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,

The "Green Party"

The Green Party in Ireland are finished. If there were to be an election tomorrow, the party would end up with zero TDs, a position similar to that in which they find themselves at local and urban council level. They know this. Therefore, it is better for them that they stay on in power for the last few months, in order to have a party at all. The ideals on which the party is based have been abandoned, replaced by FF policies as soon as the dollar signs flashed in front of their eyes back in 2007. The Green Party promised many things prior to the election. Among them were the following: a halt to the Corrib Gas project "until a complete, independent inquiry" takes place into the project. The stopping of works on the M3 at the Hill of Tara and the demilitarization of Shannon. Now, personally I'm not too bothered about the last one but it is one of three statements that have proven to be downright lies. The Corrib Gas project is powering along, costing more to the Irish Taxpayer than we will ever see coming back to us. The M3 has rolled along, desecrating 0ne of our truly amazing historical sites. Shannon is, well, Shannon and nothing has changed. The Green Party has however, introduced some wonderful legislation surrounding light bulbs and toilets. On top of this, they have destroyed the car industry and become more corrupt than the corruption kings themselves. We will probably now see an introduction of a carbon tax, probably by means of an extra tax on fuel. This might be fair in a country with a public transport system. However, as someone who lives in Galway and works in Mayo, public transport would mean travelling for 14 hours over two separate days to reach my destination, which is about 60 miles away. I like many others in this country need a car because there is no other alternative. The Greens are now more akin to a piece of six month old broccoli that you unexpectedly find at the back of your cupboard. They are disgusting and rotten to the very core by their surroundings. I, personally, cannot wait for them to be thrown out with the rest of the trash.

What a Country

Well Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today, you got a pay cut. It may have been worded as a pension levy but the will not console the 30 year old married couples with a mortgage whose pensions are thirty five years away.

Immediately, people whose wages are being cut will cut back on expenses such as broadband, sky etc.
Inevitably, this will further dampen the economy and cause more job losses.
This short sighted attack on wages is an idiotic move by an increasingly desperate looking goverment.

What if, however, there was a way out without cutting people's wages while forging ahead with capital investment projects and infrastructural improvements? Where could one find this magic bullet? Does it even exist?

Yes it does. Off our shores, where billions of euro of fishing rights have been given away to our European neighbours (even the ones in excess of 800 miles away), we have also given away up to 1 trillion euro of our gas and oil. That 2 billion euro of required savings kind of pale into insignificance, doesn't it.

Time to take a stand, minions.

Let it begin.

still here

Sorry it's been so long, hi mom, hi dad. That's my readership covered.
Over the last few weeks I have watched with great amusement as this country has gone into meltdown. It's been compulsive viewing to say the least. A lot of birds have come home to roost.
Did anyone really believe that American corporations were going to wait here long term when things started to go bonkers? Yes you did because you're morons. 98% of the population in this country are. Thankfully, I'm in the minority in this case.
If anyone has been paying attention to my blog, you'll have noticed that I have predicted the future on more than one occassion now.
It's a gift I guess.

Anyway, screw the lot of ye. You're getting what you deserve.

Hunger Striking with an end in sight?

When one applies for planning permission in this country (when an individual without masses of money, I mean), they may ask a politician to put in a good word. Last year I managed to gain a meeting with a planner to discuss an application I submitted with my wife. She also asked some local politicians for some help but after the meeting with the planner we were assured all was ok. Imagine our surprise then, when some months later, the two local eejits came back and said they had dropped a few kind words for us and we would be successful. After we already were. After I had talked to a planner who hadn't even been approached at that stage anyway.

My point is that politicians often come out to speak about issues or talk of topics when they know they're on the way to being solved.
A few decent politicians came out yesterday along with Ken Loache to ask Shell to move the Solitaire along so that Maura Harrington might be allowed come off her hunger strike.
Therefore, I would imagine that the ship will move in the next few days and some less noble politician will come out and claim responsibility.
With any luck it will move but please do not believe any politicians from the main parties other than current supporters of Shell To Sea when they say they had an input.

