Bowen And Dillon Globalizers Wet Dream? People's Verdict Manus O'Riordan Philip O'Connor Labour Comment

page 15 page 7 back page IRISH POLITICAL REVIEW August 2009 Vol.24, No.8 ISSN 0790-7672 and Northern Star incorporating Workers' Weekly Vol.23 No.8 ISSN 954-5891

Politics And Fantasy North An Bord Snip The Good Friday Agreement has led to the drastic decline of the two Northern Ireland The 'Special Group on Public Service parties which were central to its negotiation, the Ulster Unionist Party and the Social Numbers and Expenditure Programmes' Democratic and Labour Party. The essential futility of the structures put in place by the (aka An Bord Snip Nua), chaired by UCD GFA led to their displacement by the 'extremist' parties, the Democratic Unionist Party economist Colm McCarthy, has produced and Sinn Fein. These parties are now experiencing the futility of it. But there are no other its findings. As an accountant's report in parties. in the offing to displace them—except perhaps Jim Allister's movement of fulfilling the task set it—how to cut a few Unionist dissent, which may well appear as a party at the British Election next year and billion off the costs side of a balance sheet put the wind up the DUP and UUP. in a context where annual expenditure of There is a big difference between the DUP and Sinn Fein as 'extremists' relative to the ¤50bn compares with income of ¤30bn— GFA. The DUP rejected the Agreement, condemned the UUP for supporting it, it is an efficient, competent and thorough campaigned against it in referendums and elections, swore it would never sit in job. It came up with cuts of ¤5.3bn but, Government with Sinn Fein under it, and then, when it had displaced the UUP as the given its methodology, it could have been major unionist party, took its place alongside Sinn Fein in Government. any figure. The premise it chose as its In fact, it did what the UUP had not been required to do. It undertook the office of starting point, the type of savings pro- First Minister to Sinn Fein's Deputy First Minister. Sinn Fein had not been the senior posed, the areas outside its remit—where party of the Catholic community while the UUP was the senior party of the Protestant it suggests further revenue savings can be community so the Deputy First Minister was SDLP. made—and the sacred cows it refuses to 'Extremist' Sinn Fein, by contrast, was enthusiastically pro-Agreement from the start. touch, tell a story however. It had been advocating something like the Agreement long before 1998. For perhaps ten The McCarthy report is a Thatcherite years the war had been kept going, after the prospect of military victory had receded, in wish list in the basic sense that the major order to compel the Government to make an arrangement of this kind. cost savings it proposes are in the area of The SDLP, though it was the major electoral party of the Catholic community for a social spending, while steering clear or third of a century, always had the air of second-best about it. It shot its bolt back in 1971, only tentatively touching on such ele- or 1974 at the latest. It held its majority status, not in antagonism with Sinn Fein, but phants in the room as the ludicrous salary because it was respectable and acceptable to British and Dublin administrations and it and pension privileges which have been was known on its home ground that its rivalry with Sinn Fein was shadow boxing which allowed to accumulate at the top of the posed no threat of communal rupture. public service and judiciary, or the hospital The Ceasefire which prepared the way for the Agreement was experienced in the consultants contract agreed by Mary Catholic community as a Republican victory. Media commentators, who never troubled Harvey in the last year (three times the to understand what Northern Ireland is, and the position in which it placed the Catholic rates earned by their opposite numbers in community, say that that experience was a symptom of delusion. They say that in reality France or Germany). the Provos were defeated. But experience is experience, and the 'reality' that is posited While virtually every social spending continued on page 2 continued on page 6

"Barroso should be a shoo-in for the Some EU Heroes Of The Moment job, principally because no one else has As one of the thousands of broken- emerged as a contender. Across the main BARROSO European political groups he has already down Marxists that now operate across The way the appointment of the next won unanimous backing from his own EU Commission President is being Europe, Barroso is the perfect man for political family, the centre-right European arranged speaks volumes about the Post holding a broken-down post. Barroso tried People's Party (EPP). He has also won and the current state of the EU. Barroso to go it alone once on the completion of support from three Socialist prime has been a good President, i.e., he has Doha negotiations. But Sarkozy slapped ministers: Britain's Gordon Brown, done what he has been told to do by the big him down and he lost all credibility as an Portugal's José Socrates and Spain's José Member States and overruled when he international negotiator. Sarkozy is one of Luis Zapatero. This has torpedoed the shows signs of having an independent those who will now ensure he gets the job candidacy of the one possible rival, view. That is the way a Commission again. Why sack a good butler who knows former Danish prime minister Poul Nyrup President must act these days since the his place? Rasmussen. (Irish Times, 16 June). authority of the position was wrecked by And everyone else agrees he should get At the Council meeting in June he got Pat Cox and the Liberals. the job: the support of all 27 Prime Ministers but, continued on page 9 secession. In 1969 it was in the process of rejecting nationalism, disarming the IRA, C O N T E N T S and trying to find a way of waging class Page war under Marxist ideology. Fantasy North. Editorial 1 In mid-August 1969, when the North Politics And An Bord Snip. Editorial 1 was in turmoil for reasons that had nothing Some EU Heroes Of The Moment. Jack Lane 1 to do with Sinn Fein and little to do with nationalism, the leader of that Marxist Readers' Letters: Political Reform And The Irish State. Tim O'Sullivan 3 Republicanism, Cathal Goulding, issued Editorial Digest (Orangefest?; Dolly's Brae; UDA; Sinn Fein) 5 a statement to the press that he had given Bord Snip Report—A Globalizer's Wet Dream. Philip O'Connor 7 marching orders to his Belfast Brigade. Cúpla Snip Eile...... 9 The Loyalist populace in the North had no Conspiracy. Joe Dalton 12 grounds for knowing that he had no Belfast Shorts from the Long Fellow (NAMA; Bail Outs; Wealth Tax; 250m v 1bn; Brigade. At the same time the Taoiseach, Jack Lemass Documentary; Questions & Answers; Role Of Media; Media Prestige 13 Lynch, made a television broadcast in And Is There Jaffa Cakes Still For Tea? Wilson John Haire (poem) 14 which he said he would not stand (idly) by Did Elizabeth Bowen Slander James Dillon As A Fascist? Manus O'Riordan 15 while events in the North ran their course. Es Ahora. Julianne Herlihy (Lisbon II; Shell; UK Arms Sales; Ryan Report) 17 Lynch had an Army of sorts and he moved Granville's Gripes. Seán McGouran 18 it to the Border. His hagiographer, Profes- sor Keogh of Cork University, tells us that Closure Of Foinse? Ted O'Sullivan (report) 18 Lynch had the firm intention of not using Massacre And Other Matters. Desmond Fennell 19 his Army, but of standing by and recognis- Political Stories. Joe Keenan 19 ing the North as British. But the Loyalist populace had no means of knowing that From Judaism To Islam. Eamon Dyas 22 either. What the Taoiseach actually said, Biteback: Judicial Swipes. Tom Sheridan (part 3) 25 combined with what the Chief of Staff of Does It Stack Up? Michael Stack (Law Reform; RTE; Ryan Report) 26 the IRA actually said, helped to confirm IFA Should Invite Palestinians. David Morrison (report) 26 the Loyalist populace in the view that the 'civil rights' conflict within the North— which arose from the internal structure of Labour Comment, edited by Pat Maloney: Northern Ireland—was the Fifth Column People's Verdict of a United Ireland offensive. (back page) Historical events occur in real time on Real Minimum Wage Already Cut By 4% : Manus O'Riordan the basis of what is present at the time. (page 27) The chief external influence present in the Due to pressure of space a number of articles have been held over, including a historical review of the Northern situation in mid-August 1969 formation of Afghanistan by Pat Walsh and John Martin on Racism and Community were the inflammatory speech by the Taoi- seach and the inflammatory press release (to the same general effect) by the Chief of Staff of the IRA. against it is mere transcendentalism, even is decreed to be Anglophobic. Lynch's speech was experienced as when expressed by dissident Republicans That it is Anglophobia is an Article of inflammatory by the Loyalist populace. nurtured by Professor the Lord Bew. Faith. Articles of Faith issued by Rome Therefore it was inflammatory. * about the affairs of another world, which Protestant activists in the Civil Rights There is complete absence from the if they are not provable are not disprovable movement, who were far removed from either, are not held in high esteem in national press of any publication sym- Loyalism, were brought up short by it as pathetic to the predicament of the Northern Ireland these days. But the secular Article they saw it on television. of Faith that Britain is not responsible for Catholic community. Such sympathy is In recent years British Government the political condition of the Northern seen by the superficial mind of the social spokesmen