Gene Kerrigan "For the elite, preservation of privilege was always non-negotiable"

[SKELLY]

In another excellent broadside at the establishment Kerrigan exposes the determination of the elites in this country to hold on to
there "entitlements" at the expense of the destruction of not only our economy but our society.

The Government has been closing hospital beds, kicking teachers on to the dole, destroying the educational prospects of countless kids, cutting wages, jobs and services. They've had the Revenue sniffing through hundreds of thousands of files, and writing scary letters to pensioners, telling them they might have been unwittingly under-paying their pension tax by €8 a week.
And don't forget the "bladder report charts". If you're caring for an incontinent relative, you have to measure the liquids he or she takes in. And measure the amount of urine that comes out. This will ensure that the Government doesn't waste money by distributing too many incontinence pads.

He then goes on to compare our dear leaders pay in comparison to other world leaders

And what of our Dear Leader, the noble Enda? The noble Enda is on €200,000 a year, a mere €28,000 more than British PM David Cameron (who earns the equivalent of €172,000). Now, there's patriotism for you.
Mr Noonan and Mr Howlin have taken patriotic cuts, bringing them down to a mere €169,000 each. I bet you're wondering what US Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, earns? Tim's the American equivalent of Mr Noonan. And Tim, since you ask, is on $191,300. Which is €150,400.
The head of our Central Bank, that nice Professor Patrick Honohan, took a patriotic pay cut to €276,000. His US equivalent, Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve, is on $199,700, which is €157,000.

He also has some special attention directed at John Bruton

Last August, John warned against people having "a living standard they had not earned". He called for austerity and decried "restrictive practices and padded costs". Because, "none of us can solve our problems on the back of someone else's sacrifice". He warned that "prosperity is not a birthright". Strong words. Last week, John told the Irish Independent that he's happy to hold on to his €138,000 pension (even though he has a well-paying job as PR chap for the IFSC, and before that was on big bucks from the EU).

This isn't about greed. It's politics. Here, along with their comrades in the EU, the Top People intend coming through this crisis with most of their entitlements intact.

For the elite, the preservation of privilege was always a non-negotiable condition. So, tired old political solutions ("it worked in the Eighties") have guided us through a whole new crisis -- right to the edge of an economic cliff.

Gene Kerrigan: 'Top People' milk system while we suffer - Gene Kerrigan, Columnists - Independent.ie


How can anyone defend the current set up of the gov. in Ireland?
Im sure they will be along soon to inform me!


This countries Institutions need complete overhaul. The system is rotten to the core.

[Schuhart]

This countries Institutions need complete overhaul. The system is rotten to the core.

Yes, but in what direction? I can only repeat what I said on a similar thread

The political arrangements you see are what has emerged from the people in this State pursuing their best interests, to the extent that they can agree on common goals.

What's the vision? What's the destination? I don't have a great sense that there is an Irish community with a shared sense of reciprocal rights and obligations. I don't think Mullingar 'deserves' a barracks. But at least one politician regards Mullingar having a barracks as a more fundamental feature of the State than being able to control our economy.

I think that's were the start has to be - very seriously. What's the tie that binds us? What common future do we want to secure?

[onlyasking]

In another excellent broadside at the establishment Kerrigan exposes the determination of the elites in this country to hold on to
there "entitlements" at the expense of the destruction of not only our economy but our society.

He then goes on to compare our dear leaders pay in comparison to other world leaders.

He also has some special attention directed at John Bruton.

Gene Kerrigan: 'Top People' milk system while we suffer - Gene Kerrigan, Columnists - Independent.ie

How can anyone defend the current set up of the gov. in Ireland?
Im sure they will be along soon to inform me!

This countries Institutions need complete overhaul. The system is rotten to the core.

Kerrigan, the inconvenient but too-talented-to-sack conscience of Indo 'newspapers', who's been hidden away, unlike the genius of Brendan O'Connor et al, on the back page, has been attacking the indefensible for years.

Unfortunately, the rotten majority of Ireland's middle class has been ignoring him in favour of Eoghan Harris, Brendan O'Connor, Jody Corcoran and the rest of the media whores of the elite. Just look at election results over past decades.

It's part of why we're a doomed people.

[Clanrickard]

Kerrigen the highly paid smoked salmon socialist whiner takes aim at the amphorous establishment. Like all good champagne socialists there is no mention of ps over pay, no mention of the vast increase in welfare payments in the last decade and no mention of the power of the unions. No sir. Instead we drone on about the elites.

[Kill Bill]

Kerrigen the highly paid smoked salmon socialist whiner takes aim at the amphorous establishment. Like all good champagne socialists there is no mention of ps over pay, no mention of the vast increase in welfare payments in the last decade and no mention of the power of the unions. No sir. Instead we drone on about the elites.

There are more than enough clowns writing in the media propagating the nonsense you espouse and alot in the rag Kerrigan writes for.

You should just stick to supporting the towering political intellects of Bachman and Palin and the rest of the Tea Party fools.

[Clanrickard]

You should just stick to supporting the towering political intellects of Bachman and Palin and the rest of the Tea Party fools.

What a stupid post! Utterly off topic. Get a life.

[SKELLY]

Kerrigen the highly paid smoked salmon socialist whiner takes aim at the amphorous establishment. Like all good champagne socialists there is no mention of ps over pay, no mention of the vast increase in welfare payments in the last decade and no mention of the power of the unions. No sir. Instead we drone on about the elites.

what exactly is your point?
are Kerrigans points any less valid just because he hasnt tackled PS pay or the unions?

His comparisons of payscales between representatives here and elsewhere are factually correct.
Its ridiculous!

Our did Kerrigan touch a bone with you. Did you miss the elite boat or something?!
or did you have blind faith in Biffo et al...

[Analyzer]

Kerrigan is correct.

However, he fails to grasp that it also extends to Brussels.

[jetttxyz]

GK's opinions goes to further endorse the growing view that there is simply nothing to differentiate FF from FG from Lab.

They can easily morph into each other...at will.

Despite their whimpering protestations, they are one and the same....and it has taken some of us a long time to reach this conclusion.

Does anyone remember how Pat Rabitte was espousing PD policies sugar-coated as 'Labour' when at the same time denouncing PD thinking?

A steaduly growing number, of us, will remember all three in the next election.

The Unholy Trinity, indeed !!

[Analyzer]

GK's opinions goes to further endorse the growing view that there is simply nothing to differentiate FF from FG from Lab.

They can easily morph into each other...at will.

Despite their whimpering protestations, they are one and the same....and it has taken some of us a long time to reach this conclusion.

Does anyone remember how Pat Rabitte was espousing PD policies sugar-coated as 'Labour' when at the same time denouncing PD thinking?

A steaduly growing number, of us, will remember all three in the next election.

The Unholy Trinity, indeed !!

They all have the same policy objective.

Get yer snout in the swill,
and Enjoy your fill.