During the Iraq War, the Iraqi information minister earned international notoriety as ‘Comical Ali’ for his series of incredulous outbursts and versions of the truth.
Well, we in Ireland are blessed that we too have many senior politicians who possess the skill sets to rival, no indeed surpass, Comical Ali.
If nominations to such an accolade closed a few weeks ago, it’s almost certain that Leo Varadkar would have scooped the title but, in more recent weeks, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Minister Josepha Madigan, and Minister Stephen Donnelly have been challenging hard for the title.
However, such efforts at incompetence and spin by Minister Stephen Donnelly pale into insignificance when compared to the latest from Minister Michael McGrath.
McGrath is the current Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
His brief should be expanded to include waffle.
His defence of public-sector pay increases of 3% makes the utterances of Comical Ali seem credible.
The minister’s claim that increasing the public sector pay bill by almost €906m “is affordable and represents value for money” is an affront to what is happening in reality.
One assumes that Minister McGrath is aware that the State is running an annual deficit of some €19bn.
Yet he wants to borrow more money to fund pay increases to a cosseted few who are shielded and insulated from the financial effects of the pandemic.
Contrast this approach with what’s happening in the private sector, where some 600,000 have lost their jobs, youth unemployment is running at almost 60%, most businesses are shut and many will never reopen.
Those that are open have engaged in drastic reorganisations, including wages cuts, in order to remain in business.
I’m not aware of any business or any prescribed business model that encourages long-term borrowings to fund non-productive wages, yet that is what the state is doing by agreeing to these pay increases.
It’s madness and folly of the highest order.
Micheál Lucey
Kilcullen
Co Kildare
Economic reform is key to future
There is substantial belief that the pandemic is the toughest test for the EU, but such conclusion is not borne out by the evidence.
The great challenge throughout history — with the occasional pandemic, world war, and natural disaster thrown in for good measure — has been to produce enough to sustain the human race.
Judging from the fact that world population is touching 8bn and an enormous number of us enjoy
unprecedented longevity, security, comfort, and luxury, the human race has risen to that challenge pretty well in the last few centuries.
Covid-19, despite causing substantial grief and anxiety, never had a chance of really damaging the human race when confronted with the scientific and technological progress of the last half century.
If, as when the Spanish flu raged, we were still dependent on knowledge and treatment of a century ago, we would, relative to population increase, already have experienced more than 200m fatalities.
Science and technology have taken us to an entirely new level of ability, which is evidenced by the speed and volume of newly developed vaccines.
But we have major problems. Although science and technology have given us the tools to greatly enhance the human condition, coupled with great abundance, we appear to have neither the skill nor the will to remodel economic ideology so that it is capable of establishing entitled share-out of enormous benefit from the greatest
success ever achieved.
Mollified capitalist ideology, which served us very well and is responsible for getting us to this wonderful position of abundance with less work, has become acceptable because of enormous ‘paid’ involvement to create wealth. Technology is capable of decimating ‘paid’ involvement through commercial failure in grossly oversupplied markets and the elimination of dependence on work.
Failure of economic ideology to
ensure involvement of the many, who are increasingly abandoned, in economic activity through the provision of improved commercial opportunity and shared employment will surely lead to social strife, extreme politics, tariff barriers and international hostilities.
If we fail to respond properly, as we have done with Covid-19, a pandemic of failing economic activity is likely to achieve what Covid-19 failed to do.
Padraic Neary
Tubbercurry
Co Sligo
Condoms can help with crisis
The core problem with Covid is over population by one species. The WHO’s Mike Ryan has correctly said that man is pushing nature to its limits — the interface is getting thinner between man and these viruses.
The only way to correct this is by population control, or getting our present 8bn down to a sustainable level.
And as Mike did say correctly, this is not the big one, yet. But it is coming fast down the line, unless we start doing something compatible with the virus and nature for the survival of all species.
There may not be enough vaccines to go around the world, but there are plenty of condoms.
Ian Hester
Ballymacurley
Co Roscommon
Wise words from another Martin
There is surely only one explanation for the “absence of firm
timelines for reopening society” — lack of leadership. (“Taoiseach pleas for compliance with Covid-19 restrictions as lockdown extended until April 5”, Irish Examiner, February 24).
It seems that, before acting on any decision, feelers are put out to gauge the public opinion. This is leading to dreadful dithering and confusion, which is adding greatly to the misery already being endured.
Micheál Martin would do us and himself a favour if he observed the simple advice once offered by another Martin, Martin Luther King. “A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus, but a moulder of consensus.”
Jim O’Sullivan
Rathedmond
Sligo
Plain, ordinary, ignorant men
We read many complaints about our Government and their apparent vacillation in our present crisis.
Like the parish priest’s description of the 12 Apostles (in The Tailor and Ansty): “They are just plain ordinary ignorant men, like any plain ordinary ignorant men you could find in this parish.”
But, they are paying highly educated ‘experts’ big money for their advice. God help us and them (the Government).
Cal Hyland
Rosscarbery
West Cork
Give us specifics, not more waffle
We go on, yet there is no point in Micheál Martin coming on TV to give his predictable going-nowhere-yet directions and directives.
When Boris Johnson gave his pep-talk to the British, he gave specific days and dates as to when positive actions will be forthcoming.
Micheál waffled on about level five restrictions remaining and ‘sure hang on for another while and then we’ll see what to do next’ — but we’re as good as gold otherwise and he’ll get back to us.
And the vaccines are out there, he said. But they might not necessarily be in Ireland?
Micheal is no sure-footed Boris, that’s for sure.
Robert Sullivan
Bantry
Co Cork
Is Johnson on way out of No 10?
With the poor state of the economy, and the NHS on its knees, the British prime minister’s disastrous political career may be over soon.
Is Boris Johnson’s increasingly dishevelled hairstyle a welcome sign of his impending exit from No 10 Downing Street?
James Hardy
Belfast
Students don’t need the pressure
I find it an absolute disgrace how the teachers and the Government are putting pressure on students, especially Leaving Cert students, who are expected to do exams even though they’ve already missed half a year of school.
Denis Michael O’Sullivan
Carrigadrohid
Co Cork
Flood protection to be proud of
Congratulations to the engineers and workers who designed the flood protection on the rivers Blackwater and Suir, limiting flooding this week in Mallow, Fermoy, and Clonmel when water levels were just short of record levels. A great achievement and some good news which we can be proud of.
Michael Foley
Rathmines
Dublin 6
Time to introduce helmets to rugby
It is worrying that several rugby players have suffered worrying head injuries that are leading them to instruct solicitors to initiate legal action against their respective rugby unions. That said, it may finally lead to rugby authorities looking into the question of helmets for players. Not necessarily the heavy-type helmets worn in American football, but does it make sense to encourage cyclists to wear helmets lest they might have a crash whilst those playing a game of which crashes are an integral part wear no protective headgear whatsoever?
Brendan Casserly
Bishopstown
Cork
