Stupidity and the cost to the Irish taxpayer (Exception: those who do not have to pay tax due to

national | crime and justice | opinion/analysis Sunday October 09, 2005 22:16 by Michelle Clarke - Social Justice and Ethics

to special privileges!!! Like Stallions etc


Ireland

What about making those in control of government departs such as health, transport, education ....... an extract of criminally responsible for reckless or negligent behvaviour......This may enhance Corporate Governance, Accountability, Transparency.

It is time to avoid tangents and focus on our Prisons, our Vulnerable people, a system of health similar to Europeans and lower wages and to ensure we do not stand away from the principles Of James Connolly and Jim Larkin. We have fought hard in Ireland for fair wages let us not discriminate now. Well done Joe Higgins going out to Turkey re. the Gama workers. Let us ask were low wages costed in to the construction contract!!!!

What annoys me most in Ireland now - Committees and more committees followed by academic research, research and more research. The publications are beyond a joke now.

Where is the committee on Common Sense?

The echoes of Maggie Thatcher's words 'Out, out, out or may be it is the DUP 'No, No, Never' or perhaps just the cynical self prompts the questions What has happened to the Sense of Outrage of the Irish People?

I am reading Minister McDowell's website and am look at the section of Law under Review, the Law Reform Commission.

Minister McDowell highlights a section 'Corporate Killing'.

Let us review this in terms of the Hatfield Train disaster in England. The Guardian paper provides that details that Balfour Beatty and Network Rail, the successor company to Railtrack, were fined Stg#13.6 million, for their input to the Hatfield train disaster. The Judge went further with scathing remarks that the Old Bailey, the TUC, the rail unions and crash victims called together for corporate manslaughter laws.

4 people died and 102 people were injured when the Kings Cross to Leeds train came off the tracks at 115 mph on the 17th Oct0ber 2002.

Ireland and our Law Reform: People need to endorse some piggy back behaviour from the UK in Ireland. Eddie Hobbs referred to our Competition Authority and the limited budget provided by Government. We need Competion, we need Regulation, in the face of privatisation of large companies.

Well, the 'Corporate Killing' I know in the last number of years has cost the tax payer a fortune. The Public Accounts Committee was told that the prison service spent euros 500,000 on a new computer system and it found it couldn't take account of sick leave being taken by officers in Irelands 18 jails. The system was scrapped after 6 months. I am astonished on the media coverage regarding this!

Dublin Port.
We were told it was 200 m. over budget some time ago. I am now told it is 335 m. over budget.

Electronic voting.
This had to be scrapped and the machines put in storage at a cost to the tax payer Euros 52 m. Let us ask the question who has been paid to store this defunct system and at what cost to the state!!

Another small scandal that we don't hear much about is the Battle of the Boyne site. It was bought for Euros 2.7 m. for a private business and then sold back 18 months later to the Office of Public Works for Euros 7.8 m. Wow Wow!!

Another Item you won't hear much about is the Court House in Cork. The revamping of the courthouse was estimated 6.5 m. But, later it cost the taxpayer 26.5 m.

The Roads.
Some projects were estimated at 910 m euros but now it appears to be reaching nearly 3 billion euros. Other road projects are 80% over budget. To me, all this wastage could have given 70,000 people free prescriptions, not just a lousy medical card and all the conditions. (Recall the Gama case and the aspect of fair wages, pensions for the workers).

The money could take the elderly off the corridors in hospitals. It could have been used to build some new schools urgently required. The children of Ireland and the conditions of their Schools are surely a priority that exceeds Corporate business.

The recent health service scandal - PPars. This new system which is now deemed a non starter - if so, why have the Consultants Deloitte Touche walked away with 60 m. euros.

Why! Where is the accountability that the PD's keep preaching about. The PD's foundation stone was about a new ethical and transparent party. I don't want to laugh but my Jack Russell is on his back in roars of laughter, I wonder if Minister McDowell's Jack Russell is sharing the joke.

The workers in Irish Ferries are fighting to hang on to their livlihood and 5 men spent 94 days in prison to protect their person, their property and their families. Again I ask where is the Irish people's sense of outrage.

Sinn Fein will have a field day on all of this and in 18 months time, Fianna Fail and PD's should serious start worrying about their jobs but alas they will leave with hefty pensions and lump sums.......

Maybe Michael McDowell can answer me one question. Why buy a farm valued at approx. 4.6 m. euros for 30 m. I would say, Mr. Lynam could have said yes to 10 million euros. But then again, who cares - it is not their money.......

Before I go, Bertie said at the last budget, this will be the best disability bill in Europe. I have disabilities and I ask the question where is this bill and what about the Rights of People with Disabilities.

Aside
Acquired brain injury. We need to know more about it. A change in attitude is needed from Academic, Consultants, medical people.

I am thinking of this young boy, Brian Rossiter, 14 years of age. I know not the facts in detail of the case but I know there is sufficient negligence and ingorance that an Inquiry has to be held. Trust in our system is vital and it is about people..........

Then let us not forget John Carty (who was bipolar). Our health service, our media, our Garda, our Justice department, all have a case to answer here.

Checks and balances
'It's not people who aren't credit worthy
It's banks that aren't people-worthy

Writtten: Muhammad Yunus, Contemporary Bangladeshi economic and founder of the Graemen Bank