Bomb Scare at Shell HQ

Publicity in Ireland and indeed worldwide for Shell at the moment is pretty bad.
The company is directly responsible (along with our government) for a woman being on hunger strike.
The captain of a pipelaying vessel due to lay your pipeline grew a concsience and turned back.
What do you do?

Who were the only ones to benefit from a bomb scare outside Shell HQ today?
Shell To Sea perhaps?
Maura Harrington?
The Erris people?
No, didn't think so.

The only ones who may gain from this is of course Shell themselves.
Conveniently, one of their police (I think they're called Gardai) found it. Probably after he put it there.
Anyone who thinks that anyone other than Shell or some wing of the government did this is quite foolish (Donegal anyone?).

Wake up and smell the coffee people.
Think about it just for one second before you digest your RTE news or the bog roll that is the Indo.

There's only one culprit here

Hunger strike in Mayo

Hi,
Since I last wrote on this a lot has happened.
It is not quite on the scale of Padraic Pearse saying that
"All has changed, changed utterly."
However, things have changed.

Firstly, I find it hard to delight in the decision by Maura Harrington to go on hunger strike.
I believe that the woman is intelligent and probably did not take this decision lightly.
I also believe that her family would be destroyed if she is allowed to die of hunger on the side of the road, ironically in a village where she sat in a bucket of a digger back 6 years ago.

What I find truly shocking about the whole situation is the fact that it had to come to this.
This country did not protect its' citizens but rather the workers of a multinational company with quite a poor record of health and safety (for locals not themselves). Police stated that they were there to protect both sides while they park their vehicles in Shell compounds in the area.
They chat with the Shell workers while shouting abuse and laughing at locals.
The army, police and navy were brought in huge numbers to ram this project down the throats of locals.
The mainstream media won't report on it unless Shell tell them to. Countless hours of footage of Irish people being kicked and beaten will not be discussed by the mainstream media.
The state broadcaster will not show it but will report stories of the most popular babies names of the year.
Not one state agency with responsibility for the environment has helped the locals.
Shell have gone across several SACs in their quest to bring this ashore. If you or I erected a hut on a SAC, we would be jailed.

So a woman goes on hunger strike to bring the issue to the attention of a nation, which has too many credit cards to care.
A woman goes on hunger strike to bring to the attention of the nation, the shameful giveaway of our oil and gas.

Maura, you are a heroine. You are a woman beyond reproach. You are a woman with morals that no Shell dollar can buy. I salute you for this. But I hope you do not die.

Drugs In Ireland

Last year represented the greatest amount of drugs seized, in monetary terms, In Ireland.
This was not due to the competence of the Gardaí or the Navy. No, this was due to the incompetence of some drug runners. Yet, we hailed it as a great blow in the war against drugs.

Well done lads. Pat yourselves on the back and take a long gracious bow. Did anyone know that a sniffer dog has found more drugs this year than the rest of the force put together?

What's worrying about all this is the fact that the value of the amount "found" last year in Cork shows how much was getting in past our dozy navy and cops anyway.
The drug dealers must be laughing now.

The government decides to send three navy vessels to police a few protesters in North Mayo. Also send in 200 or so of our finest plods in their boats. 3 out of 8 navy vessels available to this country are in north mayo being used against its' own people instead of doing their job and protecting this country.
Who is gaining from this? Why are the government so desperate to push this through that they use the navy and guards to beat their own people into submission at the behest of an Anglo-Dutch Company?
It's quite obvious someone somewhere got money. Ray Burke, Bertie Ahern, Frank Fahey, etc. But it still fails to answer the questions. Why do the government use the media to slur ordinary decent people in fear of their lives and intimidated and beaten by our police force?

Whatever the reasons, it is shocking to see this happen. Maybe official government papers released in twenty years time will tell us the truth. By then it will be too late for the people of Erris in Mayo, choking to death on poisonous fumes.
But hey, at least the drugs business will still be flourishing, eh?