have devised a phraseology Ireland region of its state is held piously, stratum that produces the media as sym- for denying what seems to be an obvious in defiance of fact and reason. pathy with Sinn Fein. The fact that Sinn connection between British military If the condition of Northern Ireland is Fein was produced out of the situation in activity in the Middle East and certain not the consequence of the very strange which the Northern Catholic community activities undertaken by Middle Eastern way Britain chose to govern it, what is it was placed, not by Partition as such, but people in Britain. At first Prime Minister the consequence of? by the political arrangements made by Blair said there was no actual connection. The acceptable belief is that it was Britain as the means of enacting Partition This was too absurd to be credible. It was caused by an intrusive evil called Sinn and maintaining it, is denied. The implicat- modified into a statement that there was Fein. But where did Sinn Fein come ions of admitting it are too awful to no legitimate connection, but that certain from? In the viable form in which it contemplate. Dispassionate description ill-disposed people used British action in revived forty years ago, it came from the of British political conduct, whether in the Middle East as an excuse for their own depths of Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland or in the world, is put actions in Britain. down as Anglophobia by Fianna Fail In 1970 there were two Sinn Feins. This is a back-handed admission of Minister Martin Mansergh, as well as by One, which was in the direct line of causative connection. Causation in social Ruth Dudley Edwards on the wilder shares Apostolic succession from the Treaty split, affairs is not of a kind with physical of political hysteria. A phobia is a ground- was called Official Sinn Fein. It was what causation. In the physical world responses less, irrational fear or hatred of something. remained after the Cumann na nGaedheal are not mediated by motives or excuses, But, in official Ireland, a strictly accurate (later Fine Gael) secession, the Fianna which are the medium of response in the factual account of how Britain has man- Fail secession, the Republican Congress social world. aged the Six Counties for three generations secession, and the Clann na Poblachta But, given the internal circumstances 2 of Northern Ireland in mid-August 1969, it would be far-fetched to describe Lynch's LETTERS TO THE EDITOR · LETTERS TO THE EDITOR· LETTERS TO THE EDITOR· speech as anything but directly inflamma- tory. It did not cause the flames, but it was fuel thrown on the flames. If Lynch did not know that would be its effect he was a Political Reform and the Irish State fool. But it is now considered necessary to In the Irish Political Review of June 2009 the Long Fellow mentioned the Late Late construct the fool into a wise statesman. Show of May 8th last in which a number of politicians were arraigned before Fintan O’Toole, Nell McCafferty and Sunday Independent writer and distinguished Oncologist John Paul McCarthy, who lectures on John Crown where they were lectured to. The principal lecturer was O’Toole. Irish history at an Oxford College and The Long Fellow finished by regretting how “this programme calls into question writes for the Sunday Independent, is the RTE’s relationship with the State. In no other country in the world would journalists be latest of the learned hurlers on the ditch given such a platform to denigrate the Democratic institutions of the State and its who denounce Sinn Fein for the way it has representatives”. played the Northern Ireland game, without Could it be the institutions of the state are in sore need of denigration? finding it necessary to understand what How many states with democratic institutions will this year be forced to borrow kind of game the very peculiar structure of approximately 40% of current government expenditure? In which European Union state Northern Ireland makes necessary and are junior ministers paid more than the President of the United States? The answers to the what kind it makes impossible. above questions are instructive. In his article on July 19th condemning There is a fearful national economic crisis which is largely home grown and RTE and an Adams article in the Guardian (Adams the journalists were attempting to get to the root of the political malaise which lies behind Still Repeating The Same Old Boring it. Inanities) he trundles on Lynch as the O’Toole stated in his talk:"People are in despair about Irish politics… decrepit and hero—or, in accordance with the modern self-indulgent system… we as voters need to grow up". I can only agree. spirit, the Joycean anti-hero)—when in Reform of the electoral system was a big part of the talk. He did say: "PR is good and fact he was neither. He was neither the we should keep it but…”. He was opposed to multi-seat constituencies. The main themes resourceful Odysseus devising means of were electoral reform and structural reform so that we can enjoy the benefits of functional action inspired by Athena, nor the unambi- political institutions. tious practitioner of the routine of rather A clear and realistic insider’s exposition of the questions involved was set out in the grubby lower middle class life—the terms Irish Times of 4th May by former Fine Gael Education minister Gemma Hussey under on which the American judge declared the title Our political system is no longer fit for purpose. Ulysses harmless. He neither kept his Hussey got to the essence of the problem when she wrote: “The skills required to head down during the critical period after massage a constituency seven days and nights a week have nothing to do with running mid-August 1969, nor did he direct a small European country with an open economy”. Republican Ireland, of which he was the Our political institutions are profoundly dysfunctional. This is what the journalists Executive head, into some kind of con- were attempting to address by proposing radical change regarding how we elect structive line of action. He did a bit of this, politicians and what they are meant to busy themselves with once in office. and then he did a bit of that, and then he did Tim O’Sullivan a bit of the other. He flailed about and he bungled. Editor's Note: While there is much to agree with in this letter, it is a misconception to think that TDs will find better things to do when they no longer have to 'massage' their constituents. The McCarthy tells us that "modern Sinn experience in England shows otherwise. Surely a more effective way of stimulating thought is to Fein still has no answer to the question make TDs actually sit in the Chamber during debates? The empty benches speak volumes. posed by Taoiseach Jack Lynch in the white heat of 1970". unification. What was "the white heat of 1970" that But the white heat was 1969. That was One did not need any insider knowledge caused Lynch to abort his own policy and when Northern Ireland was thrown into at that time to see that Lynch's Government prosecute it as conspiracy? A quiet word flux—when it threw itself into flux in its was doing things with guns which accorded from the British Ambassador perhaps. response to a popular demand which now with his speech about not standing idly by. seems so modest that it hardly seems But in May 1970 he prosecuted a group of At the time we saw Lynch's Northern believable as the subject of a major people for 'conspiracy' who had been policy as absurdity conducted in fantasy, agitation. And what Lynch said in the implementing his own policy. For thirty and were not greatly concerned that the white heat of mid-August was that he years it was possible to deny that it was his events of 1970 gave a comic-opera appear- would not stand (idly) by which was own policy that he prosecuted people for ance to the Republic. What concerned us generally, and reasonably, understood to implementing. With the release of secret was the impact in the North of Lynch's mean that he would not let his Army stand documents after 2002 that denial could no inflammatory speech-making combined idly by. longer be made in good faith. And now with his invented Arms Crisis. Certain The white heat lasted during the Autumn those documents no longer lie in bundles developments had been set in motion in and Winter of 1969-1970. Positions taken in the National Archive, accessible only the North between August and May were up then largely determined the working to people with months of leisure and a then disrupted. out of subsequent events. strong appetite for research. They have all There was perhaps a realistic possibility We published the two-nations view of been published, along with newspaper of an effective 'Constitutional nationalism' the situation in September, saying that reports of the Arms Trials (the official in the North, acting in conjunction with a Partition did not break up an existing Court Transcript having been lost) in Dublin Government with an active nation (except as regards the minority in Angela Clifford's The Arms Conspiracy Northern policy taking effective leadership the North), but was made durable by the Trial. of the Catholic community and exerting conflict of nationalities that preceded it. It is no longer deniable that Lynch pressure on Britain to enact a structural In October Lynch repudiated that view, instructed his Army to make itself ready reform that would make things tolerable declaring that Ireland was a single nation, for incursions into the North, and in the for a while. That is not what we advocated. that Partition was the cause of the trouble Summer of 1970 it was his own policy that But it was something that might have been in the North, and that peace