IRISH politicians are an opportunistic lot. Witness the entering of Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams into the Republic of Ireland’s political arena, just as the country’s finances are shot down the tubes.
There are several reasons why Adams has some nerve when he says he’s planning on running for a seat in the Dail (Irish Parliament). Forget the fact that for many years Sinn Fein couldn’t even manage to spit the word “Dail” out of their mouths.
Adams, as far as I’m aware, lives in Belfast, yet he wants to run for a seat based in Co. Louth. Shouldn’t it be that if you represent a group of constituents, you should at the very least live among them? That Adams has the nerve to think he can swan in like some sort of savior is preposterous.
And let’s not forget that Sinn Fein’s “economic policies” are ridiculous to say the least. Their rob from the rich and give to the poor mentality would bankrupt Ireland even further than it has already sunk.
Adams should stay up North where he lives and where he belongs. He’s no sure bet of winning a seat in Louth, I’d say – not with his history.
On another topic, the bankers who have robbed Ireland blind need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and the politicians who enabled them should face the same penalties.
I blame the former Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, under whose watch the “Celtic Tiger” was created. This is a man who left office just in the nick of time – even though, in his day, he would have done anything and everything to hang onto power, so obsessed with himself he was.
He’s left bumbling Brian Cowen to carry the can and shoulder all the blame, but make no mistake – when the history books are written, Ahern’s name should be front and center as a prime reason why Ireland finds itself in its current circumstances.
Thomas J. Gaffney
Hartford, Connecticut
Monday, November 29, 2010
Responsibility Counts
THE headlines from Ireland have been shocking and so sad. What happened to the Celtic Tiger in so short at time?
Ireland now finds itself back at square one – high unemployment, mass emigration and gloom and doom all around. Was all the excess worth all of this pain?
I keep harking back to Cormac MacConnell and John Spain’s columns that were written during the so-called boom years – they lamented the loss of the simple pleasures that Ireland had always offered, pleasures that were forgotten about in the race to have the biggest TV, the newest car, best vacation home, etc.
I am not at all happy about what’s going on in Ireland these days. I have many relatives over there, working class people, who will undoubtedly have to sacrifice because of the mistakes made by bankers and property speculators.
But maybe there are lessons to be learned for the Irish, too. With wealth and prosperity comes responsibility, and too many people lost sight of that during the boom years in Ireland.
Mary Ann McGrath
Queens, New York
Ireland now finds itself back at square one – high unemployment, mass emigration and gloom and doom all around. Was all the excess worth all of this pain?
I keep harking back to Cormac MacConnell and John Spain’s columns that were written during the so-called boom years – they lamented the loss of the simple pleasures that Ireland had always offered, pleasures that were forgotten about in the race to have the biggest TV, the newest car, best vacation home, etc.
I am not at all happy about what’s going on in Ireland these days. I have many relatives over there, working class people, who will undoubtedly have to sacrifice because of the mistakes made by bankers and property speculators.
But maybe there are lessons to be learned for the Irish, too. With wealth and prosperity comes responsibility, and too many people lost sight of that during the boom years in Ireland.
Mary Ann McGrath
Queens, New York
Vulnerable Will Pay
ALAS, it seems nothing has been learned from our tragedy. The first people to be targeted by the IMF (ensconced in a five star hotel) and our own overpaid "economic illiterates" are not those who caused our downfall, but the lowest paid and those who lost their jobs because of the greed of the richest.
Almost 100 years ago, this little country stood up against the might of the British Empire to secure independence and self-determination. Now their noble self-sacrifice has been squandered by the greed of a cartel of bankers, developers and their political allies.
My two grandfathers, Sam Ellis and Peter Doyle, both laid their lives on the line in 1916. They would be disgusted to see how their selfless, courageous action has degenerated into the selfish Mé-Féinism which has bankrupted our economy and which is still asking the most vulnerable to, yet again, pay the price for their greed.
