Discredited Government only making things worse

THE urgent business of rebuilding the economy cannot take place against the backdrop of the persistent displays of self-interest by the parties that created so many of our woes.

We see yet another example of this attitude with the board of Bank of Ireland’s audacious decision to award its chief executive an almost €1.5m pension top-up. How many times have similar decisions been witnessed since the crisis began, with no resultant consequences?

More important than all of this is that the Government hasn’t got any moral authority to take the measures necessary to restore the economy. While bankers thumb their noses at the populace the Government mumbles mealy-mouthed soundbites about “voluntarily forgoing” bonuses or “considering the national interest”. At the same time they bully and cajole their own low-paid public servants. For the past 18 months comments and observations such as these have been made to no avail. The Government stubbornly clings on.