Budget 2013

James Reilly, after going missing for some time, reappeared yesterday to lay the blame for his failings on the public service employees.

The good Dr Reilly is following a trend that has served this government well since they got into power - blame anyone other than themselves.
It is a familiar refrain from Enda Kenny as soon as he is questioned in the Dáil by a Fianna Fáil TD. In fact it is such a common refrain from him that you could simply place a recording in the Dáil to respond to their questions - "You had your chance while in government and that is why we're in the position we're in now" or "We have to deliver a tough budget because of your mistakes" would suffice for most questions thrown in his direction.
Now, I'm not a supporter of Fianna Fáil. Far from it. However, I am wondering how long it will be before the voters in this country will start questioning the validity of this common refrain from the government parties.
Will they ever?

What James Reilly has done is not a new tactic. On the contrary. We saw it used to devastating effect when the last government pitted public sector against private sector to deflect what was really happening in the country.
At that time, we were told that public sector workers were being paid too much in comparison to their private sector counterparts who were experiencing redundancies in a wholesale manner.
Public sector workers had the benefit of guaranteed permanent jobs with 'Rolls Royce' pensions.
The tactic worked a treat. Pat Kenny's 'The Frontline' actually segregated an audience into Public and Private sector and they threw insults at each other like football fans divided by stewards at an English league match.
Public sector pay was cut for the second time and then the inevitable happened. An employer brought a case to the Labour Relations Commission asking for a 7 percent pay cut for electricians 'in line with the cut taken by public servants.'
You see, not only did the government succeed in their attempt to divide and conquer the population, they also succeeded in getting the best possible deal for their bed mates - namely IBEC and the rest of the employer groups. Big business won. And those from middle class downwards lost.

Today, James Reilly has failed. He has failed to do any of the things he promised and he knows that. Rather than shoulder the blame himself though, James Reilly has decided to hit out at workers and get their pay cut. No doubt thejournal.ie and boards.ie are buzzing with excited punters agreeing with James Reilly. Let's cut the pay of public servants for a third time. Take more money out of the economy, thus causing private sector jobs to be lost. simple, innit.

Let's not forget that the budget is 3 months away. Last year's budget had James Reilly announce a new scheme offering free GP care for Long Term Illness (LTI) patients. This has not been done. This was a totally new scheme thought up by this government that has not been carried through. The silence in the media is deafening.

I must admit that I do have a vested interest here. My wife is a teacher. While I work in the private sector myself, I know exactly what the impact of 2 pay cuts on a public servant is. Because it has impacted on me too. I see her every evening with an increased work load for less pay. She is working an extra hour a week for a 15% pay cut. She has lost the will to fight back when people talk about her wages, which deliver 25000 euro to the house net each year before mortgage, childcare, car loan etc. are taken into account. We are struggling badly. We work hard, pay all our bills and taxes. And we really struggle.
We are constantly told about the "Rolls Royce" pensions. The simple fact is that public servants have no choice other than to pay into their pension scheme from the second they start work. So they pay a pension contribution for up to 40 years before they start getting paid back.
They don't just get paid by taxpayers, they are taxpayers.
I know there are lazy, useless public servants. There are lazy, useless people in my workplace too.
To be honest, I'm just a tad sick of the public vs private argument. It's about time we realised that fraudulent people like James Reilly shouldn't be listened too under any circumstances. He is a liar and a man of dubious character.

James Reilly has taken a very old tactic and put it to use at this time. Blame everyone but yourself when you screw up. When you fail to do what you said you would do, when you set targets you don't reach, when you fail in your role - take no personal responsibility. In Ireland, there are always scapegoats. James Reilly just managed to find 300000 of them.

Balance in Corrib Coverage

In a poor English speech, one might start with "The Oxford dictionary defines 'courage' as..."
To see it in written work is even poorer, although it can be saved by an excellent follow-on paragraph.
This did not, however, occur in a very poorly written piece by Fr Kevin Hegarty in The Mayo News this week. On the contrary, Fr Hegarty went on to add more of his usual vitriol to his vendetta against the Shell To Sea campaign.
Fr Hegarty likes to show the many locals opposed to the project as a minority of poor simpletons and peasant folk, suspicious of the activities of the benevolent MNC bringing employment to the area and asking for nothing in return.
Those from outside the area are referred to as violent protesters, ready to jump on any cause to further their own agenda.

