Stupidity and the cost to the Irish taxpayer (Exception: those who do not have to pay tax due to

national | crime and justice | opinion/analysis

Sunday October 09, 2005 22:16

by Michelle Clarke - Social Justice and Ethics

to special privileges!!! Like Stallions etc

Ireland

What about making those in control of government departs such as health, transport, education ....... an extract of criminally responsible for reckless or negligent behvaviour......This may enhance Corporate Governance, Accountability, Transparency.

It is time to avoid tangents and focus on our Prisons, our Vulnerable people, a system of health similar to Europeans and lower wages and to ensure we do not stand away from the principles Of James Connolly and Jim Larkin. We have fought hard in Ireland for fair wages let us not discriminate now. Well done Joe Higgins going out to Turkey re. the Gama workers. Let us ask were low wages costed in to the construction contract!!!!

What annoys me most in Ireland now - Committees and more committees followed by academic research, research and more research. The publications are beyond a joke now.

Where is the committee on Common Sense?

The echoes of Maggie Thatcher's words 'Out, out, out or may be it is the DUP 'No, No, Never' or perhaps just the cynical self prompts the questions What has happened to the Sense of Outrage of the Irish People?

I am reading Minister McDowell's website and am look at the section of Law under Review, the Law Reform Commission.

Minister McDowell highlights a section 'Corporate Killing'.

Let us review this in terms of the Hatfield Train disaster in England. The Guardian paper provides that details that Balfour Beatty and Network Rail, the successor company to Railtrack, were fined Stg#13.6 million, for their input to the Hatfield train disaster. The Judge went further with scathing remarks that the Old Bailey, the TUC, the rail unions and crash victims called together for corporate manslaughter laws.

4 people died and 102 people were injured when the Kings Cross to Leeds train came off the tracks at 115 mph on the 17th Oct0ber 2002.

Ireland and our Law Reform: People need to endorse some piggy back behaviour from the UK in Ireland. Eddie Hobbs referred to our Competition Authority and the limited budget provided by Government. We need Competion, we need Regulation, in the face of privatisation of large companies.

Well, the 'Corporate Killing' I know in the last number of years has cost the tax payer a fortune. The Public Accounts Committee was told that the prison service spent euros 500,000 on a new computer system and it found it couldn't take account of sick leave being taken by officers in Irelands 18 jails. The system was scrapped after 6 months. I am astonished on the media coverage regarding this!

Dublin Port.
We were told it was 200 m. over budget some time ago. I am now told it is 335 m. over budget.

Electronic voting.
This had to be scrapped and the machines put in storage at a cost to the tax payer Euros 52 m. Let us ask the question who has been paid to store this defunct system and at what cost to the state!!

Another small scandal that we don't hear much about is the Battle of the Boyne site. It was bought for Euros 2.7 m. for a private business and then sold back 18 months later to the Office of Public Works for Euros 7.8 m. Wow Wow!!

Another Item you won't hear much about is the Court House in Cork. The revamping of the courthouse was estimated 6.5 m. But, later it cost the taxpayer 26.5 m.

The Roads.
Some projects were estimated at 910 m euros but now it appears to be reaching nearly 3 billion euros. Other road projects are 80% over budget. To me, all this wastage could have given 70,000 people free prescriptions, not just a lousy medical card and all the conditions. (Recall the Gama case and the aspect of fair wages, pensions for the workers).

The money could take the elderly off the corridors in hospitals. It could have been used to build some new schools urgently required. The children of Ireland and the conditions of their Schools are surely a priority that exceeds Corporate business.

The recent health service scandal - PPars. This new system which is now deemed a non starter - if so, why have the Consultants Deloitte Touche walked away with 60 m. euros.

Why! Where is the accountability that the PD's keep preaching about. The PD's foundation stone was about a new ethical and transparent party. I don't want to laugh but my Jack Russell is on his back in roars of laughter, I wonder if Minister McDowell's Jack Russell is sharing the joke.

The workers in Irish Ferries are fighting to hang on to their livlihood and 5 men spent 94 days in prison to protect their person, their property and their families. Again I ask where is the Irish people's sense of outrage.