depended on he prosecuted as subversive conspiracy. done. When Lynch forced the Arms Crisis, 3 that line of development was off. And that choose the party to govern the UK state. tolerable, the outcome was a remarkable was when Provisional Republicanism Northern Ireland has never had any part in war-effort, sustained for a quarter of a came into its own. The arrest of John the process of voting for a Government, or century. Kelly was a slap in the face of what are in the many procedures which are part of McCarthy: usually called 'moderates' in the North, that process. It is all decided on the "having waded through the conciliatory and it cleared the way for those who were 'mainland'. references to dialogues with 'ethnic willing to act independently of Dublin, McCarthy: minorities' and Professor Brendan O' and to see what might be done. "Adams remains wedded to hardcore Leary's ecstatic theories of future Irish Now, almost fifty years later, McCarthy republican theology and the same tattered federalism, we are left as ever with argu- says that Lynch rounded on "the funda- parade of arguments. Ulster Protestants ments that would have cheered Slab mentalists and the sectarians" and asked still remain chattels in this analysis, pawns Murphy and Brian Keenan: Get the Brits them if they wanted to "adopt the role of on a chess board, to be moved and mani- to force the Prods into line; talk for a bit conqueror over one million or so six- pulated according to the whim of more with them, then start pushing. His county citizens who at present support powerful actors. The article [published [Adams'] name checking of O'Leary here partition?" No doubt that statement can by Adams in the Guardian] once again makes a lot of sense, since he is a worthy be found in his speeches, which were a emphasises “British policy” as the “key companion in the Emerald Piper. He welter of self-contradiction. His basic unlocking the potential for this change to wrote a bizarre essay in 2005 called theme was the old one that Partition was occur”, and his references to Britain's Mission Accomplished? Looking back an atrocity against the Irish nation, and “colonial past” are simply a coded way of at the IRA, where he cleaned up every one of PIRA's historical arguments for that no adequate solution to the trouble in denying the democratic basis of the union- ist desire to go their own way in 1920, modern consumption and tinkered with the North could be found short of ending PIRA's kill-rate statistics… leading many it. however imprecise the constitutional line- drawing was at that point." of us to wonder if this had been written by Our view was that the atrocity at the the ghost of Liam Lynch in high dudgeon. source of the trouble was not Partition per But the Unionists did not "desire to go "Here O'Leary said PIRA punishment se but the regime that was set up under it, their own way" in 1920. It was once a beatings were simply “by-products of the which deprived the Northern minority of standard item in the tattered parade of absence of legitimate state institutions” a political outlet in the democratic political arguments that nobody from Ireland voted (i.e. the Brits made them do it). He also system of the British state. That view was for the setting up of Northern Ireland. The wrote that the “IRA demonstrates the rejected by Lynch and by the Dublin statement was accurate. Unionist Ulster, power of the weak”, an argument that is Opposition parties, and was not even having rejected the Parliamentary Home never squared with the fact that they allowed to be expressed in the columns of Rule Bill for Ireland by force, did not killed more innocent Catholics than all the Irish Times or any other Dublin paper. desire separate Home Rule for itself. the security forces combined. And his Blaise Pascal, a 17th century French Separate Home Rule for itself was thrust claims that “the IRA famously does not philosopher, said that if everybody stayed upon it by Britain as the only way it might do drugs” must have come as a severe quietly at home there would be much less avoid Irish Home Rule. What the Ulster shock to its new friends in FARC. trouble in the world. It would have Protestants wanted was to settle down as "For all the constitutional pyrotechnics accorded with Lynch's contradictory views a normal part of the British state. British here about future confederations and on the North if he had given that advice to policy did not allow it. Carson said the pooling of sovereignty, there are the usual the Northern Catholics. But he did not Ulster Unionists had never aspired to malevolent mutterings about “demo- give it—at least not in so many words. govern Catholics, but British policy said graphic transformations” which must strike self-respecting unionists as a Tim Somehow it doesn't seem democratic. they must either govern Catholics, or else come under what they saw as Catholic Pat Coogan-style threat. If the “political process” doesn't get you, then the sexed- McCarthy complains of the use of rule. Faced with that choice they agreed up Catholic minority will, so you better "buzzwords" by Gerry Adams. But 'demo- to govern Catholics, on a communal basis, start making a deal" etc. cracy' is an obligatory buzzword in these in a separate devolved government, outside times, even though democracy in the the ambit of the democratic political "Getting the Brits to force the Prods proper sense, government by the people, system of the State. into line" has never been a particularly has very little scope in the world we call Northern Ireland is a product of British Provo position. It was the position of Jack democratic. Great care is taken that the policy, not of Unionist desire. The Union- Lynch and of every party in the Dail in people are bound into a small number of ists were not able to govern what they had 1969, of Conor Cruise O'Brien and Garret tightly organised political structures which never desired to have. The Catholic FitzGerald in the crisis of 1974, of Fitz govern: they are never left to govern minority—much bigger than a Protestant Gerald again in 1985. "The Brits" means themselves. Our democracy is an affair of minority in all-Ireland Home Rule would in Northern Ireland the constitutional organised elites. The role of the people is have been—had to find things to do in this authorities of the State. It was "the Brits" to choose, every four years, one or two of sectarian parody of democracy. McCarthy who in 1921 compelled "the Prods" to the three or four available elites to govern does not say what they should have done. undertake the communal government of them. That is what is called democracy. He does not acknowledge the predicament Catholics and forego their wish to settle Take that away—and it was taken away in in which they were placed by British policy down as part of the British political system. the 6 Counties when they were set up as and Ulster Unionist compliance with it. If And, insofar as the 'constitutional' SDLP Northern Ireland—and where is demo- he did acknowledge the predicament, the ever had a coherent strategy, "the Brits" cracy? England, Scotland and Wales only advice he could give consistent with making "the Prods" toe the line was the means of realising it. The Arms Conspiracy Trial. Ireland his denunciation of Sinn Fein is that they 1970: the Prosecution of Charles Haughey, should have stayed quietly at home—as in "The Prods" have never shown any Capt. Kelly and Others by Angela Clifford. fact large numbers of them did, under autonomous capacity for dealing with 720pp. ISBN 978-1-874158-20-8. 2009. clerical exhortation, for two generations. crises within the semblance of a state €30, £25. But staying quietly at home, while subject which "the Brits" thrust upon them. In Military Aspects Of Ireland's Arms to the provocations of a democratic state 1969 Jack Lynch demanded that "the Brits" Crisis Of 1969-70 by Angela Clifford. but excluded from its outlets for political make "the Prods" toe the line on the 164pp. ISBN 1 874 157 16 2. 2006. energy, could not continue indefinitely. trifling Civil Rights demand for Local €10, £7.50. And when it proved to be no longer Government reform and on mid-Summer 4 parading. "The Brits" refused and the Brian Cowen lent his authority to a content themselves with fantasy journeys North blew up. In 1972 the 'Northern similar absurdity during the month: to nowhere, because anything else will Ireland state' was demolished by "the Brits" "In his first address to the Seanad as activate the communal division which the at the stroke of a pen. In 1985 Garret Fitz Taoiseach, Mr. Cowen said the “demo- GFA sanctifies. Gerald made an Agreement with "the cratic institutions [in the North] and the Might we suggest that Cowen should Brits" that could only have been designed peace that we all worked so hard to achieve order, for mass distribution in the North, to rile "the Prods" and John Hume said its are being challenged by a tiny and as the only piece of literature likely to purpose was to "lance the Unionist boil". unrepresentative group of people with no support his contemptuous ideal for the mandate and no support for their actions”. North, Xavier de Maestre's Voyage Autour "Demographics" was the form of polit- But the “continued existence of sectarian- De Ma Chambre—A Journey By Myself ics proper to the Northern Ireland system ism, of peace walls and of deep communal Around My Own Wee Room. set up by "the Brits". It was never the case divisions in parts of the North is an affront that there was a system of politics based to democracy and to a civilised society. on social issues there which the Provos, or It defies the belief that this is continuing Editorial Digest even Tim Pat Coogan, debased into sectar- in the year 