Dessie Ellis
Dublin, Ireland
Almost 100 years ago, this little country stood up against the might of the British Empire to secure independence and self-determination. Now their noble self-sacrifice has been squandered by the greed of a cartel of bankers, developers and their political allies.
My two grandfathers, Sam Ellis and Peter Doyle, both laid their lives on the line in 1916. They would be disgusted to see how their selfless, courageous action has degenerated into the selfish Mé-Féinism which has bankrupted our economy and which is still asking the most vulnerable to, yet again, pay the price for their greed.
Dessie Ellis
Dublin, Ireland
Don’t Trust IMF
IN recent months I have followed the ineptitude of Irish politicians and bankers and have been very critical of the guarantees offered by Cowen & Co. to bondholders of Irish debt.
Ireland is insolvent. It’s as simple as that!
What ordinary Irish people don’t really understand is that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is not a charitable organization, nor is it a beneficent brother in finance. Rather, it a financial and economic colonizer.
With SAPs or Structural Adjustment Programs operated by the IMF all across the world, sovereign nations are held in the bonds of debt until they privatize all public assets. Assets such as the ultra efficient and world renowned ESB (Electricity Supply Board) will become ripe targets for sale to private operators, foreign corporate entities most likely.
The future of the Irish economy depends now on whether the ordinary taxpayer wakes up and smells the IMF coffee, and how they organize themselves against the onslaught of this snake in the economic grass.
A cursory overview of the victims of IMF skullduggery include Argentina, Bolivia and a host of other countries where the IMF attempted to privatize almost every single public asset, including water (in Bolivia) and charge the citizens of those countries outrageous prices while at the same time force the government to raise funds by selling natural resources to repay the massive loans offered by the IMF!
Ireland’s economic implosion is a disaster waiting to happen.
Only deep awareness by the public can stem the tide. The French have decided that they will engage the banks on December 7 by withdrawing their deposits. This will send a message to banks that hard earned money should not and will not be abused by greedy banksters to pursue risky activities that do not spur economic growth.
In Ireland we waste $1.2 billion on building an airport terminal based on 600,000 tourists and travelers annually, when the reality is that most of the people going through Terminal 2 in Dublin Airport will be emigrants exiting the country for Australia, New Zealand, America and Canada!
A.P. Ó Máille
New York, New York
Ireland is insolvent. It’s as simple as that!
What ordinary Irish people don’t really understand is that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is not a charitable organization, nor is it a beneficent brother in finance. Rather, it a financial and economic colonizer.
With SAPs or Structural Adjustment Programs operated by the IMF all across the world, sovereign nations are held in the bonds of debt until they privatize all public assets. Assets such as the ultra efficient and world renowned ESB (Electricity Supply Board) will become ripe targets for sale to private operators, foreign corporate entities most likely.
The future of the Irish economy depends now on whether the ordinary taxpayer wakes up and smells the IMF coffee, and how they organize themselves against the onslaught of this snake in the economic grass.
A cursory overview of the victims of IMF skullduggery include Argentina, Bolivia and a host of other countries where the IMF attempted to privatize almost every single public asset, including water (in Bolivia) and charge the citizens of those countries outrageous prices while at the same time force the government to raise funds by selling natural resources to repay the massive loans offered by the IMF!
Ireland’s economic implosion is a disaster waiting to happen.
Only deep awareness by the public can stem the tide. The French have decided that they will engage the banks on December 7 by withdrawing their deposits. This will send a message to banks that hard earned money should not and will not be abused by greedy banksters to pursue risky activities that do not spur economic growth.
In Ireland we waste $1.2 billion on building an airport terminal based on 600,000 tourists and travelers annually, when the reality is that most of the people going through Terminal 2 in Dublin Airport will be emigrants exiting the country for Australia, New Zealand, America and Canada!
A.P. Ó Máille
New York, New York
Emergency Meeting
THE air in Ireland is filled with talk of “sovereignty and independence” being supplanted by dictat by outside bodies. On the margins of the G20 summit, Germany, France and Britain met and discussed what must be done about this “most distressful country,” and they laid out plans for our future without us having any say.
