Madam, – I look forward each day to the next pronouncements from the MacGill Summer School. This is far far better than Dáil Éireann for real comment from all of the TDs in attendance. Is it because they are free from the whips?
If this “radical” talking were to continue, might I suggest the Dáil goes into recess earlier and the MacGill School gets a massive grant to extend its programme to two or even three weeks? Then we might have some real debate in this country. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Fine Gael’s capacity to score own goals remains undiminished. The events of the past 18 months or so would have presented even the most inept opposition party with a guaranteed, gilt-edged opportunity to convince an utterly disillusioned electorate that the incumbents are not just unfit for purpose, but have lost any shred of moral authority they may ever have had to justify their botched policies and the justification behind them.
Enda Kenny has been credited with having emerged from the recent Fine Gael leadership contest with his reputation enhanced. While within the narrow confines of the internal machinations of his party this may be true, Mr Kenny and his party have resumed the task of shooting themselves in the foot with remarkable haste. Hosting Nama-bound developers at a golf outing was itself utterly stupid, if for no other reason than from a PR point of view.
It demonstrates the same contempt for the people of this country that has been the stock in trade of the current Government. It has been rightly criticised by Lucinda Creighton (Breaking News, July 20th and Home News, July 21st) ).
One of the most consistent and justifiable criticisms of Fianna Fáil has been its unhealthy relationship with developers and all that we now know which emerged as a result. By engaging in similar behaviour, the principal opposition party has pulled the rug from under its own feet. To compound this error, Mr Kenny has publicly stated by way of justification that his party did not engage in anything that was illegal. When presented with the same glib attitudes, how are people supposed to choose between what we have now and what is on offer? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Just when it appeared that Fine Gael had resolved its inner turmoil, the party goes and shoots itself in the foot, or in this case, drops a construction block on its toes. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – On Monday, chief economist with the Friends First building society Jim Power told the MacGill Summer School: “The Department of Finance hasn’t exactly covered itself in glory over the last four or five years.” That may be true, but the same could be said of Mr Power and many others employed by our financial institutions who constantly assured us of a “soft landing” for the property sector before disappearing from public view when that turned out not to be the case. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – It has taken the Ombudsman (Emily O’Reilly) at a summer school to define our ambivalent attitude to care for the elderly. She named it well: “Creeping privatisation”. Franchising out the problem, I’d call it. – Yours, etc,