2009…” Mr. Cowen stressed ian demographics. The size of Northern that “the next vital step is to complete the Orangefest? The Twelfth of July, and its Ireland was determined with demo- devolution of policing and justice to celebration of a Protestant victory over the Northern Ireland so that locally elected graphics in mind, and Electoral Registrat- Catholics at the Boyne in 1690, was leaders can deal with some of the most celebrated by Orangemen again this year ion Societies enrolled Protestants and serious and central issues faced by any Catholics in the electors' list and got them —mostly on the 13th. Some within the society.” Orange Order, and outside it, want to get out on Polling Day. Protestants were "He said: “The great genius of the chastised by their political leaders for not rid of its old sectarian image and turn the Good Friday Agreement is that it has Twelfth into what is called an Orangefest. breeding fast enough. And Capt. O'Neill's overturned the old historical analysis justification to the Protestant community A bit of family fun. All welcome, etc. This where people from different traditions trend is vocally supported by Unionist for the reforms, which (under pressure sought an end destination which is supporter Roy Garland, especially in his "the Brits" from ) he tentatively suggested, mutually exclusive from the other. The Irish News column. But many in the Order was that they would probably reduce the great genius of the Good Friday Agree- see that approach as a betrayal—especially Catholic breeding rate. ment is that it commits us to a common clergy associated with the Order. They say * journey regardless of destination, a that people are welcome to attend the common journey that is about signifying Professor O'Leary looked at Northern marches and other events but that tourism our mutual interest in working together" and the like are not their purpose. That is Ireland about 20 years ago. He saw what (IT report 15 July). we saw, probably under our influence. He to celebrate Protestantism and its triumphs, was then a lecturer at the London School We suppose that Cowen is a very busy and to act as a warning to loyal people to be of Economics, close to the centre of power, man, trying to deal with the serious on their guard for the future. with a career to make. He saw that White- problems of his own State under the scru- There was an amusing letter to the Irish News over the period, pointing out that the hall power was determined to continue tiny of a well-informed public, and that events celebrated by the Orangemen, operating British policy in Ireland with any old high-falutin guff will do on the subject of that far-off piece of a country Aughrim, Derry, Inniskillen and the Boyne, the instrument of the undemocratic polity with thanks to their forefathers, occurred of Northern Ireland. A successful career about which his electorate wish to know nothing. But really!—a common journey more than 100 years before the Order was would not have been made in fundamental formed. to nowhere with everybody just happy to opposition to that policy. Whitehall Many Protestants read the Irish News: patronage was very, very extensive and be on the train along with everybody else, one assumes that they get their information effective in all that related to Northern not caring where they're going, or if they're on the marches elsewhere for, while a very Ireland. O'Leary therefore got himself off going anywhere. Round and round the detailed programme for the Twelfth was the hook of his inconvenient understanding rugged ranks the ragged rascals run! published in that paper, it didn't tell you by arguing that there were in Northern The old historical analysis is overturned. whether the particular march was on the Ireland "facsimiles" of the institutions that All but a tiny minority are happy to be Sunday or the Monday. In the case of made the British state functional. By this engaged in the democratic adventure Belfast it got the times spectacularly wrong. ingenious verbal device he gave up on the without purpose, structure, destination, or Ardoyne saw rioting yet again—three project of democratising the North as part functional parts, which was launched by nights in succession, stone throwing, petrol of the UK and gave academic assistance the GFA. bombing and one shot. The Provos said to the project of making the North part of So why the "continued existence of the trouble was got up by dissidents, a the other actual state. McCarthy jeers at sectarianism, of peace walls and of deep position echoed by the Irish News, day this, but only on the basis of refusing to communal divisions".. Because what the after day. On the other hand, they blamed address the reality of what Northern Ireland GFA provided for was peace in a carefully the Orangemen and the police. Gerry is. structured medium of sectarianism and Kelly said: "Eirigi, Republican Network for Unity (RNU), Republican Sinn Fein The implication of his jeers is that the communal division. Until the GFA there (RSF) and the 32-County Sovereignty strictly institutionalised sectarianism of was communal division de facto in the North, behind a pretence of something Movement sent people to Ardoyne with the devolved government in the North, deliberate purpose of creating a riot subordinate to Whitehall and excluded else. The GFA established communal division de jure. situation. They brought weapons into the from the political system that sustains area, then created a riot situation during Cowen's speech deserves notice as the Whitehall, is democratic. which they fired shots in a heavily built up ultimate gesture of contemptuous washing area" (Irish News,July 15th). But on "Facsimile" Politics In Northern of hands on the North. regional TV he emphasised the responsib- Ireland, And how it makes the governing ility of the Orange Order and said its march of Northern Ireland democratic. A What the GFA requires in order to be a was a provocation. He also said the the comment on the creative political final settlement is that everyone should police handling of the situation, water accounting of Professors J. McGarry and stay quietly at home. If they must make cannon and plastic bullets, made matters B. O'Leary by Brendan Clifford. 48pp. journeys, they should do so separately, in worse. RSF leader in the area, Martin Og ISBN 0 85034 078 8 . AB, 1996. €5, £4. the privacy of their homes. They should continued on page 11 5 But the resolution of Ireland's economic the ICTU conference showed that the Politics And crisis will be fundamentally a political Trade Unions too remain a power in the An Bord Snip one, as it was in the 1980s. Economic land. The first act of the newly elected continued policy is merely a tool in that process. In Congress President, SIPTU's Jack O' scheme or local development initiative, the mid-1980s Fine Gael advocated a Connor, was to propel a resolution of the however small, is targeted for cutting or stringent strategy of deflationary measures electricians dispute, on the ground of scrapping in the report—despite the and suppression of social discontent (echo- Social Partnership. The 1980s-type show- substantial redistributive factor they ing what was then being done in Britain), down had been generated in a situation represent in both urban and rural dis- and Alan Dukes offered his support to the where a deflationary strategy by Govern- advantaged areas—not a single roads new Fianna Fail regime of Charles Haugh- ment and Employers seemed to be on the project or prison building project is ques- ey on the basis that that was what he was cards. By threatening an all-out strike in tioned (the prison building programme about to do. Haughey instead built a support of the electricians, O'Connor "should proceed in a cost-efficient manner solution based on introducing the German reminded the public that Trade Union as soon as possible"). An editorial in The social model and the implementation of power remains an element in the land, and Irish Times, in a rare lucid moment, noted: Social Partnership. This produced twenty forced the Employers' groups to pull back "The first thing to be said is that this years of growth that included working from the anarchy of the free market and report presents a menu of financial options class prosperity and the creation of a sub- allow a resolution of the dispute through to the Government without any reference stantial and expansive social state. It also the Labour Court structures. It was left to to the social policy of the state" (17 July). included putting Ireland at the centre of the former Progressive Democrat Minister The report is Thatcherite too in the Europe in the real sense of making robust Tom Parlon, of all people, to denounce many secondary areas of cultural and alliances with France and Germany against rogue employer groups who wanted to educational spending it identifies where it Britain. That was the time of the Franco- abandon Partnership structures in favour indicates the state should abandon or German strategy of deepening EU federal- of pursuing their case in the High Court. greatly reduce expenditure, on the basis ist and social integration, a visionary Jack O'Connor represents the opposite that it should not be involved in such project alas since abandoned in favour of pole to the assumptions underlying the things as they are of no discernible the bleak world of an ever-expanding McCarthy group report—a negotiated economic benefit. 