Sinn Fein will have a field day on all of this and in 18 months time, Fianna Fail and PD's should serious start worrying about their jobs but alas they will leave with hefty pensions and lump sums.......

Maybe Michael McDowell can answer me one question. Why buy a farm valued at approx. 4.6 m. euros for 30 m. I would say, Mr. Lynam could have said yes to 10 million euros. But then again, who cares - it is not their money.......

Before I go, Bertie said at the last budget, this will be the best disability bill in Europe. I have disabilities and I ask the question where is this bill and what about the Rights of People with Disabilities.

Aside
Acquired brain injury. We need to know more about it. A change in attitude is needed from Academic, Consultants, medical people.

I am thinking of this young boy, Brian Rossiter, 14 years of age. I know not the facts in detail of the case but I know there is sufficient negligence and ingorance that an Inquiry has to be held. Trust in our system is vital and it is about people..........

Then let us not forget John Carty (who was bipolar). Our health service, our media, our Garda, our Justice department, all have a case to answer here.

Checks and balances
'It's not people who aren't credit worthy
It's banks that aren't people-worthy

Writtten: Muhammad Yunus, Contemporary Bangladeshi economic and founder of the Graemen Bank

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Comments (7 of 7)

what a rant

by eamonn deegan - self

Mon Oct 10, 2005 12:31

eamondeegan at hotmail dot com

you mentioned the killing of John McCarthy....

have you ever had a shot gun fired at you ?

by a lunatic ?

If you had then you might be in a better position to understand the actions of the Gardai....

Gach rud i gcomhréir?

by Duine

Mon Oct 10, 2005 14:44

Errore humanum est!

Nach bhfuil tú rud beag ró-throm ar an cine daonna?

scriobhneoir a haon

by corbyeire

Mon Oct 10, 2005 15:21

ta an cheart agat a chara!

stupidity and the cost to taxpayer

by Mago

Mon Oct 10, 2005 20:16

Mago.Merlin at ozu dot es

a chaotic social welfare system might be added.
they are getting something back, by ripping off european foreigners. these have to contribute, but some benefits from it are denied to them.
we are not hearing anything about this either.
http://geocities.com/habitualresidencecondition

E. Deegan, Personally, I find this a shocking response

Thu Oct 13, 2005 22:17

John Carty

He was a man with Bipolar (mental health) condition.

I await Mr. Justice Barr's decision (Tribunal established) in the next few weeks.......I somehow feel Mr. Justice Barr may see things in a different way to you. At least, that is my hope.

Another view!!!

Another person!!

I would like to explain tonight to everyone who interacts with Indymedia on your response to Michelle's contribution.

You mentioned the word Lunatic. Shame on you Mr. Deegan for your ignorant and arrogant comment. But I forgive you for your ignorant comment.

Have you any idea what depression is? It is a dark hole Mr. Deegan. It is like a sinking or falling in of a surface, a hollow; depressed in spirit; dejection, a low state of strength.

There are 365,000 people in Ireland approximately with such an illness. It is now called Bipolar. Are we all lunatics?

Now let's see:
Winston Churchill.....Was he also a lunatic?
I am not a pro-Brit but you must give the man courage for his stubborness and courage to halt the Nazi's march across Europe.

Don't forget that the Irish were on Hitler's list for extermination. He classed us as gypsies.

Could you clarify for me that you are this ignorant?

Definition:
Lunacy: 'Moonstruck' Lunatics at one time supposed to have been affected by the moon.

Insanity: "Properly the kind of insanity that is broken by intervals of reason'.

This was not John Carty.

Now here's the question received four bullets through the upper cavity of his chest. Well done An Garda Siochana - you pathetic corrupt idiots. Precision killing. John Carty had no access to a solicitor or a priest or doctor. Why?

Mr. Deegan, don't judge John Carty but tonight judge your own conscience and you may find the truth. John Carty was crying for help. As his own Mother said, I phoned the Gardai to help my son, they came and they murdered him.

K.T. Walsh

Another alleged murder reconstruction with a little help ex. foes/friends

Sat Oct 15, 2005 21:37

What is happening in the Ireland of Saints and Scholars!!! While I am it, where are views of our Scholars....those academics in our Universities?

