I’m reading Fintan O’Toole’s Ship Of Fools which describes the corruption, greed, stupidity and general venality of the small ruling elite of politicians, businessmen and bankers who ruined Ireland, but danced away from the wreckage with tens of millions in their own brimming bank accounts. When Charles Haughey died, he apparently had saved up about €45m, around 171 times what he had earned as a politician, thanks to bribes and theft. His successors apparently happily continued stuffing their pockets with similar amounts. Over at the banks, the thieving was even more excessive. For example, the directors of Allied Irish Bank borrowed about €225m from the bank they were meant to be running – I wonder how much of that will ever be repaid? Moreover, why have there not been any prosecutions?
The Irish election appears to be about choosing which bunch of liars and crooks will run the country rather than choosing a political party.