Bertie...seriously: whats the deal here?

Question

He now earns more then Bush? Whats going on? Our hospitals are a disgrace...our transport system is the biggest joke...our Celtic Tiger has frozen...the Budget looks uneasy...whats the matter with our country? Now that the election is over and no party seems to care as much as they did when they were campaigning for votes using our money. I just want to get a few opinions of some fellow Irish folk:

Do you get the feeling that something is not right in our country?

Answer 1

Absolutely. I couldn't believe how much he gets paid. They are all stereotypical charlatan politicians - they get the vote, then they don't bother doing a thing to help the country (for the record, I didn't vote for Bertie!). I think the entire system is an embarrassment. Even our two tram lines don't link up - sorry, have I missed something here? Wouldn't that have been the sensible thing to do from the get-go? And what about all this now with provisional licenses? Over the next couple of months? It almost seems like they're trying to s***w people over.

Answer 2

nnnnnnnnow  sttttooopppppppppp sssssllllaaaggggiiinnnnnngggggggggg  mmmmeee

Answer 3

Sure it's a great little country.  Politicians can claim expenses greatly in excess of their salaries, and never have to produce receipts.  They can bring their wives and friends on junkets all over the world that we, the taxpayers, will pay for.  They can 'give' paid directorships to cronies in return for services rendered or donations made, and if they were teachers in a former life they can continue to get paid by the Dept. of Education for work they are not doing, they can ensure their vacant seat is filled by spouse or offspring, and we only need to borrow billions to keep them in the style to which they have become accustomed.

Why would Bertie refuse a raise if he was offered it?  A while ago a newspaper reported that he had received SIX increases in a twelve-month period, and he still can't seem to be able to pay for his own seat in Croke Park.  Not to mention all the other items coming to light that he was offered and accepted.  The word parasite is very descriptive of most of our policitians.  They vote themselves increases, and we have no say in the matter.  Lunatics running the asylum???  

As I said, it's a great little country.

Answer 4

Stop bitching and start a revolution.

Everybody turned a blind eye while the economy was booming, now things are a bit tighter and the realization that economic sustainability is impossible in a globally competitive market under the current regime, it's time to start demanding value for money.

Ireland still has one of the lowest population densities in Europe yet its land values are ridiculously high and its infrastructure is still completely inadequate.  I moved away from Ireland five years ago because I saw that this lack of foresight would lead to the inevitable.  Irish taxpayers have never received value for money from their governments because there is no true accountability.  Those who control the power believe in thinking small and paying outrageous premiums for poor quality and late deliveries - look at the joke that's called the M50.

I used to love Ireland for its charm, social values, and sense of balance despite its substandard infrastructure, customer service, and public spending effectiveness.  Since the Celtic Tiger took hold, the former has been eroded while the latter has persisted.

I'm serious - it's time to vote the old guard out and bring in some innovative and accountable government.