'competitive' single market.. solution to the economic crisis that main- Finally it is Thatcherite in its presump- There are signs that Fianna Fail realises tains the substance of the social achieve- tion that economics provides the key to that the country is again at a 1987 moment ments of the boom decades generated by solving the current crisis. (rather than a 1956 Lemass moment as Haughey's revolution. being urged on it by Senator Harris). It has The ICTU Conference also saw the re- It is not surprising that this is the case. both owned and disowned the McCarthy emergence of the potential of the Labour The Group was not an independent body. Report. It has published it six months Party. Ruairí Quinn, whose blind hatred Its second-in-command was Donald ahead of the Budget to allow its messages of Fianna Fail ensured that the Party McNally, Second Secretary General, to be absorbed by the political process, excluded itself from power for over a Department of Finance; and the other while making it clear that it regards its decade, allowing the PDs in in their place, members were Pat McLaughlin, CEO, recommendations as proposals only. It is opposed Social Partnership in 1987 and is Irish Payment Services Organisation and right to do this, as the Report, despite again aligning himself with a Fine Gael- former deputy ceo of the Health Services protestations to the contrary, persistently led slash-and-burn "alternative" govern- Executive; Maurice O'Connell, former acted contrary to the terms of reference it ment. But if Eamon Gilmore's speech at Governor of the Central Bank and former was given (see the article below, A Congress shows a return to first principles senior official in the Department of Globalizer's Wet Dream). And Fine Gael —seeking a negotiated national recovery Finance; William Slattern, Executive has responded to it more or less as Alan and implementation of industrial relations Vice-President of the US investment bank, Dukes responded to what he thought legislative reform to make Trade Union State Street Corporation; and Mary Walsh, Haughey had in mind in 1987. support for Lisbon possible—then maybe, former Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers, just maybe, there is again some labour and member of the Commission on The Government has released the report spirit back in Labour, just as Cowen/ Taxation. "The Group was supported," and made it known that it is "part of the Lenihan seem to be showing that there is the report tells us, "by a Secretariat solution". It is clear that it is meant to still some of de Valera's steel in Fianna provided by the Department of Finance." mesh with other "inputs", especially the Fáil. It was thus led by the nose by the higher 2008 OECD report on public service A substantial way in which the current echelons of Brian Lenihan's Department reform, Towards An Integrated Public crisis—and the response needed to it— of Finance with a few global capitalist Service, and the imminent reports of the differs from the Lemass challenge of 1956 celebrities thrown in. Commission of Taxation and the Review and is more comparable to the 1987 crisis At the height of the Celtic Tiger— Body on Higher Remuneration in the which Haughey took on, is that, while the during what is now regarded as the period Public Sector. These latter bodies no doubt 1950s finally offered an option for connect- when it lost the run of itself—Ireland was have been given marching orders in rela- ing with a wider European and world the darling of the globalist elite: the A.T. tion to property tax and effective "reverse economy, there are substantial things to Kearney/Foreign Policy Globalisation bench marking". (The Bench-marking be saved and built upon this time. Index ranked Ireland first in its league of process brought public sector pay into The Irish Times is a key political player globalized economies in 2002, 2003 and line with that in the private sector in return in the Republic, after Fianna Fáil and the 2004, and second in 2005, and the 2006 for productivity increases; Reverse Bench- Unions. Its merchants of doom, such as its Index of Economic Freedom, compiled marking will presumably decrease salaries new-found celebrity performer Prof. Brian jointly by the Wall Street Journal and the in line with the fall in pay.) Lucey of TCD, have denounced the period neo-conservative Heritage Foundation, Fortunately there is, still, a political of the Celtic Tiger as one of Government found Ireland's economy to be the world's process. Despite 20 years of deep and profligacy and waste. This relentless "third freest", and the "freest in Europe". cynical hostility to it by the media, and the negativity—about which even George The writ of the Chicago School of Econo- successful bringing down of three of four Bush's Ambassador to Ireland recently mics and Harvard Business School have Taoisigh in that period, Fianna Fail has as expressed shock in a farewell article—has long held sway at the Department of Finance. yet failed to implode. Last month in Tralee contributed to undermining the economic 6 standing of the State internationally. A accruing. And this surplus, though some model, where the dissolution of the welfare consequence of this is that the cost of of it was doubtless "wasted", was ploughed state has destroyed social solidarity and Government borrowing on world markets overwhelmingly into physical and social produced a sprawling and deadening has risen, now being higher than for infrastructure that took the welfare state underclass culture. Greece. To these destructive critics, the in Ireland (and general standards of living) McCarthy Report is grist to the mill. Noel way beyond the standards applying in the Following the ignominious collapse of Whelan (18 July) loudly denounced UK (which have declined under Thatcher- the Fitzgerald Coalition in 1986, in the Government waste "now proven in this Blair to the worst in the EU-15). The wake of a national debt far in excess of book of evidence": substance of this achievement must be GDP, a failed Divorce Referendum and “Politicians and public officials stand saved in any recovery programme. the walkout of Frank Cluskey's Labour indicted for failing to ensure adequate Party, a Programme for National Recovery financial accountability. By page five the The current political-economic crisis (PNR) was developed by the new Haughey reader begins to understand that any can be traced to the abandonment of the regime working closely with the newly realistic menu of savings has to include discipline of the social model after 2002 constituted system of Social Partnership. some cuts in social welfare and further and the allowing of free market forces in This occurred in the thick of opposition savings in public sector pay and/or the property and financial markets to run from Alan Dukes and Ruairi Quinn. pensions. The report, for example, points their course. In 2007, at the height of the Cowen/Lenihan most go back to first prin- out that of every €10 of current public building boom, just before the crash, 50% ciples. Haughey took Congress at its spending, €3.70 is spent on social welfare of houses built were 'second homes' word—the dramatic ICTU document and €3.50 on pay or pension, with €2.80 availing of irrational tax breaks and built Confronting the Jobs Crisis. By-passing spent on the remaining non-pay items. to rent out as holiday homes or housing for the disciples of Keith Joseph in the The allegation that governments were immigrant construction workers brought Department of Finance, he built the PNR, failing to ensure adequate financial in to build yet more houses. working through the National Economic accountability in the public sector has been made repeatedly in recent years. It and Social Council (NESC) with the Social was dramatised particularly effectively The country is at a crossroads. It faces Partners. The NESC—and indeed the in Eddie Hobbs's Rip Off Republic series the same choices that it faced in 1987. One Department of the Taoiseach itself— broadcast on RTÉ television in 2005. It road leads to a consolidation of Social which have been sidelined in the past year has been an allegation made most Partnership through a New Deal recovery and replaced by the hard men of the Har- frequently by Fine Gael's Richard Bruton. approach, with its concomitant political vard School at the Department of Finance, The allegation is now proven in this book and social policy disciplines; the other— must be brought back into the centre of of evidence. There was clearly a systemic the Thatcherite option reflected in the things, and charged with generating a failure in the way in which public money commentaries of the cheer-leaders of the radical report to serve as the foundation was spent in implementing policy. McCarthy Report—leads to the anarchy for building a new Programme for National Politicians and public officials stand and social ghettoes of the Anglo-Saxon Recovery. indicted for those failures." Taoiseach Cowen is standing firm against this nonsense: "Every recession provides the opportunity for a restructur- Bord Snip Report— ing of our economy and that is what we have to do today". Furthermore, the boom A Globalizer's wet dream years had created considerable wealth The terms of reference given to the goods and transfer payments, are best which had been invested in substantial McCarthy group were to "review the scope provided from general taxation. For these physical and social infrastructure: "We for reducing or discontinuing Expenditure programmes the Group examined the have seen a lot of improvements, and quite Programmes with a view to eliminating underlying need for the programme of rightly so, in a whole range of social the current budget deficit by 2011" and to expenditure and the scale of provision. policy areas down the years… I think all "to this end, [to] analyse and make Similar considerations applied to 'merit of us have to avoid any knee-jerk reaction recommendations on reducing the num- goods' such as education and healthcare, to the report and just