Political indifference - We become uncivilised by the day

Things are getting better, they say. The economy is picking up. We have turned the corner in fixing the nation’s finances. The economy will grow again next year. We will soon say slán to our troika babysitters.

Job well done.

The self-congratulatory tone of our political masters is not just galling but deeply offensive to many Irish people, particularly members of what used to be known as “the coping classes”. These are solid, responsible citizens beaten down by the rising cost of living.