Ireland has changed. Place has character. What character has Ireland now in 2011? There is a sense of national shame on the world stage. A feeling that the Irish had a great opportunity over the past decade, and we blew it. Where was the vision for the future? Is Ireland too consumed by the past?, and what of the present? The worst place to live is in the past. You can’t change it. Ireland’s new Taoiseach Enda Kenny has already begun with political PR telling the nation he has the task of ”restoring our society” and that ” this crisis is the darkest time before the dawn.” The ordinary taxpayer is suffering. This election is not just a coalition of Fine Gael and Labour, it also includes the international institutions.
Ireland is haunted by its past and its turmoil. Ireland looks back too much, to a fictional place. Ireland is a sentimental mother that has let her wild geese fly to the four corners of the earth. She needs your help now. All the Irish who leave romanticise their homeland. Are the people of Ireland resigned, or too tired to fight?
Unrest is breeding. People are angry. The divide between rich and poor is ever more evident, and the taxpayer is left with bad debts and social austerity. Small countries, like Greece, Ireland & Iceland, are the most vulnerable to the functional aspects of market economy society. International bankers managers and financiers, have often very little interest or connection to a country, it’s real assets, just human capital.
Guilt, and bewilderment. This is the nations mood. This is a financial and emotional disaster. A phycological blow to national pride. Ireland’s politicians colluded and seethed sovereignty to the EU. There was a sense that the EU would be on hand to help and Ireland did receive a lot of help from the EU, but now after the financial fallout, where do we go from here? The taxpayer must carry the burden now.
There is no proper debate in Ireland. Ireland is stuck in a system where they are unable to fix their own interest rates. The loss of sovereignty wasn’t debated. Where is the political foresight?
Modern Ireland is a young country with a history of troubles. Indeed, the bluff was great. Ireland is an adolescent nation. The ordinary man on the street blew it. If our forefathers fought for the running of Irish affairs by Irish people, then why did we end up in this mess?, giving our power away to other nations. Ironically, England handed out money to help us, after everything that has happened. Are the old rifts slowly healing?
Is this what our forefathers fought and died for? It’s not working, all that Ireland has going for it now is corporation tax, encouraging business to come to Ireland. Ireland needs to spur exports and encourage growth.
In the lead up to the boom, there was short sighted and hasty town planning. Estate agents and and banks promoted 100 percent mortgages. There was a blatant lack of foresight for the countries direction, lead by a government that was full of cronies and greedy capitalists. Irish property valuations were far too high. The poor infrastructure in Ireland is astounding, even though there was good funding from the EU. The Irish rail system is non existent. If it worked properly, it would alleviate the congestion in major towns and cities, and create jobs.
The government sacrificed the ordinary taxpayer. Mr Brian Cowen and his cronies pushed women and children out of the way, to be the first in the boat. He exited his role as a disgrace, smugly watching us all sink.
The Irish people are left with bad debts and social austerity. The jaded rhetoric of politicians gruffly tells the nation, just deal with it.
Maybe if people were more conscious and informed, and received the right kind of advice from lending institutions, then we wouldn’t be in this mess. Everyone wants a better standard of living, and we naively elect individuals as guardians of our sovereignty and justice. Clearly one must be a sentinel at all times, because you can’t even trust your own. People have a sense that ‘as long as I’m ok, then that is fine’, but we can no longer continue with this self – serving attitude.
We are not quite one nation but what effects the vulnerable members of society , has a very rapid way of infiltrating all sectors of society. It is devastating to think that there are hungry people in Ireland now, children going to school with out a lunch, or a warm coat for the cold winter. This is a reality. Forget your corporate treaties, and soulless policies for a moment. Think about your countrymen and women, the Irish. What people need is hope. Who going to give it too them?
The factors the ordinary person faces are, unemployment, immigration, cut backs in all areas, the reduction the minimum wage.
Yes, the boom was too brash, and it was hasty. People felt a sense of euphoria, that they could enjoy a good lifestyle. What is wrong with that? Ireland had never known this type of lifestyle. In some ways Ireland was becoming more Americanised and materialistic. It lost a sense of itself.
When I would come for christmas. There was a sense of national pride and I was very proud to see everyone doing so well. However, there was too much spending and borrowing. It was like an adolescent who inherits money for the first time, no foresight and just throwing it away on flash cars and expensive meals. There was too much faith in the construction industry. It wasn’t sustainable. The only certain industry is undertaking.
Sustainability is the key word for Ireland. Invest in things with a future, the infrastructure, education,organic farming, tourism. Play on our strength and there are many, our heritage, music and artistry. Ireland must feel proud again. The EU has its own plan and policy, and it doesn’t always benefit small countries like Ireland.
In this whole financial melt-down, Ireland has been very civilized compared to the rest of the world. We live in a short- term society. We want profits fast and often by any means. Effective legislation and political foresight should act as incentivizing forces that prevent individuals from acting irresponsibly. But they fail, and this is not only a problem of Ireland, obviously. Undoubtedly, there is a part of the global society, that always manages to reap benefits even from such adverse situations. Short term interests fuel the boom and the lucky can benefit from it (in western countries it’s a significant part of society) Then when the economy goes bust, of course, the largest burden is left on the tax payer whereas it seems there are powerful groups in society that manage to be saved, if not profit from the situation.
It is important to note people not only as independent actors. In other words, we should act in a moral, ethical or responsible manner. Don’t forget about the social structures that surround us. That surround you, as a father of a family, you as a pensioner, you as a manager of a construction company, you as a loan provider, you as a bank CEO, you as a politician. There are certain expectations and powerful forces ie ‘structures’ – that have an enormous impact on the way we make our choices.
Is it this new government merely a changing of the guard? We need long term solutions, not just a quick fix. Ireland needs to think long – term, and look at sustainability. Ireland must cultivate more of a positive attitude, negativity is contagious. Our words have power. If we continue to talk our country down, then it will manifest, and it has. I hope the Irish people can poeticly manifest a new and brighter future. They deserve it. People thrive in the dignity of work. Long term unemployment is devestating, for families and above all, the individual. Suicide rates in Ireland have gone through the roof. I would like to ask what the government is doing exactly? I wonder where the solidarity and unity of people has gone. We called upon it in the past, maybe it is time once more.
(With thanks to J. Kosturik, Brussels)
