Voters can wipe ‘IMF smiles’ off their faces

The IMF came to town — not to bury us, but to praise us. There were hugs, handshakes and smiles all round, as our leaders duly kowtowed.

And why not? On reflection, none of them felt the slightest discomfort, as we struggled through a depression.

Quite the opposite; they are better-off financially than they were when the economy collapsed. Christine Lagarde flashed a smile — “like a knife gleaming briefly from concealment” — while Enda Kenny, Michael Noonan and Brendan Howlin beamed like submissive wives. Meanwhile, we, “the heroes”, had no option but to grin and bear it.