recognise that the bers employed in each area of the Public which can be provided by either the public quicker we get our public finances in Service." These aims were to be achieved sector or the private sector, but which under our political and economic struc- order, as we know from recent economic taking account of three principles: identify- tures are predominantly provided from history [i.e. the 1980s—Ed.], the quicker ing and prioritising particular "output we can put ourselves in a position to get the public purse. Other expenditures can targets and areas", achieving "greater generally be categorised as grants and back to growth and jobs again. (Irish efficiency and economy in the delivery of Times, 18 July). subsidies and a key element of the Group's all services" and the "rationalising and review in respect of these programmes Cowen is right. Right-wing economists streamlining delivery of public services in from Ed Walsh, President of Limerick was the necessity for continued public the consumers' interest". subsidy" University, to Constantin Gurdgiev, a But the Group decided to tear these up UCD/TCD economist and now Director and invent a few principles of its own The Group thus took it upon itself to of the neo-conservative "Open Republic instead. As its 'Basis of Evaluation', the identify what it saw as the need for any Institute", along with newspaper com- report states: particular service, and secondly asked itself why there was any reason for the mentators, have reacted to the McCarthy "In assessing the scope for savings in State to provide this, rather than private Report with unrestrained glee at the pros- each area of expenditure, the Group pect of a deconstruction of the social state considered each programme from first enterprise. Grant and subsidy programmes and abandonment of Social Partnership. principles insofar as possible. This were examined from a point of view again The fact of the matter is that huge involved raising basic questions such as of whether there was any need for the wealth was generated by both the Celtic the necessity for provision of the service, subsidies in question in the first place. Tiger's real economy and its property and the reasons why public service Surely this was something it was simply bubble—between 2002 and 2006 the provision might be warranted, rather than not in a position to do. Department of Finance regularly under- allowing the private sector to provide the estimated by billions the budget surplus service… Some services, such as public In the area of taxation the Group also 7 decided where it stood. Despite being On civil service reform, the report is nearly three times the UK rate of £68. beyond its remit, it comments on Govern- criticizes civil and public service staffing This is of course "uncompetitive", but UK ment plans for substantial tax increases: structures, notably the— welfare rates are now the lowest in the "Clearly the need for further sharp tax "disproportionate increase in the ratio EU-15 and its minimum social standards increases can be mitigated to the extent of senior-level grades where, for example, have become an unacceptable and un- that greater economies in expenditure the numbers at middle to higher manage- imaginable standard for the Ireland shaped can be identified. In this regard, the ment levels in the civil service grew by by Social Partnership. Nevertheless, the Minister for Finance has stated that the some 82% in the period 1997 to 2009 at McCarthy Report not only makes the case scope for further income tax increases is a time when civil service numbers as a for a 5% cut in basic rates, but also for a cut very limited and that the Government whole increased by 27%." of 20% in Child benefit ("savings of will be looking to the expenditure side It cautiously notes that 41 of 76 Irish € 513m"), the abolition of the Christmas for the greater part of the fiscal consolid- Ambassadors abroad are currently graded week bonus, changing eligibility criteria ation effort. The full-year expenditure at Assistant Secretary grade or higher, and to "eliminate second welfare payments" savings of €5.3bn identified by the Group recommends—in addition to greatly (e.g. under the Carer's Allowance, Illness (see section 1.2 below) should give the reducing the number of Ambassadors and Benefit, Jobseeker's Benefit and Com- Government more scope in this regard, Embassies given that the EU will be taking munity Employment Schemes), grading although it is not claimed that these jobseekers assistance by age, changing proposals are an exhaustive list of policy care of foreign policy after Lisbon is passed options available." (!)—that no more than four Ambassadors eligibility conditions for Family Income should be graded at that position. It also Supplement (€20m), discontinuing the Although taxation was beyond its remit, attacks the perks of the diplomatic service: Family Support Agency (€30m) and so it makes no bones of where it stands on the "The Group notes that the Foreign Service forth. The social cost of such proposals, if principle of it: tax increases must be Allowance is not taxable nor is it subject implemented, would be truly staggering. avoided at all costs. Instead of identifying to the pension levy or income levy and revenue options, however, it defers to the recommends that it be reduced by 121/2% In addition to taking the axe to social forthcoming publication of the Commis- in recognition of the contributions made welfare, the McCarthy Report wishes to sion on Taxation. But why not comment by those serving in other areas of the remove a wealth of schemes which exist on the potential of Property Tax not only public service." It hints that the forthcom- in poorer rural and urban districts and as a vast reservoir of untapped revenue, ing Review Body on Higher Remuneration which contribute to the maintenance and but also as a major controlling mechanism in the Public Sector and the benchmarking development of social capital. These for socially desirable planning and process be used to establish "comparators" include a welter of innocuous sounding development? with international standards. Now that "equality projects", local development Its position on public sector pay—also would be interesting, as we already know initiatives (€40m), FÁS programmes, RAPID and CLÁR programmes ( 106m) outside its remit—is no less clear. It states that many senior grades, including Minis- € that Government expenditure is dominated ters themselves, senior Army grades etc. and so forth. While they could probably by three areas—social welfare (37%), are paid well in excess of even their UK do with reorganizing and restructuring, exchequer pay and pensions (35%) and counterparts. they effectively involve quite substantial resource and income redistribution to other programmes (28%). Now, it could At a recent meeting of the Lemass poorer communities and enable myriad have broken this down in any number of International Forum there was much talk other ways, e.g. cost of delivery of community level activities to be develop- of the need to "slaughter sacred cows" ed. But in the opinion of the report: "There education services, health services etc. (thus Senator Harris in the Sunday Inde- is little evidence of positive outcomes for But no, "rates of pay" is the issue: pendent, 28 June). But our Bord Snip has these initiatives" and it proposes vast cuts "In the Group's view, the Government its own sacred cows where it fears to to them. This, if implemented, would will need to secure further savings in tread. The judicial salaries question was represent a rupture with the contract that public service pay costs to achieve the not addressed, although the question of has existed with the poorest places in required reductions in overall public the legislature was even though the shape expenditure, and in this context it will Ireland since 1991, when the then social of this arm of the state is also provided for have to consider further reductions in partnership agreement—the Partnership rates of pay and allowances in addition to in the Constitution. Yet the group could for Economic and Social Progress (PESP) the numbers reductions proposed in this feel free to speculate on the case for fewer —inaugurated a state onslaught on poverty Report." elected representatives and a unicameral and deprivation at the behest of Congress. parliament (i.e. abolition of the Senate). The multiple Local Partnership initiatives There is much sense in the Report, if it There may be a case for both—indeed de that resulted made a considerable impact is taken at the level of an accountant's Valera never believed in the need for a on communities afflicted at that time with assessment of how the State could do senate (he abolished the Free State Senate unemployment levels way over 40% and better in managing public spend. Numer- because of its penchant for electoral intergenerational long term unemployed. ous cost saving measures are identified corruption) and sought to have a single By 2003, long term unemployment in through restructuring and consolidation chamber in his 1937 Constitution, only Ireland had come down to about 1% of the of programmes and spending lines. Many exhaustedly conceding a second chamber workforce and the cycles of poverty in restructuring proposals are effectively because of the excessive din of the Blue these areas was effectively broken. implementing the recommendations of the Shirts. much hailed 2008 OECD Report Towards Also for the chop are school capitation an Integrated Public Service. The report The Committee's recommendations on grants, the Rural Transport Scheme, the identifies massive waste in Science and cuts in social welfare rates by this stage rural Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, the