If this talk about “sovereignty and independence” is not more hot air, why hasn’t the Irish government convened an emergency meeting of the Greek, Portuguese, Spanish and Italian governments to present a united front and shared demands that really “shares the pain” with all our euro “partners,” just as the Germans, British and French have come together to make us pay? Is it not a case what is sauce for goose is also sauce for the gander?
All the politicians and commentators state the future of the euro is connected to and dependent upon what we as a people are prepared to accept in savage cuts and an unpayable debt burden.
The British, French and German banks have a lot to lose -- these are the creditors we are guaranteeing. They have some influence with the European Central Bank.
Eugene McCartan
Dublin, Ireland
If this talk about “sovereignty and independence” is not more hot air, why hasn’t the Irish government convened an emergency meeting of the Greek, Portuguese, Spanish and Italian governments to present a united front and shared demands that really “shares the pain” with all our euro “partners,” just as the Germans, British and French have come together to make us pay? Is it not a case what is sauce for goose is also sauce for the gander?
All the politicians and commentators state the future of the euro is connected to and dependent upon what we as a people are prepared to accept in savage cuts and an unpayable debt burden.
The British, French and German banks have a lot to lose -- these are the creditors we are guaranteeing. They have some influence with the European Central Bank.
Eugene McCartan
Dublin, Ireland
Friday, November 19, 2010
Coverage Out of Line
I WAS saddened to read the very terse, defensive response by Debbie McGoldrick to the letters about Christina Walsh in last week’s issue.
I have heard people talking about this for over a week, and the unanimous opinion in my own little neck of the woods is that the coverage of the Walshes was offensive and, at best, poorly thought out.
I do not know why putting a front-page photo of Mr. Walsh (whom I do not know) and his family was necessary to convey the so-called "Irish connection."
The man is clearly an elderly man and he is not the newsmaker; neither are the young lady’s sisters.
Just because you have the right to do something doesn't mean you should do it.
I do not read the Irish Voice for sensational style news. I read it to keep informed of matters important to the Irish community.
In my opinion, you missed the target badly here.
Marcella Mulligan
Yonkers, New York
I have heard people talking about this for over a week, and the unanimous opinion in my own little neck of the woods is that the coverage of the Walshes was offensive and, at best, poorly thought out.
I do not know why putting a front-page photo of Mr. Walsh (whom I do not know) and his family was necessary to convey the so-called "Irish connection."
The man is clearly an elderly man and he is not the newsmaker; neither are the young lady’s sisters.
Just because you have the right to do something doesn't mean you should do it.
I do not read the Irish Voice for sensational style news. I read it to keep informed of matters important to the Irish community.
In my opinion, you missed the target badly here.
Marcella Mulligan
Yonkers, New York
Where’s Victim Justice?
ON Monday, November 8, Justice Minister David Ford published details of a £20 million gratuity scheme for members of the part-time police reserve.
It will be open to former members of the RUC part-time reserve, and current or past members of the PSNI part-time reserve who joined before the end of October 2009.
The surviving spouse or partner of a deceased officer may also be eligible to apply.
The money is part of the government's financial deal for the devolution of policing and justice. Ford said the "payments are to be made in recognition of the particular circumstances of those who volunteered to serve" in the reserve.
He then went on to say "they had made themselves vulnerable within the community for the safety of others, with the accompanying risks and the demonstration of civic spirit which that volunteering exhibited."
Democratic Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson, who was involved in negotiating the payment, said, " The part-time reserve officers deserve this recognition.”
Time after time families have looked on in dismay as those who killed their loved ones are glorified as heroes.
When will their loved ones be recognized for what they were? Totally innocent victims who were murdered by the state.
Their families are not looking for a recognition payment. They are looking for the truth, a truth which costs nothing.
J. Parker
Belfast, Northern Ireland
It will be open to former members of the RUC part-time reserve, and current or past members of the PSNI part-time reserve who joined before the end of October 2009.
The surviving spouse or partner of a deceased officer may also be eligible to apply.
