Wigmore - January 1984: Coolock Law Cent, John Feeney and Paddy Hillery

VOLUNTEERS, one step forward. Don't all rush. We are this month seeking volunnteers from among the ranks of Cabinet Ministers - or maybe even the Ceann Comhairle. It's in a worthy cause and the brave and generous one will have his or her picture printed on this page, three months running, with two hunndred words of the most obsequious drivel about how brave, generous, public-spirited and just plain nice he or she is.
Here's the scam. The Coolock Law Centre is to be closed. This centre has filled an important public function for several years and its closure will be not just a loss to the people of the area but a blow to a laudable and exemmplary idea from which many people can learn lessons. Its government grant of £41,000 is being withdrawn.

It's not a large sum. It wouldn't pay for the inauguration of a Presiident or for more than a few feet of runway on a Mayo mountain. It costs more than that to put a Mercedes under the arse of a single government Minister.

Let us accept for a moment (in . general we don't, but just for arguument's sake) that the government's economic policies are dead on. Let us accept that Barry Desmond has made a thorough and conscientious examiination of his Department's budget (this we do accept) and has had to make heart-rending decisions about what to cut and what to keep and has genuinely done what he believes is best for the greatest number of people.

Accepting all that for the moment - is there one Minister who will step forward and say - look, I like flitting around in a Mere, it's very convenient and I really believe it's worth the cost in terms of time saved. But - in social terms it is far more important that this law centre be maintained and thereefore etc etc etc.

Just one Minister, that's all it takes. If Ministers are not prepared to do things like that, fair enough. It's dog eat dog. What we have we hold. Don't ever complain when people strike or fiddle or do any of the other things people do to improve their lot.

Just one Minister. If all of them rush forward to give up their perks we'll let the people from the law centre choose. Canvassing will dissqualify.

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THERE'S an advert on TV at the moment which features a little carrtoon character and a ballot paper. Are you registered to vote, the ad asks. Would you like it if your right to vote was suddenly taken away, the ad asks. Of course you wouldn't, the ad says, so toddle off and make sure you're 011 the register.

We think this is the funniest piece of television since Daithi Laca.

There hasn't been an election for the Presidency since 1973 and won't be another until 1990.

We never get to vote for the Senate. When there is a general election they tell us lies, refuse to specify their policies, turn it into a contest of perrsonalities, and generally do as much as possible to reduce the element of p oli tical ch oice.

Now they've cancelled the local elections.

The only purpose of the electoral register these days is to ensure we are able to vote in loony referendums or for the European parliament. And don't start us on the European parrliament.

In theory we live in a democracy .

Some of us take that seriously, even if the politicians don't. Would they at least have the decency to cancel that advert and stop taunting us?

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WE apologise to our readers for again inflicting on them information conncerning John Feeney, hack with the Herald. Mr Feeney's news value is small but his position of prominence in the Herald is instructive on how that paper works. Readers of our Christmas issue may recall that we printed a letter from Mr Feeney's solicitor which warned us off doing a profile of the said hack. When we replied to this letter, explaining that Magill does not lie or distort, a second letter (reproduced on this page) was sen t, this time threatening to halt distribution of the magazine. This letter was received on the day after the magazine was distributed - which says something abou t someone or other.

The practice of seeking to halt publication before one knows what the publication contains is known in legal terms as "prior restraint". It is looked on with disdain by most people who have regard for the freedom of the press and has been ruled against by the Supreme Court.

Feeney has, we are told, been meandering around Independent House, moaning and blubbering about the profile. Don't whinge, John. If there are inaccuracies in the profile tell us and we will correct them.

There is a remark to be made here about people who can hand it out but can't take it.

* * *

THERE'S a man who claims he is suffering from permanent damage to his ears, traumatic neurosis, insomnia, gastric disturbances and psycho-motor inadequacies. He is taking a High Court action in connection with a beating which he alleges caused his medical problems. He arranged an appointment with a specialist at the Eye and Ear hospital in order to have 'his ears examined.

The man's problem is that he is in jail. No problem, bring him to the hospital. It happens every day. Hang around the Mater Hospital for example, and you'll see guys being brought over by gardai, handcuffed, strolling along.

The man's other problem is that he's Nicky Kelly and he's in Porttlaoise prison. The authorities say that he can't be brought to the hospital for the examination unless he agrees to pay the costs of the transport and the security. This is estimated at between £800 and £1,200. There is no suggestion as to how a man in prison can come up with that kind of money. Even if he could - which he can't - why should he? The suggesstion that a man in the custody of the state should be prevented from connsulting a specialist until he agrees to pay money is medieval.

There is evidence that the Departtment of Justice has been deliberately screwing around with the Kelly case, putting obstacles in the way of the procedures which Kelly is entitled to take and which the Minister for Jusstice encouraged him to take last August. This case stinks, and the longer it goes on the more people are being soiled by it. Is there no government Minister with the guts to insist that this sickening and unjust spectacle be brought to an end as soon as possible ~ whatever the em barrasssmerit for the gardai or the courts?

* * *

YOU can't turn around these days without bumping into President Hillery. Seems like he's running around all over the place, cutting ribbons, commemorating things, deeclaring things open. Fair play to him, if this is a response to the criticism that he spent seven years dossing at a very high rate for the job.

However, we would hate to see the man tire himself out, hopping around at the beck and call of every personage who wants to plant a tree and thinks it would be a good idea if yer man in the Park dug the hole. That doesn't do us much good - and it must be excruciating for Hillery, who is after all a human being.

Let's be constructive for a minute.

The Presidency is an over-rated instiitution, smothered in ceremony and pomp - but it's there, so let's make the best of it. While a Commissioner in Brussels, Paddy Hillery had a repuutation for social concern - on women's equality and immigrant workers, for instance. Perhaps he could put that concern to work now, without trippping over any of the prohibitions against him getting involved in poliitics. For instance, there are places in this country where they refuse to admit women. There is one golf club said to refuse mem bership to Jews. We have enough problems in this day and age without having to put up with tripe like that. Hillery, using imaginaation, could make wonderful usc of the Presidency to knock the bottom out of that kind of thing. It's not so long since he refused to attend a rugby match shortly after that shower inndulged in racism, so his heart is in the right place.

Don't vegetate in the Park, come on out and play with the rest of us. It's great fun. Gene Kerrigan