Technology investment and in funding are well known. The public seems to have REPS programme (Rural Environment large numbers of PhDs for little discernible been taken by surprise by the report's Protection Scheme) and Affordable economic return. It also has sound statement that general social welfare rates Housing programmes. And, of course, the recommendations for integrating enter- had increased by over 100% since 2000. privatization of Bord na Móna (despite prise support bodies, restructuring third The establishment of a substantial welfare the fact that it was restructured in recent level Technology Institutes and rationaliz- state during the Tiger years is not some- years and now actually returns a profit to ing state agencies (not least in the educ- thing the press has liked to report. Single the state). All of this, of course, will further ational area). Jobseeker's Allowance at €204 per week add to the misery the Report's recommend- 8 ations would inflict if implemented. The from termination of the [Asgard young carve-out of such schemes represent an people's sailing] training scheme". EU Heroes onslaught on rural Ireland and on the continued foundations of Irish society in rural In similar vein, the Report recommends townlands. abolition of the Department of Commun- looking at the small print, he won it by ity, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs and the promising crucial Member States the The structures of Social Partnership Department of Arts, Sport & Tourism and Commissioner posts they wanted. And he are also examined. Here the Report seeks their functions redistributed across various got very emotional about their support! A the abolition of the National Economic Departments. It says this would leave pathetic sight. He was acknowledging that and Social Development Office and scope for "two other Departments, whose he was getting the job at the behest of the National Economic and Social Forum and creation could reflect emerging priorities Member States. At this stage of the EU's National Centre for Partnership and for the Government". For sale should also development, the relationship between the Performance, leaving just the core National go "surplus" state properties. Rural deve- Commission President and the Member Economic and Social Council (NESC) lopment schemes and income supports States should not be like this. This is a standing. The Department of the Taoiseach should go. As regards the state forestry backward step. The formalities could be should also be cut down to size, with a service, it calls on Government to "review the same but the substance should be 25% programme expenditure cut. That the operations of Coillte with a view to different. Member States should be having Department has operated since the realising optimal return through rational- to choose between different candidates Haughey Government of 1987 as the elite isation, asset disposal and, possibly, with distinctive policies for the future of steering group of the State, with special privatization". The Irish language?: the EU. responsibility for its two most important "matters relating to Irish language and There is not even any pretence at conten- programmes—the Northern Ireland Peace culture should be assigned to the Depart- Process and the Social Partnership Process. tion for the post. This should be the EU top ment of Education & Science" while job and therefore there should be great Why have such a Department at all, the "allocation of grants should become a report seems to imply, now that the Depart- competition for it,. After all, these days, responsibility of the Department of the even in countries where there is very tough ment of Finance is back in charge of Environment, Heritage & Local Govern- things. and thankless work to do, there is no ment." Abolish the allocation to Culture shortage of people willing to unseat the Apart from its recommendations on Ireland, generating a saving of €4.6m current incumbents to do it. That is natural. social spending cuts, the economists and and charge entrance fees at "various It is unnatural where there are no contend- globalizers of Bord Snip do not see much national cultural institutions and the ers for a top political post. The fact is that point in the state subsidizing cultural National Gallery". Maybe sell the books this is no longer such a post. At this stage activities and vents its ire on particular in the National Library for another few of the EU project it should not be such a idiosyncratic aspects of the State, such as bob as well as things like the Ardagh subservient position, almost a token posi- the Army Equestrian School which it Chalice as they are of little discernible tion, but it is and it will become more so as dismisses in comic opera terms: "The economic benefit? time goes on. The Commission Presidency Group sees no justification for the Army The sooner we get a political initiative has become the lowest common denomin- Equitation School as part of a modern of the type sought in the Editorial of this ator rather than being the highest common professional defense force." Maybe the journal the better. factor in the EU structure. Austrians should get rid of the Spanish Philip O'Connor Riding School and the Spanish should SARKOZY privatize the Prado? Equally hilariously it The leadership of the EU is taken by recommends boldly that expenditure on whatever Member State or grouping of UN peacekeeping missions be subsumed Cúpla Member States that asserts itself sufficient- as— ly. Sarkozy is trying to do this at the "part of Ireland's expenditure on foreign snip moment. He is also planning another visit aid", "given the significant contribution to Ireland to get the Lisbon Treaty passed that this Programme is making to overseas eile...... in the October 2nd Referendum. Who development by guaranteeing the security exactly does he—and the Irish Government of people and property… Irish commit- —think he is? The real leader of the EU no ments in this regard should be reflected * Reduce TDs to two per constituency. doubt acting as though he was still within Government accounts by reference President of the Council and practising to the totality of humanitarian related * Abolish the Seanad. expenditure, thereby fully recording perhaps for the new role of permanent EU Ireland's distinctive tradition of whole * Abolish the plethora of new President that is in the offing if Lisbon hearted engagement in peacekeeping prima donna Mayors. succeeds. But Tony Blair may get the first operations." * Abolish salaries for local councillors. go at that—what a choice and what a prospect! Its recommendation that the Chad * No more Tribunals— There is an Anglo-Saxon caricature of mission be abandoned would certainly be report allegations to the Gardaí. Frenchmen as vain, arrogant, verbose, supported by Irish Political Review, *A windfall tax on Tribunal and duplicitous— but not to be taken too though for reasons other than those of An lawyers' earnings. seriously as they will always defer to Bord Snip. The report also advocates * Ditto on RTE chatterboxes. Britain when the chips are down. If they abandoning plans to rebuild the Navy's are short in stature they fit the caricature training sailing ship Asgard II (named * Abolish University even better. Sarkozy has all the qualifica- after Erskine Childers' Asgard which ran History Departments. tions to bring the caricature to life and is the guns to Howth in 1913). Without a * Reduce Defence Forces to working hard to do so. What he does not hint of irony it recommends that the defence needs. seem to realise is that the more he does so insurance payment due from its sinking the more contemptuous of him the Anglos should be made over to the general Watch this space. become. exchequer. This would "save €3.8m as His most craven bit of obsequiousness well as ongoing savings of €0.8m a year towards Britain was to denounce the Irish 9 Bank Deposit Guarantee Scheme in the in history caused by Britain's divide and still a good stick to beat the Commission European Parliament as unfavourable to rule policy in Europe (otherwise known with and therefore has it uses for the the City of London— after telling the Irish as the Balance of Power) and the other Member States—but it is there on their Government he had no objection. was the determination and ability of the sufferance and all the speechifying and What he did not see fit to mention was then Christian Democracy to ensure that spoofing does not hide that elemental fact. that the 'big bang' of deregulation was first this never happened again. A further and The EU has become a collection of initiated in the City of London in the essential part of the framework were the Nation States doing what they wish to do 1980s—a move which Wall St. was exclusion of Britain, while working within and not doing what they don't wish to have obliged to follow in order to compete, and the parameters set by the Cold War which done. They are inevitably dominated by this led to the present financial problems. concentrated minds wonderfully. the interest of the larger states—there is Yet Sarkozy put the interests of these All this framework is now gone and the no longer an equalising, mediating mech- speculating sharks before the interests of World Wars have retrospectively been anism. This situation is a world away from Irish bank depositors. This is the man that turned into crusades against evils—such what the European project was originally the Government may invite to advise us as the Holocaust, even though it was a meant to be. The idea that the original on how to vote! World War that provided the occasion for purpose of the EU still stands is now a Even worse was his decision to rejoin