J'accuse

For some time I have, unlike the mainstream media in Ireland, tried to be objective on the issue of our (their) oil and gas. I have tried to give a balanced view on the beatings conducted by our so called Gardaí of ordinary decent citizens from a rural part of Ireland, where the crime rate was low at best before this project began. I still do not believe that any crime has taken place by protesters since but crimes can be invented - Donegal anyone?



The last straw for me came when the government sanctioned the use of the navy against its' own people. A despicable act in a truly disgusting country. This country is rotten to the core.

It is full of corrupt politicians who idiots continue to vote for. It is full of obnoxious morons whose greatest achievements are getting absolutely plastered on any given night.

Our towns and cities are rotten cesspools of drugs where rich and poor alike are united by common addictions.

Our transport infrastructure and health system are the joke of many a pub in Ireland (those that are still left in business).

But you know what? Irish people deserve everything they get.

They deserve the recession they receive where cutbacks of millions are called for when a trillion euro has been given away. Who shouts to complain? Just a few brave souls with the morals not to accept a few euro to shut them up in one of the most beautiful areas of the world.

To all you morons who have accepted money or jobs from Shell to build a murdering gas refinery - well done, may the money comfort you when your lungs can no longer breathe the air around you. Maybe you can sell your land and get out? But that house you built that should be worth €250000 can not be given away when that is built. Where do you go then in a time of recession? The bank for another mortgage with no collateral? Do the math.



I'd also like to give a big hello to the Greens in government, Gormless and Ryan. What a legacy to have left when you don't get voted in again - failed attempts to introduce new toilet and lightbulb initiatives.



Ireland, you make me sick.

No longer can I stand and support our soccer team or shout for our olympians. The Ireland I once was so proud of is long dead.



It's not just romantic Ireland that is dead and gone - The decent people on the island of a thousand welcomes has been replaced by ignorant morons who slap change down on shop counters and grunt at you when you try to get past someone in a crowded pub.



Ireland, I am an Irishman by virtue of my passport only because the Irishness I believed in is gone and gone forever.



Slán go Fóill

Lisbon et al

Hi,
sorry it's been so long. Various apologies and excuses can be peddled by me but the main one is laziness.
There are a number of issues irking me this week, political and otherwise but i shall stick to the political ones if i can.
I read with interest the poll in today's Irish Times showing massive gains in support for the NO side in the Lisbon treaty.
It strikes me that there has been very little in the way of informed argument for either side coming my way in the last few weeks.
I have also noticed that the arguments that are put forward for both sides seem to be merely putting down the argument of the other side.
However, wading through all that garbage, i tried to look at both sides of the tale by actually reading the treaty.
One thing struck me quite immediately when faced with the literature.
The documents put out by the Referendum Commission was almost, to a word, identical to that of the Fianna Fáil party. In an alleged democracy that is either disgraceful or shows that Fianna Fáil were being very neutral and honest. I'll let you make up your own minds as to which one of those is true.
I, personally will be voting NO. My arguments are long winded and many. I am not a nut, a Sinn Féiner or a leftist extremist.
I am an Irish citizen who would put the welfare of my country before that of Europe.
Selfish? I don't think so.
Let's be clear here, this treaty will bring no extra benefits to this country or its' people. Read the ACTUAL treaty, not the propoganda from either side. It is quite clear that this treaty is a means to consolidate the power of the bigger EU states.
I believe that the European Union has not been as good for Ireland as people would have you believe.
Ireland has lost more money in fishing rights alone than it has ever gained from the EU from all the CAP and ERDF and ESF monies that came our way.
That is a FACT.
It is indisputable and correct.
Ireland should have taken the road of Norway, being part of a European Trade Zone and keep control of all its own affairs.
However, doing this would mean your politicians would have to be somewhat honest.
Consider again, the fact that the Irish government, in 2006, gave away the rights to 10 billion barrels of oil (their own figures) to that great ethical bastion of Shell and co. Today's oil prices hover around the $150 mark. That amounts to over a trillion euro worth of our resources given away for nada, zilch, nothing.
So maybe the Norway model wouldn't work in Ireland after all.
I spoke to an ardent Fianna Fáil supporter the other day about the Lisbon Treaty and asked him what way he was voting. We had a conversation where I put forward my reasons for voting no. When I asked him why he was voting yes, his response was "I don't think it's in our interest to vote no." Genius. I asked him to elaborate as to why exactly he wants to vote yes but that was the only argument put forward. No thought, just tow the party line. I then asked if he was going out at the weekend but the party hadn't given an official statement on that so the pints are on hold til he gets the go ahead from headquarters.

