Madam, – So, that’s it then. Top bankers get to retire on over-generous pensions, property speculators are soon to be invited to make submissions as to how they may have more from the Exchequer, bondsmen investors are completely shielded, indigenous businesses are told to sod off in their search for working capital, public sector employees are guaranteed no redundancies, no less. A dog-eared pack is indolently shuffled, rail travellers between Galway and Limerick are given a €52.50 per ticket subsidy (circa €23.33 per hour travelled) and now, insurers are poised to join the queue for State loot. What a week’s work for the Common Good!
When the history of this period is written, in crafting the narrative upon our current Government’s performance on our behalf, there is no pejorative within the preceding annals which will not rank for re-use in characterising the depredations which their handiwork has visited upon the people.
We need heroes now in our legislature as never before, representatives who will shout “stop” and motion for immediate substitution of the entire team with the best and the brightest from all parties: those untainted by the stupid excesses of the Ahern-Cowen years; those armed with an understanding of what it will take to return Ireland to the equality borne of prosperity; those for whom public service is a watchword rather than a ticket to the trough; those who have faith in the Irish people and their ability and willingness to put the shoulder to the wheel if only they are led by those with honour, acumen and a true sense of what is fair and just; those who understand even now, that if we do not change course we will sunder the yarn out of which our Republic is woven, degrade our ability to care for the aged, to tend the sick, to protect the innocent, to educate the young and to foster enterprise. – Yours, etc,