Gormley: Creators of bank crisis must face justice

Those who are guilty of causing the banking crisis must be brought to justice, the Environment Minister said tonight.

John Gormley said “white collar criminality” has to be dealt with, during a wide-ranging speech to the Green Party convention in Waterford.

“Doing the right thing also means bringing to justice those who are guilty of causing the banking crisis,” he said.

“We want to tackle the problem of white-collar criminality, because there cannot be one law for the rich and one law for the poor.

“Or, to put it another way, one law for those in authority and one law for the less powerful and weaker elements of our society.”

Mr Gormley said the Government had made the tough decisions to place the economy on the road to recovery.

“My message this evening to those people is one of hope and encouragement. The tough and decisive action which we have taken has sown the seeds of recovery. And that is now recognised internationally,” he added.

He said the Government had cut public spending, chased tax exiles and closed tax loopholes for the rich.

There is a new Governor of the Central Bank and a new regulator from outside the jurisdiction.

He said, despite the financial crisis, ministers had maintained the budget to fight homelessness and “closed the gap” between rich and poor by increasing taxes on the wealthy.

He reserved special praise for the Planning Bill.

“Let me be very blunt on this point. There are councillors up and down this country who know that the new Planning Bill currently going through the Houses of the Oireachtas will mean that the sort of unfettered and irresponsible rezonings that took place previously must now come to an end,” he said.

“And they are trying in a last-ditch effort to get through their irresponsible zoning proposals.”

Despite a pro-hunting demonstration outside the convention numbering into the thousands Mr Gormley showed little sympathy.

“The protests outside today confirm only one thing: that we are making a difference in government. And those on horseback and on the soapboxes should know this: your actions serve only to make us more determined than ever to make the changes that are needed,” he added.

He attacked the political opposition for delivering contradictory messages.

“You can cut the public service, and yet promise more guards. You can cut spending, and yet announce more programmes which increase it,” he said.

“You can be all things to all men and women, knowing that you are not accountable. You can coast along in your own comfort zone and feel good about yourself. Live in denial and achieve absolutely nothing.

“Doing the right thing comes at a cost – the gain does come with pain, as we know. I want to know what the opposition position is on many issues – on taxation for local government, and on animal welfare.”

Referring to reports into clerical child abuse he said the Government had shone a light into a dark and dreadful period.

But he warned there are other divisions in the country which cannot be ignored and must be addressed. One such tension is the gap between the public and private sector.

“The Government had to take the very difficult decision to reduce public service pay. We regret the public and media discourse surrounding those decisions,” he said.

“Far too often, our public servants were criticised and denigrated. Our public servants, be they teachers or nurses or guards or our civil servants, are absolutely fundamental to a functioning, well-balanced society.

“We took those budgetary decisions because we had to. It was the right and the responsible thing to do.”