Exploiting the name of Michael Collins

Taoiseach Enda Kenny described the current economic conditions of the country as “what is in reality a temporary, hand-me-down, financial straitjacket”.

He seemed to be suggesting that Fianna Fáil is responsible for that straitjacket, which was fair comment, but it should be pointed out that when Fianna Fáil inherited a similar economic mess in 1932, Fine Gael’s predecessor cynically used the name of Michael Collins to engage in the most reprehensible of political posturing.

After the Civil War, two aspects of the 1921 treaty remained to be implemented. Article 5 of the treaty stipulated that the Free State would “assume liability for the service of the public debt of the United Kingdom”, but also specified that “any just claims on the part of Ireland” would be taken into account.