The woman who led the two Brians into abyss
I REMEMBER Christine Lagarde as an advisor to Brian Cowen and Brian Lenihan during the time of the bubble bursting in Ireland. Instead of solving the problem, the three of them managed to make it irrevocably worse.
A few days ago, I got talking to a stranger and she told me about her children having to emigrate because of the economy.
Then out the blue she said: ‘What was the Irish Government doing at last week’s wining and dining of Christine Lagarde, when this was the person who advised and guided the two Brians into the perfect storm?’
Now she’s in Ireland, telling us that she won’t be too harsh on us regarding the so-called money owed to the IMF. Did anybody tell her that this money wouldn’t be ‘owed’ if she hadn’t messed up?
DAVID HENNESSY, Rathnew, Co. Wicklow.
EU thievery
NOW we see the EU in its true colours: a thief of personal savings. I was totally disgusted that the meeting at which this decision was taken was chaired by no less than Michael Noonan.
But the same thing has been happening in Ireland but in a slightly different way — by cutting back on all the services that ordinary people need, such as healthcare, schools, nursing homes, pensions, pensioners’ allowances and others too numerous t o mention. People s uch as pensioners on fixed incomes are having to pay for more, depriving them of savings.
No doubt water charges, property charges and more are in the pipeline from the EU, with the collusion of our very weak, on-the-gravy-train Government. The EU policy is decided by very wealthy financiers, which is why the wealthy come out of tax changes wealthier and the poor come out poorer.
This is the final intention of the EU — to create an elite who gather in the money, while we, the peasants, pay the taxes and try to feed our families and keep a roof over our heads. It’s not really about money because they already have more money than they need or we can i magine. It’s about power over people and nations.
This raid on savings in Cyprus is setting a precedent, and there is no doubt the EU will use this tactic more and more. Ireland could well be next. The powers of the EU need to be curbed now. It is time for a national protest — before the EU and Germany jackboot us all into the ground.
RON IRELAND, Limerick.
Resources scandal
VAST quantities of gas and oil have been discovered under Irish waters in the Atlantic ocean over the past 15 years. The Government’s figure put the value of these reserves at € 420billion, but this is a very conservative estimate. The real figure is likely to be much higher.
I r eland is giving away vast quantities of these resources. Will someone please stop this!
ANNE BRENNAN, Mooncoin, Co. Kilkenny.
Borrow to give it away?
THE Tánaiste says the Government will unveil a new overseas aid policy in the next few weeks. I hope it will include the cancellation of the entire scheme while we have to borrow the €623million we’re giving to it this year. What amazes me is that nearly everyone I speak to is opposed to the scheme while we have to borrow for it, but only one politician has spoken out against it.
The good news is that when the property tax of € 250million is collected this year, the Government will only have to f i nd another €370million so it can all be sent abroad.
And I don’t want to hear about how much worse off the recipients are that us in Ireland. When there are no Irish children going hungry to school, I may be prepared to listen.
JOHN MELIA, Portmarnock, Co. Dublin.
Protect our rights
EVERY citizen is entitled to the legitimate expectation of having their rights and welfare protected in a fair and equitable manner by the politicians they elect to represent them.
But amid all the politicians’ selfglorification and praise, it is strikingly obvious that each and every one of them (local and national) have collectively betrayed the people who put them in the positions they are enjoying at our expense.
It seems that keeping their mouths shut and following the party line of protecting bankers, bondholders and speculators is more important than adding their voices to safeguard the needs of the people.
Or is it that they have no minds of their own and have been contaminated by the power we have loaned them? They were put there to represent the needs of the people and not to blackguard the people, which is what they are now unashamedly doing in so many different ways.
On average, each constituency has only two to three Government TDs. It is difficult to understand how such a large mass of people in each constituency are now prepared to submit to the cruel and draconian l aws that those two or three individuals are now involved in imposing on them.
Many of these politicians are only in their first term of office and have led relatively sheltered lives with little life experience and many more are nearing the end of their political career.
If the younger politicians are not prepared to shout ‘Stop!’ at the injustices, it does not auger well for our future. If they are not prepared to address the issues facing their constituents, they are not worthy of the positions they hold.
We are rapidly becoming like the unfortunate Palestinian people, who are been denied all their rights. We no longer live in a democracy. In reality the Government’s approach is totally dictatorial.
It’s worth recalling that in the early Seventies, a slightly-built schoolgirl, Bernadette Devlin, almost singlehanded led her people against the might and atrocities of the British forces. People should realise that we are now facing similar domination and discrimination t hat s he campaigned so bravely against if we are not prepared to resist it.
CHRISTY KELLY, Templeglantine, Co. Limerick.