The money is part of the government's financial deal for the devolution of policing and justice. Ford said the "payments are to be made in recognition of the particular circumstances of those who volunteered to serve" in the reserve.
He then went on to say "they had made themselves vulnerable within the community for the safety of others, with the accompanying risks and the demonstration of civic spirit which that volunteering exhibited."
Democratic Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson, who was involved in negotiating the payment, said, " The part-time reserve officers deserve this recognition.”
Time after time families have looked on in dismay as those who killed their loved ones are glorified as heroes.
When will their loved ones be recognized for what they were? Totally innocent victims who were murdered by the state.
Their families are not looking for a recognition payment. They are looking for the truth, a truth which costs nothing.
J. Parker
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Sinn Fein Lies
AT a recent Sinn Fein venue in New York on November 5, those present were told the Orange Order does not exist any longer.
Someone in the audience questioned that statement and referenced the protests this year in Ardoyne. We were told by Sinn Fein that only teenagers caused the trouble on July 12!
Someone else questioned the Sinn Fein visitors about the ongoing abuse of Republican prisoners in Maghaberry prison. Another in the audience challenged the Sinn Fein visitors on justice for Irish Republicans.
Clearly Provisional Sinn Fein is not fooling everyone! They are losing support in Ireland and they are losing support in America.
They should not come to America with their hand out and then lie to us.
Kathleen Kemmey
Bronx, New York
Someone in the audience questioned that statement and referenced the protests this year in Ardoyne. We were told by Sinn Fein that only teenagers caused the trouble on July 12!
Someone else questioned the Sinn Fein visitors about the ongoing abuse of Republican prisoners in Maghaberry prison. Another in the audience challenged the Sinn Fein visitors on justice for Irish Republicans.
Clearly Provisional Sinn Fein is not fooling everyone! They are losing support in Ireland and they are losing support in America.
They should not come to America with their hand out and then lie to us.
Kathleen Kemmey
Bronx, New York
Walsh Cover All Wrong
AFTER reading the letters to the editor and senior editor Debbie McGoldrick’s response about the Christina Walsh story in last week’s issue, I thought I would write in with my opinion.
I think what really upset the two letter writers, and what I know upset me, was not your coverage of the story, but your COVER for the story.
You are right in stating that you are a newspaper and are in the business of reporting the news. It is the manner with which papers go about that reporting which separates legitimate newspapers from the tabloid type.
As a reader of your paper for years I would put the Irish Voice in the legitimate category, but on this story I think you veered a little to far the other way.
You stated the Walsh/Charlie Sheen "incident" was painstakingly reported by every major media outlet in the country.
True, but the big difference in all their coverage and the Irish Voice’s is you chose to put a picture of the entire Walsh family on your cover.
There were numerous pictures available and used in other papers of just Christina Walsh, but you made the decision to put her whole family on your cover.
Her sisters, who had nothing to do with her choices that night or in life, and who might not have been known to be related to her by people in their workplace, community, etc., now have to live with the looks and whispers of others thanks in great part to the Irish Voice.
Imagine a member of your family doing something wrong and a paper putting your whole family picture on the cover. How would you feel walking into the office Thursday morning and seeing the stares and hearing the whispers?
These girls and their father did nothing wrong, and responsible journalists would not have tried to use their picture for shock value and to sell papers.
If putting them on the cover was your idea of “highlighting the Irish angle of the story," then shame on you. There is a reason the Irish Voice chose that picture, and I hope you accomplished what you wanted.
Just like Christina Walsh has to live with her decisions, so does the Irish Voice! No apologies necessary.
Patrick O'Donnell, Junior
Bronx, New York
I think what really upset the two letter writers, and what I know upset me, was not your coverage of the story, but your COVER for the story.
You are right in stating that you are a newspaper and are in the business of reporting the news. It is the manner with which papers go about that reporting which separates legitimate newspapers from the tabloid type.
As a reader of your paper for years I would put the Irish Voice in the legitimate category, but on this story I think you veered a little to far the other way.
