Kenny in economic sovereignty vow
Taoiseach Enda Kenny has vowed not to rest until the Government has restored Ireland’s economic sovereignty.
In a speech at the Beal na Blath Michael Collins commemoration, the Taoiseach compared current economic turmoil with the early years of the Free State.
“Just as Collins was undeterred by the dire financial straits in which Ireland found itself in the 1920s, the Government I lead is equally determined,” he said.
“I refuse to allow our economic difficulties to become a political excuse: an excuse not to change, an excuse not to restructure, an excuse not to reform. In fact, I am absolutely resolute that the crisis we inherited is one we will never pass to another generation of the Irish people.”
Mr Kenny is the first serving Taoiseach to deliver the oration, marking the 90th anniversary of Collins’s killing. The army chief was the country’s finance minister from April 2 1919 until his death in 1922 aged 31.
His grasp of economic and fiscal affairs are regarded by many academics as being on a par with his military nous in the IRA campaign for independence.
The Taoiseach described him as a brilliant finance minister and vowed to continue to work for what Collins helped to secure.
“Here at Beal na Blath, as Taoiseach, I give you my word that I will not rest, our Government will not rest, until Ireland has reclaimed and restored its economic sovereignty,” he said.
“We will not cease in our painstaking, quiet but persuasive endeavours until Ireland has re-established the economic independence, so precious, so hard-won, which is its right and its due.”
Mr Kenny also told the hundreds who attended the commemoration in west Cork that politics has failed to live up to the ideals of Collins.
“In keeping with Collins’s ambition, mental force and high ideals, as Taoiseach, I refuse to allow what is in reality a temporary, hand-me-down, financial straitjacket damage what will be a magnificent future for our country, for our people and for our children’s children,” he said.
The armoured Rolls Royce car that carried Collins to hospital after he was ambushed and shot in the head on the road between Crookstown and Cappeen, west Cork was also brought to the event.
During the commemoration the Taoiseach also inspected a Defence Forces guard of honour at the site and laid a wreath.
The Defence Forces fired an artillery salute and a lone piper played a lament.
Some of Collins’s descendants were among the hundreds who attended.
Defence and Justice Minister Alan Shatter and Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Sean McCann also attended.