Reading today's Irish "not good enough to serve as toilet paper" Independent was also an interesting waste of my time that I could have done without but only made me semi-angry.
The rag has put forward some really bad editorials in the past but this was up there with the best. It amounted to little more than a begging letter telling all you people to get up off your asses and vote (thought it was supposed to be a quality paper). However, it wasn't telling everyone to vote. No, the Irish Indo was telling the people who might be inclined to vote YES to get out and vote. Not too much independent about that!

The Mahon Tribunal threw up some interesting lies from Bertie again.
Just consider this. The last person in a high profile case in this country to go before a judge and swear that money he got illegally actually came from horse racing was who? The answer is a person quite akin to Mr Ahern. He is a scumbag who has lied and cheated his way to wealth. He is Gerry Hutchison, maybe better known to most as the Monk.
Just think about that when you try to make excuses for fat man in the Louis Copeland suit again.

God Bless

good riddance bad rubbish etc.

Today sees that mongrel moron Bertie step down from his position as Taoiseach.
Do I shed a tear?
Do I lament the fact that he is no longer our leader?
Short answer no effing way.
Bertie Ahern has been a disgrace while in office, either as a minister or a Taoiseach.
As Finance minister, Bertie signed away billions of euro worth of gas and oil, which would keep us rich through troubling times.
He signed blank cheques for Charlie Haughey.
He took money from several people for his own benefit, in return for political favours.
This man is a criminal.
He is a scumbag and a toerag.
He does not deserve anything other than a hanging.
He has brought disgrace on this country and yet he still goes preaching from a high moral ground about all the work he has done to bring peace to this island.
What a man.
Good luck Bertie,
May you rot in retirement.

Monday Morning Blues

Hi,

Today, i was blue returning to work.
You see, I'm kind of a news junkie. News is my drug of choice. Cocaine, nicotene or alcohol - they're not for me.

Oh but give me news, glorious news.

It was with great delight that I sat in my office, transfixed at webcasts of der bertie announcing his exit from political leadership.
I trawled the net, looking for outside coverage of the man's fall from power.
I went to online editions of the Washington Post, New York Times, etc as well as Reuters and the associated press (AP).
I was over the moon about what I saw.
Headlines appeared in front of me saying things like "Irish PM quits amid sleaze allegations" and "Ahern is forced out over financial controversy"
Now, I think that sleaze may be a bit wide of the mark but my delight stemmed from the fact that Ahern was being written about abroad as he would have prayed he would not have been.

Bertie has a notion in his head that he is an internationally great statesman. He believes that he holds some sway over the likes of the USA, UK, Germany, France and so forth. That is why he brings a bowl of shamrock to the White House with a stupid grin on his powdered face. It is why he wore a hideous suit that even I know was wrong and I have the fashion sense of a hobo.
It was wonderful to see that the foreign press swooped down upon his hideous lies and found him out for what he is - a criminal who should be imprisoned for what he has done to this country.

Now, I don't believe in writing epitaphs for criminals but I will be sure to write one hell of a post in May when the tribunal uncovers a whopper of a lodgment in the name of our fuhrer.
As for Brian Cowen? I reserve judgement. I would like to see how he handles the impending recession before I proclaim him to be a great and wonderful leader or conversely hang him out to dry before he has a chance to prove himself.
What I will say is that Enda has his work cut out in dealing with a far more abrupt and sharp man who is not illiterate or stutters like a drunk. And for a man who has all the charisma of a cockroach, that can't be good
bye