You stated the Walsh/Charlie Sheen "incident" was painstakingly reported by every major media outlet in the country.
True, but the big difference in all their coverage and the Irish Voice’s is you chose to put a picture of the entire Walsh family on your cover.
There were numerous pictures available and used in other papers of just Christina Walsh, but you made the decision to put her whole family on your cover.
Her sisters, who had nothing to do with her choices that night or in life, and who might not have been known to be related to her by people in their workplace, community, etc., now have to live with the looks and whispers of others thanks in great part to the Irish Voice.
Imagine a member of your family doing something wrong and a paper putting your whole family picture on the cover. How would you feel walking into the office Thursday morning and seeing the stares and hearing the whispers?
These girls and their father did nothing wrong, and responsible journalists would not have tried to use their picture for shock value and to sell papers.
If putting them on the cover was your idea of “highlighting the Irish angle of the story," then shame on you. There is a reason the Irish Voice chose that picture, and I hope you accomplished what you wanted.
Just like Christina Walsh has to live with her decisions, so does the Irish Voice! No apologies necessary.
Patrick O'Donnell, Junior
Bronx, New York
Walsh Coverage Fair
THE condemnation of the Irish Voice by letter writers Miss Riley and Mr. Lyons in last week’s issue over an article on a certain Christina Walsh, who is in the business of hiring herself for sex which resulted in a publicly reported scandalous rendezvous with bad-boy actor Charlie Sheen, is completely misplaced.
The fact that she is first generation Irish whose father is from Cork is the greater motivator behind their letters of condemnation. It is not all about sympathy and consideration for the Walsh family's humiliations.
I wonder if Miss Walsh was further removed from the Irish connection of first generation would we see the same enthusiastic sympathy? Let's say third or fourth generation.
There is something of the herd mentality in their letters. Are they saying the Irish Voice should ignore and hide individual scandalous behavior in the active Irish community because it will bring shame on the whole community?
Didn’t the Catholic Church try that on their own sex scandals, and look what happened?
The bad behavior of the few doesn’t bring shame on the whole. To think it does is primitive thinking.
John Rogers
Voorhees, New Jersey
The fact that she is first generation Irish whose father is from Cork is the greater motivator behind their letters of condemnation. It is not all about sympathy and consideration for the Walsh family's humiliations.
I wonder if Miss Walsh was further removed from the Irish connection of first generation would we see the same enthusiastic sympathy? Let's say third or fourth generation.
There is something of the herd mentality in their letters. Are they saying the Irish Voice should ignore and hide individual scandalous behavior in the active Irish community because it will bring shame on the whole community?
Didn’t the Catholic Church try that on their own sex scandals, and look what happened?
The bad behavior of the few doesn’t bring shame on the whole. To think it does is primitive thinking.
John Rogers
Voorhees, New Jersey
Nothing Is Free!
IN recent weeks the Irish Voice has done a fine job of covering the plight the Irish face on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
The one thing that stands out is the Irish people do much better on the U.S. side of this story, and how living in Ireland is all too hard and wished they had stayed in the grand old USA.
The cover of a recent issue of the Irish Voice showed the success story of an Irish plumber who moved to New York, and was set up quickly working six days a week. His wife even had the gall to say, “School books are free."
The point the Irish Voice left out of these well-informed success stories is life is good "when it’s tax free!"
We all would have loads of money if we didn't have to pay income tax. The people in your story now get to send their children to our schools on our dime, and we pay the freight for free education.
The Irish are only a small percentage of this black market in the U.S., and there are no easy solutions. I myself can offer none.
But if I could rent out my home in Ireland fly to New York and work tax free, and send my children to school free, please sign me up. I’ll suck the life out of the U.S., too!
S. Cassidy
Farmingville, New York
The one thing that stands out is the Irish people do much better on the U.S. side of this story, and how living in Ireland is all too hard and wished they had stayed in the grand old USA.
The cover of a recent issue of the Irish Voice showed the success story of an Irish plumber who moved to New York, and was set up quickly working six days a week. His wife even had the gall to say, “School books are free."
