Time for us to fight back against ‘EU partners’

WE should be grateful to Commissioner Gunther Oettinger for his recent comments suggesting that Ireland’s flag should be flown at half mast around EU institutions, for what they tell us about the reality of our political situation.

Having been bullied into bailing out German banks for their reckless and irresponsible investments, both the previous and current governments have been operating on the false premise that the bullies would respect us for handing over our wealth.

What our governments have failed to realise is the truth that every schoolchild learns — namely that giving in to bullies makes them take more and respect you less.

Herr Oettinger is continuing the lie that our own actions have allowed, namely that the Irish people actually owed these foreign banks anything. This lie will continue being spread until it becomes the truth, and we will never be given the credit our government craves for the simple reason that it will never be in the interests of the Germans or ECB to admit that we bailed them out.

It is time political commentators and members of government stopped using terms like “Ireland is taking one for the team” and “our European partners“; there’s no team, no partners, just the self-interest of the strong being imposed on the weak. This shameful government’s ongoing capitulation must end immediately — we must demand an immediate retrospective bondholder haircut or threaten to exit the euro in the most damaging way possible. It’s time to fight back like adults.

Robin Wilson

Market St

Dundalk

Co Louth