Madam, – The Minister for Finance says that expenses reform won’t solve the financial crisis and that we need to focus “on the real issues” facing the country (Home News, October 9th). I have been so busy trying to keep my small company alive that I have hardly had time to find real anger with what is or isn’t going on, however Brian Lenihan’s comments have made me livid.
The “real issue” facing this country is a total lack of leadership or even the basic understanding of the fact that all leadership is about example and there is little or none of that emanating from either House of the Oireachtas, with the outstanding exception of Senator Feargal Quinn.
Running my company is not much different in principle than Mr Lenihan’s job of running the country’s finances. Like the country, our revenues have been decimated. But unlike the meagre cuts in Leinster House, in my company executive pay has been halved, pensions are frozen, company cars are gone. This at least gave me the moral courage to look straight in the face the employees who we had to lay off, put on short time working and salaries – with the least paid losing the least.
We have been unable to get loans written off, unlike the Anglo Irish directors Mr Lenihan has covered with our taxes. We have, however, had hire purchase agreements (written in 2006) extended out to 2016 by our kindly financiers (with personal guarantees) and interest paid.
Unlike Mr Lenihan, as we don’t have the backing of the taxpayer, we have found it necessary to look after every cent spent and justify it. It might not “solve our financial crisis” but it at least helps us survive another day, week or month working as a team with our remaining employees.
Deo volente we will be here next year to tell the tale, however I doubt it will be any thanks to Mr Lenihan. The sooner he and his associates such as Minister Cullen are out of office the better chance Ireland has of survival. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – The bleatings of John O’Donoghue and his colleagues confirm that Fianna Fáil believe a number of things: 1.They have a divine right to rule. 2.The only real sin is to be found out. 3. They are entitled to put their hands in our pockets. 4. Not only are we required to accept that this is so, we are expected to enjoy the privilege. 5. It is tantamount to treason to question these beliefs. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Would John O’Donoghue have resigned if not forced to? Probably not. Will he resign as a TD? Almost definitely not. Will the people of his constituency return him at the next election? History suggests that they will. Parochialism and allegiance to the parish pump is the heart and bane of Irish politics and needs to be challenged otherwise nothing will change. I seem to remember a rule limiting where gardaí could serve to avoid conflicts of interest. Perhaps the same rules should apply to prospective TDs?
Such an approach might avoid attitudes where the family seat, tax dodgers and wink and nod merchants are accepted and encouraged simply because of what they and their family have delivered historically on a purely local basis.
One part of the solution might be to restrict a TD to a limit of two terms in a constituency following which they either stand down or move to a new constituency and attempt to renew their mandate with an entirely new audience.
This is, however, unlikely to resolve the thorny issue concerning those of our fellow citizens who would vote for a stick if it were painted in the correct colours. Still, one problem at a time, eh? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – It appears our betters believe that the expenses row is being blown out of proportion by the media. I believe, if anything, the media is treading carefully, using the Freedom of Information process to garner facts, and to avoid legal issues.
The attitude that the expenses are not a major concern is exactly what has led to the waste at the top of our public sector. This wastage, when multiplied up by the number of Ministers, TDs and senior civil servants, is a problem.
Unsurprisingly those at the trough are circling the wagons, accusing the media of being lazy – which of course they are.
When the embarrassing information is so easy to find, minimal effort is required. It must be like shooting ducks in a barrel. – Yours, etc,