The point the Irish Voice left out of these well-informed success stories is life is good "when it’s tax free!"
We all would have loads of money if we didn't have to pay income tax. The people in your story now get to send their children to our schools on our dime, and we pay the freight for free education.
The Irish are only a small percentage of this black market in the U.S., and there are no easy solutions. I myself can offer none.
But if I could rent out my home in Ireland fly to New York and work tax free, and send my children to school free, please sign me up. I’ll suck the life out of the U.S., too!
S. Cassidy
Farmingville, New York
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Unfortunate Coverage
I THOUGHT your front page story on the Walsh family in last week’s family was extremely unfortunate.
Christina Walsh, the daughter of Irishman Paul Walsh, has made a mistake in her lifestyle choice, and now she’ll never be able to live it down thanks to the Irish Voice. Undoubtedly she will see the error of her ways when she is an older, more mature woman.
In the meantime, the Irish Voice has shamed itself in its tabloid attempts to further smear the Walsh family, whose privacy should be respected and not exploited.
Maureen Riley
Bronx, New York
SENIOR EDITOR DEBBIE McGOLDRICK RESPONDS: Ms. Riley, if Christina Walsh – Charlie Sheen’s for-hire paramour/adult film star on the night he had a major meltdown in New York’s Plaza Hotel last month – chooses someday to “live down” her present way of earning a buck, it’s hardly likely she’ll blame the Irish Voice if she’s unable to.
Let’s see – in addition to our paper, the Sheen/Walsh, um, “incident,” was painstakingly reported by virtually every major media outlet in the country. Ms. Walsh – a/k/a Capri Anderson – has hardly been shy in promoting her career choices, either, with photos of herself in various stages of undress splashed all over the Internet. If she eventually wants to airbrush her current media profile, as you suggest she might, the Irish Voice coverage will be the least of her worries.
Mr. Lyons – the Irish Voice has nothing to apologize for. We are a newspaper and we are in the business of reporting news in all of its facets – good, bad, funny, sad, quirky, etc.
Perhaps you know the Walsh family personally, but if you don’t you’re assuming that they’ve been “humiliated” by Christina’s career and her run-in with Sheen, but maybe that’s not the case at all. Either way, we stand by our decision to highlight the Irish angle to the story.
Christina Walsh, the daughter of Irishman Paul Walsh, has made a mistake in her lifestyle choice, and now she’ll never be able to live it down thanks to the Irish Voice. Undoubtedly she will see the error of her ways when she is an older, more mature woman.
In the meantime, the Irish Voice has shamed itself in its tabloid attempts to further smear the Walsh family, whose privacy should be respected and not exploited.
Maureen Riley
Bronx, New York
SENIOR EDITOR DEBBIE McGOLDRICK RESPONDS: Ms. Riley, if Christina Walsh – Charlie Sheen’s for-hire paramour/adult film star on the night he had a major meltdown in New York’s Plaza Hotel last month – chooses someday to “live down” her present way of earning a buck, it’s hardly likely she’ll blame the Irish Voice if she’s unable to.
Let’s see – in addition to our paper, the Sheen/Walsh, um, “incident,” was painstakingly reported by virtually every major media outlet in the country. Ms. Walsh – a/k/a Capri Anderson – has hardly been shy in promoting her career choices, either, with photos of herself in various stages of undress splashed all over the Internet. If she eventually wants to airbrush her current media profile, as you suggest she might, the Irish Voice coverage will be the least of her worries.
Mr. Lyons – the Irish Voice has nothing to apologize for. We are a newspaper and we are in the business of reporting news in all of its facets – good, bad, funny, sad, quirky, etc.
Perhaps you know the Walsh family personally, but if you don’t you’re assuming that they’ve been “humiliated” by Christina’s career and her run-in with Sheen, but maybe that’s not the case at all. Either way, we stand by our decision to highlight the Irish angle to the story.