Bertie's sentimental schmuck

Hi,
It was noteworthy that Bertie yesterday launched another broadside attack on the Mahon tribunal.
Bertie is now safe in the knowledge that his political career may no longer be damaged as it is effectively over.
However, not content with this, Bertie delivered an attack on the tribunal's awful treatment of his former secretary Gráinne Carruth. Yes, you remember her. The girl who was paid 60 odd pounds a week to do his dirty work.
Bertie described the treatment of said secretary as low life stuff. not as low life as Bertie himself mind.
Bertie once again went for LCD TV. That's lowest common denominator, in case anyone is thinking I'm about to get in the debate on LCD vs Plasma. This is neither the time or the place.
Not content with thanking people for sending him mass cards at the time of his mother's death during his emotional speech on Wednesday, Bertie spoke of the awful treatment of this woman who had three children and was made to come back to the tribunal on Holy Thursday of all days.

Now this crap might wash with some of you but not with me. Is this the same man who left her out to dry during Easter week? Is this the same man who paid a young woman £66 a week when she probably needed the money? Is this the same man who caused Gráinne to be at the tribunal in the first place because he told lies? You bet ya it is! The same crooked criminal who did all these things is now being hypocritical enough to come out and go on the attack to defend her.
Too little and certainly too late.

Oh, and dearest Enda, you moron. Wednesday proved once and for all how poor a politician this man is.
I am convinced that Enda probably spent the last three weeks organising a great speech to attack Bertie with when they entered the Dáil on Wednesday.
Unfortunately for Enda, an illiterate snake out throught him and resigned. Unfortunately again for Enda, he did not have a few weeks to think of a response. Instead, Enda looked like a rabbit caught in some awfully big headlights.
Enda then asked for a general election so Fianna Fáil could get a new mandate. Enda, my good man, you'd still manage to screw that up to provide them with victory. Although my ballot paper would provide a vote for neither party and it will never again for that matter, there are thousands of idiots that are just waiting for guidance from whoever provides it. Fine Gael don't do that. For anyone.

I also notice today that good old Bev has been reinstated to the grand party. It seems that when one crook goes another must take their place. Mayo must be so proud of having Beverly back. She is a wonderful politician who is married to another criminal proving there is honour among thieves. The party clearly thrives on corrupt people. Obviously with the quota of corruption being unfilled, room was made for one more criminal. Welcome back Bev, Junior ministry anyone? Perhaps in the dept of finance?
Good Day to you all

Why get rid of an innocent man?

Today, Bertie Ahern announced his retirement as Taoiseach and leader of the Fianna Fáil party.
This was done despite my post a few days ago, which showed various reasons why Bertie is the greatest leader this country, if not the world, has ever had.
Bertie appeared in front of TV cameras with his usual teary-eyed demeanour for when he has to prey on the emotions of idiots.
He threw in the obligatory 'voice breaking I'm on the verge of crying' bit as well for good measure.
He patted himself on the back for all his great achievements in Ireland since he was born.
All in all, he made the whole world sit up and listen to his moronic protestations of his innocence of any crime.
Let's be clear here. Bertie is a CRIMINAL.
He did not resign because he was thinking about it for a while but rather because he his position was untenable.
Bertie Ahern must go back to the tribunal in May and then we will see the greatest bombshell the tribunal uncovers thus far.
Bertie has left now because he was pushed by senior figures in the party who know that if he was still Taoiseach at this time, he would collapse the government causing another general election to be necessary.
Bertie may yet spend time in prison for what he has done. £350,000 is the tip of the iceberg as far as payments are concerned, believe me.
Bertie will be dragged through the gutter before this is done and Fianna Fáil didn't want to go along for the ride with him.
It was the senior figures in the party who also told Gormless and Harney to come out against the Taoiseach, further forcing his hand.
Believe me, this will all become clearer in the coming months.
Stay with me on this one.
Don't cry for your Taoiseach's demise because you'll feel like a fool when you find out what he has done.
Ranter