The Joe Duffy show highlights the sad plight of vulnerable people and the Redress Board.
How could it happen that Solicitors or Barristers could have deducted additional fees from these people....without the authority to do so.

How is possible that a condition could be written into the Tribunal strategy that no complaints could be dealt with by the Law Society before June 2005!!

Where is the Transparency, the Accountability, the Morality, the Ethics........This form of secrecy endorses only further corruption. The people ought to now endorse the Competition report by Mr. John Fingleton about the practice of law.

Surely, if a watchdog is required relating to professions and the Gardai, then it evident that they must be indendent. Surely, 'Justice must be seen to be done'.

Well done to the London Irish Group for making a case (Mr. Twomey and others), a stand and giving support to people who live outside Ireland, and often in most vulnerable situations.

Then......More Shame in the eyes of those who beliefve in the principles of Justice and Equality.

Ian Bailey was accused of the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier. Marie Farrell was the key witness but similar to the Donegal Gardai scandal, it apprears as if the alleged evidence provided by Marie Farrell......is rocked with the stench of corruption also. It is time to wait and Watch.

We need answers. There has been de-commissioning of arms; we hear nothing from the Department of Justice Equality and Law Reform but word of veiled threats of ursupation by 'others'. I may be getting the wrong message, feel free to correct me!

The people of Ireland need to become more focused on the Island of Ireland. A mutuality of regard for all sides of the equation that sees a return to Stormont as soon as possible.

I retreat to the words of Thomas Merton, Monk and Pacifist, in a letter to James Morrissey on War and Peace.

'The Way to Silence Error is by Truth, not by violence......'

I grasp how a little frustration entered in to syllables and words of Fr. Alec Reid. Let us not forget, he is human and has devoted a long life to Peace. Let's move forward and not be so judgmental when people cast out insensitive words......

'Battle of Wills - Compassion, blame, Truth, Commitment going forward

by Jack Fussell - Social Justice

Wed Sep 27, 2006 00:45

Our Taoiseach Mr. Ahern and Minister McDowell Tanaiste and PD

Tomorrow the Dail opens again. The debate will be fearsome. How does one achieve a sense of equilibrium in what is Just?

The foregoing posts make interesting reading to those who are interested in thinking the issue through.

The scales of Justice are at Dublin Castle but evidence and the temporal also merit consideration.

War
'When the rich wage war, it is the poor who die'
Jean Paul Sartre 1905-80 French Writer and philosopher.....

Jack Russell

My eccentric friend just called in - amazingly he found Bertie's anorak, while upholstering the seats in Fagan's pub. The anorak tonight is hanging on top of the Spiral and if that is not a statement that our Taoiseach at the time Minister for Finance, was destitute and semi-homeless ........ it begs the question though.

What did not come out today ----- was why he didn't he phone the Samaritans for help or could he not have tapped his friend the Bishop in Drumcoundra. No not Bertie......he called a meeting in a tent on the grounds of Clonliffe College.

He told his friends that he wanted De and Da.....and his friends obliged. I had a friend, a postman, he went through separation the same year. He called his wife the viper. He got no de and da from anybody.

Now I walked through O'Connell Street today and I am proud to see that Bertie passed a request from Pat Rabitte and the erection of all the bronze rabbits on O'Connell Street are a reflection of Bertie's good will towards Labour. After all he is a socialist.

Tonight I am listtening to a song, it is an oldie, like the anorak. 'Cecelia, I am down on my knees so help me please and come home or I will stitch that cobbler in Castleknock for Tax Evasion.

Back to the Jack Russell. My friend and myself search hard for equilibrium in the way we think.......

But then it is okay to be different at times.......

As you know all great leaders have their hero's e.g. Haughey obsessed with Napoleon, Adams with Castro, Gerry Kelly with Warren Beatty; Martin McGuinness with Art Garfunkel (Brother perhaps), Ray Burke with Rambo, P. Flynn with Batman; Mary Harney with Twiggie. McDowell - perhaps some suggestions!!!

But Bertie is a cagey boy..........I wonder who is his hero? Could it be Tony Soprano or the Pope...........

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Stupidity and the cost to the Irish taxpayer (Exception: those who do not have to pay tax due to

Comments (7 of 7)