’s connected to his people, getting the love.

He looked energised. And he fed off his people and they showed it on the news and we fed off him.

And as much as it’s old fashioned and sexist, we do like to feel that there’s a benevolent but tough patriarch watching over us. And it was difficult to watch the Daddy seeming to lose his power. But it seems like the Daddy is back and we can sleep easy in our beds. He has thrust the darkness to one side.

Come to the light, Bertie. We need you here. And our love will buoy you up.

The man totally devoted to the bounce? We can sleep easy in our beds now because the Daddy is back to thrust the darkness to one side? Come to the light, Bertie. We need you here. And our love will buoy you up?

I mean, is this man serious? Let’s for a moment forget about Bertie, about corruption in Ireland, let’s forget about Ireland altogether.

Let’s imagine that O’Connor is writing about the greatest man that has ever lived, a man that has fed the hungry masses of the world, a man who has persuaded all nations to cease war, a man who has reversed global warming, a man who has saved the world for all generations to come – It would still be cringingly embarrassing to describe such a man in the manner that O’Connor writes about his hero.

And what about O’Connor’s friends and work colleagues? Out of kindness, do they avoid talking about the great leader in case Brendan suddenly launches into a Bertie bounce? Is there really anybody out there, apart from fellow Bertie worshippers Jody Corcoran and Declan Lynch who actually believes in the Bertie love bounce?

Those Fianna Fail propaganda boys have a lot to answer for.

Copy to:
Brendan O’Connor

New whistleblower charter

The introduction of a new whistleblowers charter was discussed on a recent Prime Time programme.

Frank McBrearty Jnr, and Jim Cusack, Security Correspondent for the Sunday Independent are not at all happy with the new system.

According to Cusack the new system does the complete opposite to what it’s supposed to do saying that it is in reality a protection for the permanent and elected government.

Miriam O’Callaghan questioned that part of the 2007 regulations that merely talks about taking all practicable steps to ensure the identity of the confidential reporter is protected.

The overall objection seems to be that the new system is not really independent – Time will tell.

Theft and fraud continues with impunity

“Help consumers to make informed decisions on their financial affairs in a safe and fair market.” (Dishonest claim made by Financial Regulator).

Irish financial institutions continue to rob and defraud consumers with impunity. The latest theft, by insurance brokers, involves a whole raft of scams including failing to fully disclose fees and charges, overcharging and selling consumers optional extras which they have not asked for. All these activities are banned under the Consumer Protection Code (Irish Independent).

The so called Financial Regulator has reacted as it always does; no charges, no fines and total secrecy on the names of the thieving companies. Consumers are not even to be told how many companies are thieving.

In other words; the criminal financial institutions are afforded full protection by the regulator while the consumer is kept in the dark and forced to take his chances in an extremely unfair and unsafe market. The only recourse consumers have is to treat all insurance brokers as suspect.

Copy to:
Financial Regulator
Professional Insurance Brokers Association

Malignant seeds of superstition

As part of the lead up to the Skyfest at the Rock of Cashel an RTE reporter asked some junior schoolchildren about their knowledge of St. Patrick. From their replies it was obvious that the children’s indoctrination in the superstitions of Christianity was progressing apace.

If they’re lucky, most of these students will not suffer too much from this State/Church child abuse. This is because, for the moment, Christianity is a dormant religion unlike Islam which is militantly active.

But should circumstances change in the West, should the church regain its power, the malignant seeds of superstition implanted in innocent minds will be activated and used to deadly effect just as they are in the Muslim world today.

Cannon fodder on standby

I watched a BBC news item the other day about the very poor standard of state education in Egypt. The item began with a group of children from a poor background chanting:

“We live for Egypt; we die for Egypt, God and our country.”

The report also described how rich Egyptian children attended good quality private schools. There was no evidence of state indoctrination at these schools.

It’s an old story. The rich children will eventually hold positions of power in politics and business. The poor, suitably indoctrinated, will eke out a living always on standby to serve as cannon fodder should circumstance dictate.

Nothing to do with me.

This is how Seamus Brennan defended his €1,650 per night hotel bill (Six One News, 6th item).

“We genuinely don’t want to waste taxpayer’s money, genuinely; it’s the last thing on our minds. We’re in the hands of embassies and in the hands of Dept’s very often when bookings are made.”

Are we to assume from this that Brennan would have no problem if he was booked into a cheap B & B? Or is it the old story; I’m just the minister in charge, the man with ultimate responsibility – nothing to do with me.

