A necessary divorce

Economic conditions laid down by the troika are stalling the recovery and hurting the Irish people, but it is still not too late to take drastic action, argues Ray Kinsella

THE measures included in Budget 2012 have been well trialled. They take place against the backdrop of yet more meetings between France and Germany in the lead up to Friday’s make-or-break euro summit.

The subtitle of this summit could be “this time it’s personal”. Finally, Germany and France are pushing with brutal self-interest their version of full fiscal and political union as the only way forward. In a eurozone where “subsidiary” was once a core principle, the views of Ireland and other countries count for nothing. Power and hegemony are what it is about.