Letters 2005-06-10
Morris Tribunal Report
Why sociopaths prosper in Ireland
Why the mock indignation at Martin Leonard's "We don't hang our own" comment at the Morris Tribunal? How could that statement be a surprise to any observer of Irish society? We all know that any organisation rooted in rural Ireland (or any other society that is determined to remain pre-modern) will espouse this code of "Omerta". Though we all know this, no one avers openly to it, that would be politically incorrect.
John B Keane's play, The Field, is arguably the most popular 20th century Irish play. Obviously it says something profound about Irish life. On the surface it has a message about the importance of land to the peasant farmer. Could such a banal message really make it such a popular play? The play is actually about the helplessness of a rural community in its dealings with sociopathic bullies in their midst. The neighbours who row in behind the Bull are all characterised as decent people, with only one flaw, that is, their placing of community solidarity above any concept of right and wrong. This flaw makes them putty in the hands of the sociopathic Bull. I suggest that Irish audiences flocked to the play because they recognised and responded to this truth.
We are told that the symptoms of sociopathy are as follows: 1) superficial charm, 2) self-centred indifference to others' rights, 3) manipulative deviousness, 4) indifferent nonchalance, even when caught out in a blatant lie. These characteristics give these people huge advantages in competing with ordinary people. Psychologists reckon that at least one per cent of the population falls into this category. If they are born poor they are likely to end up in jail, otherwise they use their special attributes to climb the greasy pole. If there is a reluctance to confront these people or a reluctance to question their motives, the main consequence is NOT simply that a few guilty people get away with their transgressions, it is that there is an inexorable tendency for these people to rise to the very top of any organisation.
These things are subjective, but many people will identify these symptoms in individuals who reached the very highest levels of Fianna Fáil. With just a little thought most people can easily bring to mind at least one example in the recent histories of Fine Gael, the PDs and Sinn Féin. It becomes harder to fasten these characteristics on any Green or Labour politician. Could the explanation be that these parties make no sentimental claim to any origin in peasant Ireland, making it difficult for a chancer to exploit a spurious sense of solidarity?
The average Fianna Fáil constituency party has upwards of a thousand members. How often has each of us, while watching yet another puffed-up eejit of a TD on television, wondered how any constituency could end up with Gobshite O'Gobshite as their candidate for the Dáil? One explanation would be that members of Fianna Fáil have different standards to the rest of us, and genuinely admire such people. The more plausible (and actually less offensive) view is that somehow these organisations are simply incapable of admitting the "appalling vista" that their ideology-free party might actually be a magnet for ambitious sociopaths. They can't admit it, because it might result in their having to "hang one of their own", or to appear to begrudge a local success.
In all the debate on Civil Service decentralisation, nobody was willing to say out loud that the major negative consequence will be that standards of probity will inevitably fall, and the same type of slippery amadán that gets to the top in Fianna Fáil and in the Garda, will now reach the top in the Civil Service.
Tim O'Halloran
Ferndale Rd, Dublin 11
EU Constitution
Lessons for Irish left from EU vote
The results of the French and Dutch referenda on the EU Constitution have sent such a shockwave through the political and media establishments that they are unable (or unwilling) to see the obvious. They blamed "the French" for racist attitudes to the "Polish plumber" and Turkish EU-applicants and insist that, despite the clear result, they will press on regardless.
While it is true that there was a small far right component to the "Non" vote, exit polls found that one of the main reasons for the result was the neo-liberal, i.e. Thatcherite nature of the Constitution. This reflected the "No"campaign, which was largely composed of vast sections of the Socialist Party, the Communist Party, the Green Party and smaller leftist groups.
The decision of the Irish Labour Party to back the "Yes" side here, combined with its desire to coalesce with Fine Gael, shows how far to the right that party has shifted.
In France, the big loser was Francois Hollande, the right-wing leader of the Socialist Party, who backed the "Oui" side, while the winners were his leftist rival Laurent Fabius amd Marie-George Buffet, who re-invigorated the Communist Party by building a broad left "Non" campaign, which may lead to a strong left coalition in the next general election.
The lessons for the left in Ireland are obvious.
Dessie Ellis
Finglas, Dublin 11
Letters continued on next page
Cuban doctors
Draining the poor world of medics
There is growing awareness, which in turn is giving rise to serious questioning, about the impact that the intellectual brain drain – in the form of medical personnel such as nurses and doctors from the majority world countries to the developed capitalist countries of Europe and North America – is having on the world's poor.
While we in Ireland are the beneficiaries of such a brain drain, the impact upon those countries from which these medical personnel come is overlooked, ignored or little understood.
But not all countries apply such predatory approach to sharing resources, knowledge and experience, even if those resources are required at home. Cuba now has tens of thousands of doctors and other medical personnel working in many majority world countries.
Cuba's approach to international solidarity and the assistance that it gives to many countries is in sharp contrast to the approach of our own and other developed countries.
We would like to invite the public to come along and hear, first hand, about the internationalist role played by Cuban doctors. The Cuban chargé d'affaires to Ireland, Teresita Trujillo, will address this subject at 8.15 pm on Wednesday 15 June in the Teachers Club, 36 Parnell Square. All are welcome.
Eugene McCartan
General Secretary, Communist Party of Ireland, 7 Bloom Lane, Lr Ormond Quay, Dublin 1
Private nursing homes
Return nursing homes to the State
Regarding the appalling treatment of our elderly people in private nursing homes, as revealed in the recent RTÉ Prime Time Investigates programme on the Leas Cross private nursing home in North County Dublin – and without impugning the excellent work that many nursing home staff do – there have still been too many reports of appalling practices in private nursing homes to allow them to continue to be in private hands. This is an issue that affects us all, as we will all hopefully grow old and retire someday. We need to apply pressure through our trade unions, as they are the ones who are supposed to be looking after our interests. Therefore, I propose that all union members press to have the following motion passed by their branch committee and then by their Head Ofice onto the various trades councils, such as the Dublin Council of Trade Unions (DCTU) and ultimately onto the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), so that pressure can be put on this Government to act: "That this Branch/Union calls for all private nursing homes to be brought under Government/ State ownership ASAP."
Paul Kinsella
Member, CPSU An Post Branch Committee
Santry, Dublin 9
Treatment of our elderly
Celtic cubs and ageing dinosaurs
I just came across this quote today and thought it was topical:
"Gauge a country's prosperity by its treatment of the aged." – Nahman of Bratslav Rabbi (1772-1810)
Patricia Moloney
Sandymount
Dublin 4
Carriles and Jeb Bush
No lucky third time
Contrary to Michael McCaughan's assertion (Village 27 May) the extradition of Luis Posada Carriles to Venezuela will not severely damage Jeb Bush at the next election as he is barred from running for Governor of Florida for a third time.
Loman O Loingsigh
Kiltipper Road
Dublin 24