Robinson: Irish people must accept blame for ‘foolishness’

FORMER president Mary Robinson has claimed Irish people have nobody to blame for the country’s economic mess but themselves.

The former senator said Irish people couldn’t blame the EU or England for what had occurred and instead had to accept collective responsibility for the “foolishness” that had resulted from the excess of the Celtic Tiger era, especially in terms of greed.

However, Ms Robinson acknowledged that a great deal of responsibility for the country’s economic problems could be placed on the banks and politicians.

She also expressed reluctance to point the finger at individuals as it was important for her as a former president to “stay outside the political blame game”.

Nevertheless, she hinted that she was unhappy with recent plans to turn the country’s economic fortunes around through the EU/ECB/IMF bailout and related four-year deficit reduction plan.

“I’m not sure there is a good balance in what is being proposed,” said Ms Robinson.

On the cause of the economic downturn, she observed: “We can’t blame the old enemy, England. We can’t blame the EU. Greed was the main problem.

“We can certainly put a great deal of responsibility on the banks and those with political responsibility but it’s our own mistake as Irish people, collectively.

“There was a sense of foolishness and, unfortunately, we’re now paying a high price.”