Rich man, poor man - Obscenities at either end of the scale

THIS week we saw, depending on how the dice falls for you, how different life in Ireland can be.

We saw our former Ceann Comhairle give what some thought a great speech though it was no more that a blinkered tirade defending the indefensible.

Days later, at the very same venue, the Government parties won a vote – 77 to 71 – to pass the first stages of the NAMA rescue package following assurances that the State’s new bad bank will, all going well, make a profit of €5.5 billion for the taxpayer.