Savage Ireland

Brian Hayes is a modern politician. He earns his trade indulging in sound bytes and absolutes. He says bland things like—‘This has not been a good day for the government.’ When he really means, ‘This has not been a good few years for the Government.’ He also speaks with forked tongue in claiming that Ireland has lost its economic sovereignty. Which means his government have to deal with realities and thereby impose austerity on its citizens?

Since the coalition lied its way into power—there have been many days like this. Lots of u-turns and almost childish efforts to hit the disabled in particular. But for disabled one can safely read vulnerable. So much so that Enda Kenny had to make a mad media spin visit to the home of a county Meath boy with a disability.It was an sos from a drowning Taoiseach. Yet like the child who is told not to put their hand in the fire—these bozos never learn.

Ireland has not lost its economic sovereignty—it has all but given it away for ideological reasons. You see we have huge untapped natural resources. In fishing oil and gas, and in the food processing area. We also had options in relation to the EU, the ECB, and in whether we were prepared to declare a sense of national pride or not. As a last resort we could have printed our own money, and sourced new markets.We could have created a common purpose, usually only seen in wartime.

Under this government we took the ideological decision to repay the bonds –and to seek artificial outside assistance. This is all underpinned by our ideological enslavement to market capitalism. The core thesis of this lies in the dubious premise that neoliberal ideology—the same ideology which brought us down mind you, is somehow the panacea for our ills.


This is why we end up in ridiculous situation whereby we cut disability services, but pay an Anglo bond at the same time. Brian Hayes does not even consider this a worthwhile distraction—from the neoliberal spin. He goes on about how this artificial money is stopping hospital closures. He has almost resorted to the empty ATM’S. Does anyone out there still believe in this rubbish?


So they are going to solve Ireland’s biggest financial crises –by imposing the same financial ideology that caused it to happen in the first place. He is pointing out positives –improvements brought about by James Reilly’s department. Talking to people on the ground in our hospitals—there is no enthusiasm for government policy. Their solution to all is to run and hide behind this economic savagery.


People enjoy sums—and if you can marry sums to ideology or in the governments case bullying all the better. When one hears the disabled protesting outside of the Dail justifying their right to protest. This is based on the fact that they contribute to society, and they quoting how they work and pay taxes. It is easy to see how the neoliberal virus has spread through our society. All of our citizens should have a value. This is inclusive of the old, the sick and disabled, the unemployed the working.


Ireland neoliberal colony is now at last valuing its citizenry and what they can contribute in monetary terms only. This is a huge indictment on the likes of Brian Hayes and his FG, collaborators. Even if one was to forgive them their cowardice, in the economic battle, it is unforgivable for them to have handed the basics of our society over to greed mongers.
Of course as the government ducks and dives. They will point out to fiscal battles been won in relation to our overall well being. These are just smokescreens, as the prize for the winner, is a return to a system, that doesn’t work. The ideology that makes our disabled spend the cold night, outside Dail Eireann!