Apologize to Walshes
AS weekly readers of the Irish Voice, we are appalled that your paper would stoop so low as to have an article on Mr. Paul Walsh and his family on the front cover of your newspaper last week.
The likelihood is that this man and his family have been humiliated enough due to all the recent publicity surrounding his daughter.
We find it unacceptable that an Irish publication would exploit the unfortunate issues of a fellow Irishman and his family. We do not intend purchasing your paper or submitting advertisements until you print an apology.
We trust that as an advocate of freedom of speech this letter will be printed.
Dick Lyons
Kilkenny Association Members
New York, New York
The likelihood is that this man and his family have been humiliated enough due to all the recent publicity surrounding his daughter.
We find it unacceptable that an Irish publication would exploit the unfortunate issues of a fellow Irishman and his family. We do not intend purchasing your paper or submitting advertisements until you print an apology.
We trust that as an advocate of freedom of speech this letter will be printed.
Dick Lyons
Kilkenny Association Members
New York, New York
A Glum Future
OF all the dastardly misdeeds this “Fianna Failed” government has perpetrated on its Irish citizens, and when you honestly think they can't get any lower, they shock you and even outdo themselves.
It's bad enough cutting into people’s dole and welfare payments in their pathetic attempts to recover the billions that's needed to make up for the corrupt, lavish and extravagant lifestyles the bankers, developers, speculators and the politicians led over the so-called Celtic Tiger years and indeed will continue to do so.
They're cutting 1 billion euro from the Health Service Executive (HSE). I guess this now means less money for trolleys in the hospitals. Patients can now sleep in their cars in the parking lot until they're called. If it wasn't so sad it would almost be funny.
The government is also going after the most vulnerable and defenseless, namely its senior citizens. Incredibly, but then again not really, they now intend to cut the old age pension in the upcoming budget.
So from doubling up on these same pensions at Christmas a few short years ago in bonus payments, they're actually cutting them this Christmas.
Surely at Fianna Fail’s “think tank” or drink tank meeting a few weeks ago this coalition of imbeciles could have come up with a better option than that.
Ebenezer had nothing on this bunch of cold-blooded, blabbering fools who masquerade as leaders.
The Fine-Agle party in waiting doesn’t exactly inspire confidence either, so Ireland's economic future looks very glum, to put it mildly.
Sean McPhillips
College Point, New York
It's bad enough cutting into people’s dole and welfare payments in their pathetic attempts to recover the billions that's needed to make up for the corrupt, lavish and extravagant lifestyles the bankers, developers, speculators and the politicians led over the so-called Celtic Tiger years and indeed will continue to do so.
They're cutting 1 billion euro from the Health Service Executive (HSE). I guess this now means less money for trolleys in the hospitals. Patients can now sleep in their cars in the parking lot until they're called. If it wasn't so sad it would almost be funny.
The government is also going after the most vulnerable and defenseless, namely its senior citizens. Incredibly, but then again not really, they now intend to cut the old age pension in the upcoming budget.
So from doubling up on these same pensions at Christmas a few short years ago in bonus payments, they're actually cutting them this Christmas.
Surely at Fianna Fail’s “think tank” or drink tank meeting a few weeks ago this coalition of imbeciles could have come up with a better option than that.
Ebenezer had nothing on this bunch of cold-blooded, blabbering fools who masquerade as leaders.
The Fine-Agle party in waiting doesn’t exactly inspire confidence either, so Ireland's economic future looks very glum, to put it mildly.
Sean McPhillips
College Point, New York
Irish Government Has to Go
I AM writing to congratulate Dr. James McDaid on his decision to resign his seat from the Dail (Parliament) in protest against the Irish government’s failings over the economy and their desire to hang onto power at whatever the cost.
While I am not a McDaid supporter and I totally disagree with his solutions to our country’s economic woes, he is 100% right in his analysis of the current political situation.
The present government with its wafer thin majority does not have the mandate from the people to propose a four-year economic plan, and does not have the moral authority to try to pass one of the most crucial budgets in the history of this state.
