Irish Banking Crisis

(letter published in the Irish Times on 7 October 2008)

It is good to see that the chairman of Anglo-Irish Bank, Seán Fitzpatrick, still sees fit to offer the Minister for Finance advice on what to put in next week's budget. I'm glad he doesn't feel that the near collapse of his bank and the requirement for the taxpayer to bail him out should prevent him from suggesting that the best things for the country would be a cut in corporation tax, a reduction in children's allowances, a reduction in the state pension and restrictions on the medical card scheme.

Perhaps Mr Lenihan might also consider another suggestion for the budget - a tax on arrogant bankers.

Yours, etc,
DIARMAID MAC AONGHUSA, Shankill, Co Dublin.

"Until you want a Permanent Lift" - The normalisation of cosmetic surgery

The current spate of ads from the lovely folks at L'Oreal for some goop called "Revitalift" has a lovely little phrase at the end of it. "Until you want a permanent lift". It's a classic - buy our polyfilla for the skin until it jus ain't working anymore and then it will be time to stretch your face surgically. It is clear by the use of the word "until" that that is the normal course of action for women (seems there is no solution for my male wrinkles) - and conversely if you don't choose cosmetic surgery you are somehow abnormal....

Wonderful isn't it?

Senator Harris proposes introduction of state murder.

Good to see that unelected Senator Eoghan Harris did not waste anytime in getting his parliamentary career off to a great start. In his maiden speech he suggested that in reaction to the shooting of an unarmed Garda in Dublin the State should introduce the death penalty for those that kill policemen. The facts that this country has not executed any of its own citizens (in an official manner!) for 50 years and that we voted to make the death penatly unconsitutional and that our membership of the EU makes it introduction impossible did not get in his way. But better was to come from the Great Man....

"Even if we remove capital sanctions from those who shoot policemen there should be capital consequences for such actions. In areas where gang culture is now enshrined, such as Dublin, Limerick and parts of Cork, the Garda Commissioner should consider the strategic arming and training of policemen. The days of the unarmed bobby(!) patrolling the streets of this country should be over."
( From the Seanad Debates )

So, let's get this straight - he is suggesting that if we cannot have judicial execution we shoudl instead have "capital consequences" - in other words give the Gardaí guns so they can make the decisions on who needs to be killed. This is Harris on day one..... Roll on the next five years - they should be very entertaining.

Senator Eoghan Harris

(letter published in the Irish Times on 7 August 2007)

Madam

Congratulations to Eoghan Harris on his appointment to the Seanad. No doubt his performance on the Late Late Show in the run up to the electionhad no influence on the Taoiseach's decision to appoint him and that itwas based purely on his outstandingly constructive contributions on everyside of the political spectrum over the last 40 years.

Yours etc,

DIARMAID MAC AONGHUSA, Shankill, Co. Dublin

The following response was published on the 9th August 2007.

Madam, - It is obvious from Diarmaid Mac Aonghusa's sour note (August 7th)that he is a man who sees no merit in change. While change for the sake ofchange is folly, to regularly re-appraise one's view of the ever-evolvingpolitical situation, and to do so in the public interest, requires a degreeof courage that is sadly lacking in most commentators. Thankfully, EoghanHarris is the rare exception. -

Yours, etc,
NIALL GINTY,
The Demesne,
Killester, Dublin 5.

A quick Google of Mr Ginty show him to be frequent letter writer and one who takes a conservative postion on all topics - it is no surprise to see him backing the ridiculous Mr Harris.

The letter was also attacked by the wonderful woman hater John Waters who reprinted it in his column (subscription required) on the 13th August. It would seem that Mr Harris has a great set of admirers.

Essential Dress?

Essential Dress?, originally uploaded by ShankillFalls.

This wonderful sign is in the window of 'The Front Lounge' on Parliament St., Dublin. Not sure what an 'essential dress'; is but I'd like to find out. And I'm glad they are sorry for any inconvienence (sic)

Seems like I wasn't the only one voting for Boyd Barrett

Well he nearly made it and if he had it would have been one of the few genuine surprises of the 2007 election. With 5233 first preferences (8.91% of the vote) he was in 5th place in this five seater constituency ahead of the Green Party's Ciaran Cuffe. As the counts progressed however, it became clear that although he did well on transfers from O'Broin, Quinn (and even O'Malley!) there was no way he could beat Cuffe on the transfers from the eliminated Fine Gael candidates.

Had he been elected it would have been at the expense of Cuffe who is a good TD and would have been a bad loss for the Greens. Considering the possible (although now seeming less likely) outcome to the negotiations on who will form the next government, Cuffe's victory may turn out to be vital if we we are to avoid another five years of FF/PD government.

For Boyd Barrett I fear this may have been his one real chance at election. He had a lot going for him this time - a successful local campaign to prevent a massive unwanted development on Dún Laoghaire seafront, a high profile anti Iraq war campaign and, just prior to the election, the "celebrity news" factor of him turning out to be the son of actor Sinéad Cusack who gave him up for adoption.

He is a great issues campaigner and he deserves some reward for his efforts.

Look like it's got to be Boyd Barrett in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown...

With polling day approaching it's time to work out which of the crooks is going to get my vote and how I can manage to make my vote travel down the list most effectively.

To start with we can remove Fine Gael from the list. Three grey men running. Barrett (past his sell by date), Bailey (hardest working - but only for himself) and Regan (rich man's candidate and friend of super capitalist Peter Sutherland). In any case my poor dead grandmother would turn in her grave if I went with that lot - and her having been jailed in Kilmainham by them during the Civil War.

Then there's the Progressive Democrats' candidate Fiona O'Malley. Sorry, no way.

Fianna Fáil have incumbents - Minister of Education, Mary Hanafin and Barry Andrews. Mary is intelligent and honest but I simply don't agree with her views on the running of the education system - I want to see the churches removed from the system , she (and she is a social conservative) wants them to stay. The best part of Barry Andrews is that he is the brother of comedian Dave McSavage but that's not really enough.....

Labour are running two candidates - Eamonn Gilmore a sitting TD for the last 75 years and a neighbour of mine. Almost certain to be reelected and not a bad fellow...... except that about 15 years ago he called for the resignation of my father from the chairmanship of Bord na Gaeilge. And I have a long memory..... Their other candidate is Oisin Quinn, nephew of former Labour leader Ruairi and son of zillionaire Lochlann. Seems like a decent guy and will be getting a preference.

The Greens have Ciaran "Chemical" Cuffe. Apart from his little issue of being found to have a boat load of shares in evil American corporations that he had inherited from his mother, who was a sister of Bobby Kennedy's wife, he is a good guy and will probably get the number two. He is hotly tipped to keep his seat.

The Shinners candidate is Eoin O'Broin and to be honest I know nothing about him. He hasn't got a hope in this constituency.

And finally we have Richard Boyd Barrett. Anti War, Save our seafront, People before Profit party. With a slogan like that how could you avoid voting for him? He managed to organise the biggest march in Dublin for decades in 2003 just before the fantastically successful, er, liberation of Iraq and on a more local level he prevented a massive private development of apartments on Dún Laoghaire seafront. It's interesting to note that a lot of the other candidates are claiming that they are responsible for saving the seafront but it is not true.

Anyway he's getting my number one and I've managed to convince a few others to do the same. Paddy Power are offering 11 to 1 against on his chances - maybe worth a punt?