Why engage expensive international experts?

THE Government and its top advisers are so disappointed by the performance of, and scandals among, many of their trusted senior peers in civil service, finance, medicine, trade unions, watchdog and regulatory bodies that their self-esteem is diminished to the point where they can no longer fight the battle alone.

Instead, at a huge cost to the exchequer, they prefer to let independent international experts arrive at the drop of a coin to sort out all kinds of problems, shady or otherwise.

Their own experts, properly supervised, could undertake these missions even more efficiently and save airing our dirty linen to all and sundry.

The Minister for Finance has decided on an investigation by independent international experts into dealings that took place in the ministerial days of McCreevy and Cowen.

This follows another report carried out on the Irish banking crisis by the Anglo German international experts, Watson and Regling (late of the of the IMF). And it’s been reported also that international experts are being brought in to sort out irregular planning practices at six local authorities around the country.

This lack of trust to sort out our own misconduct must be very disillusioning to our younger, highly educated professionals who, I have no doubt, would do a far better job than those blow-in experts and at a fraction of the cost.

“Only a rogue knows a rogue” — and the Government might feel more comfortable on their long summer vacation with those foreign guys casting an eye over things.

As a nation, it’s obvious what we need is a rejuvenation in self-confidence and a supercharge in our ability to perform.

James Gleeson

Turtulla

Thurles

Co Tipperary