McDaid is correct that the only way that we as a country can tackle our problems is to hold a general election. Once a new government is formed, then and only then can we seriously address the situation that we face.
At present, we are in dire straits with this lame duck administration whose solutions to the problems only make things worse. Our present Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Brian Cowen trumpets on about how we have to make the tough economic decisions to satisfy the money markets and the European Union.
He continuously states that their course of direction will bring about a revival in Ireland’s economic fortunes.
These actions seem to be working well. At the time of writing, the interest rate demanded by investors to lend money to Ireland is now a record high of 7.9% (the German rate is 2.4%) and does not look like decreasing.
Cowen should consider the real reason why the money markets see Ireland as such a basket case, and that is the complete lack of political leadershipRealistically, if we look at the problems of Ireland through the eyes of an investor, why would anyone in the world want to invest in a country whose leader is described as a “drunken moron” on American TV. If you wait for the commercials, you can spot his predecessor Bertie Ahern (along with the other skeletons) perched in the cupboard.
Leaving our leaders’ personalities aside, this government’s economic response seems to punish those who were least responsible for our plight.
Their proposal to double student fees seems particularly callous. Fees for undergraduate study will now cost around 3,000 euro per year. Some argue this is a necessary evil, but when you take into the context that unemployment rate is 13.6%, it is definitely not.
I have a son who recently qualified as a secondary teacher, but he is finding it next to impossible to find any meaningful employment. His fees for his course last year cost up to 6,500 euro.
If the proposed changes take place, the fees for 2011/’12 intake will cost 13,000 euro, and when they graduate, the chances are that they will have to emigrate. This does not make sense.
While the violence against the Gardai (police) during the students’ protest in Dublin last week cannot be condoned, it is easy to understand the students’ frustrations.
Then again maybe this is way that our new “smart economy” is supposed to work.
Joe Harvey
Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
Ireland
While I am not a McDaid supporter and I totally disagree with his solutions to our country’s economic woes, he is 100% right in his analysis of the current political situation.
The present government with its wafer thin majority does not have the mandate from the people to propose a four-year economic plan, and does not have the moral authority to try to pass one of the most crucial budgets in the history of this state.
McDaid is correct that the only way that we as a country can tackle our problems is to hold a general election. Once a new government is formed, then and only then can we seriously address the situation that we face.
At present, we are in dire straits with this lame duck administration whose solutions to the problems only make things worse. Our present Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Brian Cowen trumpets on about how we have to make the tough economic decisions to satisfy the money markets and the European Union.
He continuously states that their course of direction will bring about a revival in Ireland’s economic fortunes.
These actions seem to be working well. At the time of writing, the interest rate demanded by investors to lend money to Ireland is now a record high of 7.9% (the German rate is 2.4%) and does not look like decreasing.
Cowen should consider the real reason why the money markets see Ireland as such a basket case, and that is the complete lack of political leadershipRealistically, if we look at the problems of Ireland through the eyes of an investor, why would anyone in the world want to invest in a country whose leader is described as a “drunken moron” on American TV. If you wait for the commercials, you can spot his predecessor Bertie Ahern (along with the other skeletons) perched in the cupboard.
Leaving our leaders’ personalities aside, this government’s economic response seems to punish those who were least responsible for our plight.
Their proposal to double student fees seems particularly callous. Fees for undergraduate study will now cost around 3,000 euro per year. Some argue this is a necessary evil, but when you take into the context that unemployment rate is 13.6%, it is definitely not.
I have a son who recently qualified as a secondary teacher, but he is finding it next to impossible to find any meaningful employment. His fees for his course last year cost up to 6,500 euro.
If the proposed changes take place, the fees for 2011/’12 intake will cost 13,000 euro, and when they graduate, the chances are that they will have to emigrate. This does not make sense.
While the violence against the Gardai (police) during the students’ protest in Dublin last week cannot be condoned, it is easy to understand the students’ frustrations.
Then again maybe this is way that our new “smart economy” is supposed to work.
Joe Harvey
Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
Ireland
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