Irish public life: coarsened and dishonoured

Tony O'Reilly remains a legitimate target of enquire because of his track record and his vast range of corporate interests. Now a section of the Irish media establishment has coalesced to deter inquiry and reward the defenders of privilege. 

The wealth of the wealthy

How do the apologists for the present economic order justify the reality that 1 per cent of the population have 34 per cent of the wealth of the country, when the value of housing is excluded? Even when the value of housing is included the top 1 per cent holds 20 per cent of the wealth and thehe top 5 per cent holds 40 per cent of the wealth. 

July 2007 in review

Monday, 2 July 2007 Drugs (mainly cocaine) worth an estimated €100m were found off the Cork coast after a boat got into trouble because of adverse weather conditions.  The Taoiseach said it was weather conditions rather than intelligence which led to the seizure. The inference clearly being that similar large importations of drugs take place on the west coast without being detected by Gardai.

Eoghan Harris and The Workers Party

For over 20 years Eoghan Harris was a secret member of the Workers Party. During that time he denied his membership and threatened libel actions against those who asserted otherwise. During that time funds were solicited from the Soviet Union for a media venture involving him which was to be an opponent of the capitalist press.

Eoghan Harris and payback time

That a media commentator should be so publicly rewarded for this abandonment of the media's critical function in holding a Taoiseach to account is itself a corruption.

Greens and Leaders

The Green Party is uneasy with the idea of ‘leaders' and certainly with the consolidation of ‘leadership' status and ministerial office.

Speech of the month

Jackie Healy-Rae speaking in the Dáil on 14 June on the nomination of Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach and following the election of fellow South Kerry TD and constituency rival, John O'Donoghue as Ceann Comhairle.

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