Accountability in Ireland - A root cause of society’s destruction

It’s not so very long ago, when Iceland was in turmoil, that the champions of official Ireland protested their outrage at a simple little joke that highlighted our squandered independence.

“What is the difference between Ireland and Iceland?” ran the hook line. “Six months and one character,” came the cutting reply.

Political and business leaders were trenchant in their rebuttals, affecting an outrage that was as misplaced as it was predictable. What a pity we are not more like Iceland. Yesterday, their former prime minister Geir Haarde went on trial for failing to prevent the 2008 crash. Haarde denies the charges.

Iceland’s top three banks collapsed in 2008 — just like ours. A country of 320,000 souls, they had to borrow €7.5bn to stay afloat. Anglo Irish Bank, for so long the poster business of those offended by the Iceland jibe, has, to date, cost Irish taxpayers something north of €30bn.

The Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, whose boss Paul Appleby had to have his arm twisted last month to defer his retirement, has a path beaten to the High Court to seek extension after extension to the State’s Anglo investigation. Almost four years after the Anglo collapse, fewer than 20 gardaí work on the case with Mr Appleby’s office. Last August, the High Court was told charges might be brought this year, but that the DPP will not consider a prosecution until all investigations into all possible offences are complete. You don’t need to be a premiership cynic to wonder how very long that particular piece of sting might be.

It is not necessary to focus on Anglo Irish Bank to see this society has no commitment to accountability and the stability it brings to our democracy; our need for social justice; and, almost most basic of all, that the State stands for something and is prepared to defend it. We can look at the collapse of the Bank of Ireland and Allied Irish Banks, Irish Nationwide too, and the directors, accountants and auditors who signed off on the accounts while turning a blind eye to the recklessness that led to the banks’ implosion. There’s hardly a need to mention our financial regulatory authorities.

We can look to the planning authorities, architects and fire officers who signed off on all of the Priory Halls around the country without visiting them.

We can look to the Catholic Church and the payments made to victims of ordained paedophiles but kept from public view by confidentiality clauses.

And it goes on and on, seemingly forever.

We can look to the 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier and wonder if the gardaí will ever be asked to explain the actions so criticised by the DPP. We can look at last week’s farce, when Sinn Féin’s Aengus Ó Snodaigh gave two fingers to all of us when challenged about getting €50,000 worth of computer ink from the Dáil stationary office in two years. Of course, his greatest protection is that he is not alone in his approach to Oireachtas expenses. Remember Ivor Callely?

And, if you’re still not convinced that we don’t do accountability, remind yourself, as publication of the Mahon report moves closer every day, how many people have been prosecuted on foot of earlier, hugely expensive tribunals. And how many will be prosecuted on foot of Mahon, do you think?

How Mr Haarde must wish he was dealing with our system rather than one that holds him to account. And how very foolish we are to pretend this indifference, this collusion by inaction, has no cost. It is at the very root of the destruction of our society.