Fr Hegarty cites three people who argued against Shell in the last week and one who argued on their behalf.
Liamy McNally of the Mayo News, Joe Murray of AFRI & James Laffey (editor) of the Western People were castigated by the right honourable Father as being one-sided and using emotive language to appeal to the 'little folk.'

Fr Hegarty was fortunate to be able to back up his points by relying on the counter arguments of one Joe Duffy, he of Liveline fame. Joe Duffy's argument? That protesters seemed to revel in the misfortune of the lorry driver.
Basically, Joe Duffy has simplified the matter so much that the public is to believe that Shell To Sea's only issue with the Corrib project is the movement of trucks.
This is further evidence of the impoverished writing of Fr Hegarty in this 'article'. He has avoided, at all costs, actually discussing the issues of the project, merely repeating the usual Shell PR spin of this project going through all the necessary planning procedures, having all necessary permission, etc. This is something that people in the parish of Kilcomon can see by reading through Shell's 'community update' leaflets.These are nice, shiny things with big glossy headlines, that even locals can read.

Fr Hegarty states in his article that "The reality is that the project has undergone the most protracted and forensic examination by the planning authorities in the 90 year history of the Irish State."

Now compare this with an interview from Mark Carrigy, operations manager onsite in Mayo in 2005.
"The reality of the situation was that the Corrib project went through one of the most exhaustive and rigorous regulatory process (sic) in the history of the State." (link below)

2005 - Shell responds

I suppose Fr Hegarty managed to change a few words in this oft-used phrase by the Corrib gas apologists but if this were an academic essay, he may well have failed for plagiarism alone, never mind his factual inaccuracies.

The second half of his pulpit preach involve a list of the wonderful benefits that the Corrib project have brought to Mayo - the 1400 short term jobs rapidly disappearing, indirect employment and a wonderful scheme where local students get paid 4000 a year as a bursary to attend college. Fr Hegarty does have the good grace to admit that he is on the board of the committee that decides who gets these scholarships but to call it independent is a stunning mistruth. The board is comprised of Corrib apologists (like himself) and representatives from Shell and Mayo county council. Those who apply for the scholarships are from families who are for the project. Independent? Never let the truth get in the way of a good story, eh Father?

Fr Hegarty has at all times througout this debacle proven himself to be a vicious proponent of a project without community support. From his ivory tower 20km away, Fr Hegarty has sniped at those opposed to the project both within and outside the community.

I do agree with Fr Hegarty on one thing - The coverage should be more balanced on this topic. Maybe he could write a letter to the Irish Independent and RTE to balance their coverage and not have it so lopsided towards those, like himself, with a pro-Shell agenda. For that, I would be sincerely grateful Father.

Enda Kenny and the Borrowers

Well, it seems as though we are, after all, to blame.

Enda, in his attempts to chase with the hounds has most definitely savaged the hares he purports to represents. The same stupid hares who put him and his cronies into power.

The only ones who have any right to be angry about what Enda said are those who didn't vote for Fine Gael, Labour, Fine Fáil, Greens or PDs. Thankfully, I can afford to be sanctimonious at this time.

Enda decided to turn on the idiots who voted him in this week. He thought it appropriate to turn on people who thought that his party would make the difference that was needed in Ireland. These people who write letters to papers saying that Irish people have long memories and FF got what they deserved.

These people have also forgotten what FG did when they were in opposition. Anyone recall FG finance ministers castigating the government of the day when they didn't spend enough in their budgets?

Of course you don't. Because you're an idiot.

What is more frightening about this whole sorry saga is the number of media commentators backing up Enda's statement.

The times and that red top masquerading as a quality newspaper, the indo have rolled out their big guns to say he was right.

It is in their interest to do so as they represent the upper class who really drove the country to ruin.

I hope that the Irish people can somehow see this.

I don't hold out much hope,