Is Ireland screwed? Take the agriculture case ...

We are constantly told that Ireland needs radical change to get us out of the current crisis.  For us to have any chance of that there are too conditions that are necessary (but not sufficient). First, we need political leaders that will look at everything afresh and do things differently.  Secondly we need a media that tells us the truth and is willing to tackle vested interests.

Let's take a look at the case with farming.  Our glorious Minister of Agriculture has been constantly telling us how wonderful the "agri-business" sector is (whatever that is).  At the same time, I hear statistics that farm income is still 70% subsidy. In what other sector of our economy would a Minister boast about taking a 70% subsidy?  And which politicians are doing their job and challenging the Minister, holding him to account?  Will Fianna Fail take on the Minister over the farming interest.  Will they hell. Will government back banchers from urban constituencies whose constituents are really suffering, do anything?  Not a chance.

And what do the media have to say about this?  Where are the calls for radical action, where is the Minister challenged in his smug complacency? Nowhere.  The media is busy hammering the catholic church which is a dying animal or attacking the trades union movement which is already comatose and ineffectual. But no taking on the IFA; they still count.

No political leadership and a dysfunctional media.  I do not predict a swift recovery.

Paedophiles to advise on children's referendum?

I read today about calls by the Central bank for further pay cuts. This advice comes from the Irish Central Bank. The same institution that bankrupted our economy.  That collaborated with an enormous criminal consipracy for years to bend the rules and enable for the crash. Who else might lecture us on good conduct?  Perhaps we should get a paedophile ring to advise us on the upcoming referendum on children?


So long as these parasites at the top who got us in to this mess are still in charge, this country is dead.

Minister of education protects the auld alma mater

 
I must congratulate Ruarí Quinn. Last week a report by international experts, comissioned by the HEA suggested a merger of UCD and Trinity. The report was barely out when the Minister rejected that specific recommendation, in public, with the most forthright language. The poor old HEA didn't know what hit them. They probably thought that Quinn (and the rest of the government) were serious about reforming Ireland in this times of crisis. How naive!  Change .. merger ... consolidation ... that's fine for a few techs out in the sticks, not for the auld alma mater!

What was especially sweet was the way he sent out a joint email with the university presidents.  Talk about kissing their arses! They might as well have put a stamp on their collective heads saying "D4 set".

But one thing does puzzle me about Ruairi's (over) reaction.  Exactly how many working class voters give a shit about this issue? Exactly what effect will it have (either way!) on the unemployment rate among young male electricians? Ruairi (aka Ho Chi Quinn in his UCD days) is in a socialist party isn't he?