Truth in our society - Why do we put up with dishonesty?

THERE is a recurring theme running through the broken relationships that have done so much to undermine this society.

It is that power corrupts and that, once corrupted, institutions and their defenders will say more or less anything to safeguard their interests. Truth is immaterial, survival and the protection of privilege becomes everything.

There was little difference in the spirit or tone of the bankers’ defence of their sector given to the Dáil Public Accounts Committee last week and the response of the Catholic hierarchy to the publication of the Murphy report. The attitudes of churchmen of earlier generations as revealed in the report were almost a duplicate of those adopted by the untouchable bankers.