Bertie - an innocent man

Leave poor Bertie alone,
the man has done nothing but great things for this country.
he single-handedly brought peace to this island, gave us some years of boom and also was responsible for the hot dry summers of 2006 and I think 1999 also.
The man has done more for this country than DeValera, Lemass, Parnell, Pearse and Tone put together.
He is the greatest leader that ever lived and we should treat him accordingly.
Just take a look at all the great things he has overseen as leader of this great country:
Our health system is a monument to greatness. It is a wonderfully run system where every single person in this country is guaranteed a standard of healthcare bettered only by 70 other countries including rich countries like Cuba.
Our public transport system is now the envy of the world thanks to our Taoiseach. Several buses and trains are in operation now, many with air conditioning and capable of travelling at medium speeds without engines exploding. Our trains are a wonderful service, leaving out that you may have to travel 100km in the wrong direction to get a train.
Our roads: Our 100km of motorway are first rate and our primary and secondary roads are also excellent when you take the time to slow down and avoid the swimming pools kindly built into the roads by county councils.
Our broadband network is among the best in the world. Here i am typing away at record speed on a modem capable of whopping 56k speeds. It's running at 36 at the moment but that's only because there are two people using internet at the minute. Fair enough, if I was in a big town I'd have 2MB. Who needs that 10mb stuff they have in England and France anyway?
Our Education system has gone from teaching silly things like maths, English and Irish to teaching kids about important things like their feelings and sex education. Now kids will be able to go safely into the world of work knowing that their feelings will help them diagnose hyperglycaemia in a patient that is sitting in front of them when they become doctors.
Also, the new Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) programme has ensured the country of many genius graduates leaving our schools and becoming involved in many worthwhile jobs such as government artists (drawing dole).

Anyway, here I have only listed a few of the great man's achievements. Some other day I will go through in detail, how Bertie gave away a load of gas and oil off our coast so that we wouldn't have to be hindered by the refining process and then having to sell it off for huge profit so that Ireland would be richer than Saudi Arabia.

A great and innocent man - Leave him alone
Good day to you all.

St Patrick's Day - Irish Style

In Chicago, They dye the river green to celebrate St Patrick's Day. In Ireland, the Liffey runs murky grey on "Paddy's Day".
Ireland needs to look at itself very hard after yet another disgraceful display of drunken antics for all the tourists to see.
No longer is mass well attended with a sprig of shamrock or a St Patrick's day ribbon pinned on a good suit or jumper.
No, we have replaced this with giant novelty green leprechaun hats and inflatable shamrocks to be adorned on puke stained t-shirts and tops.
Throughout the world, St. Patrick's Day was celebrated in a dignified manner by ex-pats and natives of these countries alike. Not so in this festering cess pool of sin that we now call home.
The Celtic Tiger has made us different, you see We may have gained some wealth (that too is debatable when we see recession hit us like a ten tonne truck)
The people in ireland are indisputably less friendly than we used to be. We have become monstrous creatures capable of harming each other on dink fuelled binges of violence.
we do not need a reason any longer to lash out.
Take Finglas on Monday.
I can't imagine this happening in the 1980s without massive public outcry. However, two days later it is already forgotten about.
Not nice at all but some other crime will occur today which will take away from those horrific scenes.
Another question emerges from all this.
What were our brave boys in blue doing?
The disturbances were reported early in the day but PC Plod et al did not arrive til very late on.
You see our cowardly guards are afraid of these little thugs because they might fight back. Yet these same cowards are well able to act like thugs when they know their victims will not fight back.
It was very easy for 250 of our finest to give hidings to men women and children in North Mayo, safe in the knowledge that these people wouldn't fight back.
Cowards and Bullies,
I salute you.
Signing off.
The Ranter