Hutch and Haughey – Two of a kind

Gerard ‘The Monk’ Hutch hasn’t been convicted of any crime for the last 25 years but anyone listening to Prime Time last night would find that fact difficult to believe as RTE Crime Correspondent Paul Reynolds accused him of being involved in at least one armed robbery.

“Why do you say you didn’t do the robbery when you know you did and everybody else knows you did?”

So much for the principle of being innocent until proven guilty.

It’s interesting to observe how RTE treats people like Hutch in comparison to more ‘respectable’ criminals. For example, Miriam O’Callaghan introduced the piece by telling us that people are often outraged at how some individuals seem to be almost immune from prosecution.

For years I’ve been outraged at how politicians and white collar criminals seem to be immune from prosecution and yet I’ve never witnessed any of them get the grilling that Hutch received.

It’s also interesting to observe the parallels between Hutch and the most corrupt politician of all, Charles Haughey, a criminal who was always treated with the highest respect by RTE.

Hutch claims he made his money from shrewd investments in the property market. How many times did we hear Haughey supporters make the same claim – and expect us to believe it?

Hutch denied any knowledge about the source of dodgy money in his bank account. Haughey was just as barefaced in relation to dodgy money in his accounts.

Hutch was asked:

“The money that you made, the figures just don’t add up, the compensation doesn’t really wash, the evidence is there in the figures that don’t add up because one minute you’re a guy who has no money, you get a compensation claim and now you’re a multi-millionaire. – Do you really expect people to believe that?”

Haughey was a guy who initially had no money and then suddenly he was a multi-millionaire. His figures never added up but somehow he was never asked the hard questions.

Hutch said he didn’t care what people believed. Haughey adopted the same attitude.

Hutch claims that he was ignorant of tax laws but when he realised the error of his ways he was more than happy to settle with Revenue. Haughey also claimed ignorance of his tax obligations and also made a deal with Revenue.

But by far the most interesting comment was made by Detective Superintendent John O’Mahoney of the Criminal Assets Bureau.

“There are people out there who would have you believe that a certificate of tax clearance meant that people were innocent of criminality. A certificate of tax clearance is just that, it is not a certificate of innocence.”

Couldn’t agree with you more Superintendent.

Copy to:
Prime Time

NCA – Please, stop that naughty behaviour

John Shine of the National Consumer Agency was on Drivetime (7th item) yesterday talking about a recent case of car clocking. This practice, which is prohibited by the Consumer Protection Act 2007, involves tampering with the odometers of used cars to significantly reduce their mileage readings.

According to Mr. Shine this lucrative criminal activity is widespread. In addition to being a major rip off, the scam could also pose serious safety problems for consumers.

We’ve been told for some time now that the NCA has new powers, that they are prepared to use them to protect the interests of consumers and Mr. Shine was clear; the NCA considers this kind of activity quite a significant problem.

So, what action did they take to protect the consumer when Orange Motors Limited of Limerick was caught in the act? Well, they politely asked the company to give a formal undertaking not to engage in such naughty activities in the future.

So, why didn’t the NCA prosecute these people? We find the astonishing answer on their website.

“While the NCA has power to prosecute the company for engaging in these practices, this could take some time, and, in the meantime, other consumers could be misled.”

I could make an attempt to analyse this idiotic statement but I don’t think my sanity could stand the test. This episode does, however, tell us a number of things.

The NCA is still a useless defender of consumer interests. It is a lightweight organisation hopelessly out of its depth in a sea of sharks.

Dodgy car dealers all over the country will be greatly encouraged by the pathetic efforts of this toothless tiger.

As for long suffering consumers – The will continue to be victims.

Copy to:
NCA

Pensions Board moves

Hallelujah; praise the Lord; break out the champagne – The Pensions Board is taking action against a construction company (Irish Time, sub req’d) (RTE, 4th item).

For more than fifty years construction firms have been bullying, robbing and generally abusing their employees while the Pensions Board wrung its hands (See here for details).

Mary Hutch is apparently head of investigations and compliance with the Pensions Board –surely the cushiest job in the country.

Here’s a brief but entertaining account of events.

The Board first suspected something dodgy was going on from a report in the media, effectively the company concerned was going under.

So, straight away we can say that the workers will not get justice and those responsible will not be brought to account.

When the Board informed the company of its intention to bring court proceedings the company did what construction companies have been doing for fifty years – Gave it the two fingers.

The judge dealing with the case, Ms. Mary Laffoy, said there was some urgency in the matter. Yes indeed, the need to tackle illegal activities within the construction industry has been ‘urgent’ since the 1960s.