Another golden circle - This is about much more than money

Though they are disappointing, and though they renew the chastening scepticism that makes it hard to believe we will ever achieve the openness and proactive social equity that underpin the kind of society we profess to admire, ongoing revelations about top-ups, under-the-counter sweeteners, off-radar bonuses, or secret second salaries enjoyed by some health service managers are just another instalment in that ongoing Irish saga — that those who can look after themselves do so even if that puts them well beyond essential line-in-the-sand disciplines of the day.

The widely practiced principle around sauce for the gander being good enough for the goose is definitely off-menu in an Ireland where the slogan “because we deserve it” provokes indulgences that shatter any idea of social solidarity.

Today, the health managers are enjoying — though that may not be the right word — their 15 seconds of fame on this issue. But they can take comfort in the fact that so many previous efforts to counteract this sector-specific featherbedding have failed dismally. The examples are myriad and come from all points in society.