Bertie @ Mahon

Hi,
How many lies exactly does that f**ker have to tell before people believe he is a crooked, lying, sneaky, snivelling little snake? Today, our magnificent one told the Mahon tribunal that £5000 unexplained might have been an inheritance from his father. What? Is this the truth? No. What this is, however, is another attempt to gain the support of the moronic voters who believe that poor Bertie should be left alone. I can just hear the conversations over the tea in living rooms throughout the country - "Oh poor Bertie! How can they expect him to remember anything about that? His father had just died. The poor man was probably still in shock. Why don't those mean people down at the tribunal just leave him alone?" Why indeed. The only thing poor about Bertie is his lack of general speaking and writing abilities. His explanations are poor as well but until citizens are forced to take IQ tests before being allowed to vote, that's not going to affect his chances of being re-elected. It really must be the tip of the iceberg when you don't even remember where small amounts of money like £5000 come from. Just like I didn't remember where that tenner that appeared in my back pocket the other day came from. As it turned out, I was still in a state of semi-consciousness when my wife told me in the morning to get milk on my way home from work (I didn't and to be honest I still don't believe she told me to get it). She's great though. Thing is, if i'm held accountable for €10 I spent on two pints in the evening and will remember why I shouldn't have spent it for years to come, how can Bertie not remember 5k?
God Bless

Wednesday's child

Hi,
Today, my brother had a child. Well he didn't but his wife did. Obviously.
I immediately began thinking to myself about the country that this child is born into. Will the child be akin to a child of the eighties which I am? Will the child not know the glories of the money rich 90s kids who lived a life of richness til the age of 30 while still sponging off their parents?
I also began to wonder if we really are richer today than we were in the 1980s. I got to thinking about the huge levels of debts that we have amassed since we left college. Last month, I paid several bills including phone, credit card, mortgage and car loan. I remembered back to the 1980s and thought about the bills faced by my own parents. They didn't qualify for a credit card. They built a lovely house through scrimping and saving. No mortgage. We didn't have a phone in our house until the mid 1990s and they also paid for their car through scrimping and saving. They also had 9 beautiful children + me, which made 10. Were we any worse off? No. All ten of us went to college. We all worked part time throughout college and gained high honours. We are, all of us, professionals now. And we are all crippled with debt which is going to haunt most of us for a further 30 years. My new nephew is the first niece or nephew in our family. No one has had a child outside of marriage, touch wood, because we were brought up to believe that it wasn't a stable environment to bring children into until we were married and had a proper house to bring a child into. Somehow, I believe that we were richer then. Despite our government telling us that we have never had it so good, I don't believe it to be true. We owe more money now than our parents did then. Our health system, if anything, has deteriorated to an extent that it is pathetic. Our roads are still of a third world standard (and those that aren't are blocked up with traffic) and our literacy and numeracy skills are sliding off the scale. Children are now being taught science in National Schools, even though they don't know how to write properly. The study SPHE before they can do their 12 times tables. They enter secondary school as idiots, and it's getting worse every year. I don't blame the teachers in National Schools or Secondary. I believe they do a great job and the good ones aren't getting paid half enough. They are merely following the curriculum laid down for them by our wonderful government. Why? SPHE is the brainchild of a few government departments to stem the abuse of alcohol, drugs and so forth and also to teach kids about sex. Therefore, this takes all blame away from parents. If my child gets pregnant, becomes a drug addict or an alcoholic, whose fault is it? The teachers. God forbid, there's no way my child would have got involved in these things if the school taught her properly about safe sex and how not to use drugs. Every damn thing that's wrong in society - It should be incorporated into the education system. Meanwhile, the children then come out with 200 points in their leaving certs and it's the teachers who are to blame. Never mind that the number of classes per subject has been cut to allow for this shit to be taught to kids. Parents, take some f**king responsibility for your own kids. Now, I'm not a teacher. I wouldn't dream of doing it because I've seen friends of mine leave the profession in their droves because they have been verbally and physically abused by kids. When their parents come in, they stand up for the kids and by the by there people, schools don't even have the power to expel the kids anymore, even if they thumped the living crap out of a teacher or fellow student.
My nephew is going to grow up in possibly poorer times than the children of the 1990s. I hope to God that he grows up to be well adjusted in this shit state, which Fianna Fáil continue to congratulate themselves for. Thanks very much lads, you've done a great f**king job. And Bertie, you horrible illiterate weasel. Enjoy your time in America preaching to congress. Clearly, they don't mind corrupt f**kers like you. I hope your address is written and read properly. You can always blame your school if isn't