this. In other words, European history is grand illusion obscured by tons of rhetoric the NATO military command for no other turned on its head. from the Pat Coxs of Europe and the rest reason than to be cringingly obsequious to The Commission was the key instru- of the chattering classes. It is a mantra the US. He did this as if he was doing it for ment for progress towards the new polity used to browbeat electorates into agreeing the EU as well and nobody has objected. of deeper integration. It acted as the final to whatever policies serve the current What a state the EU is in—does it have a arbiter between all the structures—not national political elites. death wish? Member State Governments, not an unheard of European Parliament, nor the BRIGID LAFFAN PAT COX European Court of Justice. The latter will In the Irish Times on 25th July Brigid Pat Cox is back in the limelight, leading more and more take the role that the Laffan did the Lisbon debate a great favour. a campaign of Irish celebrities who support Commission should have. She identified where exactly that much the Lisbon Treaty. It seems a perfect role That is why the Commission was always talked about but elusive concept, 'the heart for him. But this is a poor man's collection the main target of the dyed-in-the-wool of Europe', actually is. It's the place where from Fame Lane. Saints Bono and Geldof anti-EU brigade, from Anthony Coughlan we all want to be and will be once we vote don't appear, and if by any chance they to the British Tories who were at one on for Lisbon. Right? signal a doubt about the Treaty, then the this target and quite rightly so from their She explained: lesser mortals that Pat has got will lose all perspective. "The identification of a new role, their lustre for those poor sad souls who But now European jurisprudence will President of the European Council, will are impressed by celebrity antics. become more and more a law unto itself endow the council with a personality and Cox has a great reputation as a European and will inevitably come a cropper as it a coherence that it has lacked heretofore. Liberal. Can anyone recall a single contri- will not survive a clash with the real The European Council is at the political bution he made to the liberal controversies political power—the major Member heart of the European Union as it brings in Ireland in recent decades? He rose States. together all of Europe's key political leaders in a common search for solutions without trace while they were raging and A Parliament was created—just like to the problems that they face." his only contribution was to confirm his that—that does not even have a permanent Catholic credentials as and when neces- location. Its party system is a total This problem is that there are 27 other sary. Then he went to the European contrivance and it is looking for an hearts there also, not just one. That is the Parliament in Brussels and Strasbourg executive to be accountable to it. It treats essence of the Council. The reality is that and became its President and its leading the Commission as its executive but this is Lisbon will complete a heart transplant Liberal! How come? now a straw man. It will jump up and for Europe that has been progressing for some time. It is being transplanted from The European Parliament is the type of down over Barosso's appointment to try to the Commission to the Council. It is Parliament that discredits parliaments. A show it has a role. It has been given some becoming very noticeable how the Com- real Parliament is set up to reflect and power but it does not have any consequent- mission is disappearing from sight. Ms operate a polity. New polities have ial responsibility. It is the perfect talking Laffan ranges far and wide in her article always—at least so far in history—been shop at best and a platform for demagogues but does not mention it once. Not once. I established after upheavals, wars or at worst. It illustrates very well that pure wouldn't be surprised if she has forgotten revolutions. Such are usually inseparable democracy and demagoguery have more about it. And, if the Commission is missing, in practice. In other words parliaments are than a similar etymology. The EP shows the real heart of the EU is missing. not self-creating. They operate within an how they are interdependent. already agreed consensus and framework Along came Mr. Cox and his Liberals: The unique aspect of the whole Euro- that people have established by various they decided to use this Parliament to pean project was the Commission. This is means and hitherto this has been by serious discredit the Commission. This tactic had what made the project not just another conflict. Soldiers are therefore usually the tacit support of the major Member intergovernmental arrangement of which prominent in the early days of a new States and the result is an emasculated there are hundreds in the world— Parliament. Commission whose members no longer Governments coming together to do But there was no new polity established even seem to realise they have been ousted various things and not doing things that when the European Parliament was set up. from their role as the cutting edge of the they don't want to do. Perfectly understand- What was happening was that a new polity EU project. able from their point of view. The Com- was being created by a historically new The Parliament has great pretensions mission was to change all that and create and unique method, via the institutions of about itself, and the Member States flatter a new polity based on an ever integrating the then EEC. It was a delicate and long- it by seeming to take it seriously. But, if Europe. It was naturally, formally, un- term business to create such a new polity there is one serious attempt by it to do to democratic, non-democratic or rather in a new way but it had powerful forces in the Member States what it did to the ademocratic as it is not possible to be its favour. The main driving force was the Commission, it will be slapped down and democratic about something that does not European experience of the greatest wars put back in its box sharpish. However, it is yet exist. 10 For example, it is not practically becoming truly free and independent of other legal bodies will certainly feel possible to vote a world government into Europe's legacy to them. If this was entitled to be the judge and jury of all the existence. Not until the world is one honestly acknowledged by the EU it would so-called guarantees obtained by the Irish political entity. So it was with Europe. But be a great help to its reputation. But no. Government—including provisions on in this ideologically democratic age who Instead the EU has taken on the trappings workers' rights in every shape and form will make a case for the practical benefits of the old imperial states towards the rest that might be enacted by the Irish Govern- of non-democracy? (One could immed- of the world. ment. Michael O'Leary will certainly feel iately hear the denunciations of such a This is done under the guise of security confident in appealing to them! Stalinist notion). and Ms. Laffan is on message: "Security Relying on Constitutions, Treaties and That is why the Commission has no threats have altered across the globe". such legalisms to provide the glue holding real defenders and that is why it is a rather What security threat is the EU facing? the EU together and providing the focus sorry sight in all this debate. And why the What army is planning to march on us? On for its future development was mis- EU is in a similar plight. Instead we have the contrary, EU Member States have conceived from the word go. It was the a most creative description by Ms Laffan armies marching in many countries which scheme of that present-day "old man in a of how "The Lisbon Treaty enhances the are certainly a threat to those countries' hurry", d'Estaing, who tried to short-circuit constitutional architecture of the EU" as security. But I don't think Ms Laffan sees the evolution of the EU with a premature she put it. the security issue that way. Constitution. The strategy shows the A sample of this is as follows: "The financial crisis brings it home to bankruptcy of the EU elite to fashion new "Beginning with the Single Act in 1987, us just how connected the world is." Yes, methods of continuing real internal, deep- the powers of the parliament have increas- connected by the free market capitalist ening integration and more independence ed so that it has become an equal legis- system whose Anglo-America version is and self-respect in foreign policy in the lature with the Council of Ministers. The the cause of the present crisis and which post Cold War world. The EU is either parliament represents the people, while the EU is keen to adopt. In all these grand doing those things or it is a waste of space. the council represents the governments." plans why is there no concrete, practical But the actual EU went in the opposite This is an interesting new constitutional plans to deal with some of the fallout from direction to the way it should have gone. phenomenon. A first in the world, I would the present crisis for people affected?. For It is becoming a hollow and hollower say. But it is full of inherent absurdities. example why cannot the EU with all its shell—or maybe fossil would be the more We have two equal legislatures operating new powers under Lisbon ensure the appropriate word. in the same political arena. Where is the minimum wage is maintained in all Jack Lane executive for either? There is none in Member States? Is it beyond their collect- sight and should there not be two, for the ive wit to ensure that? Why is that not in Parliament and for the Council? If there is Lisbon? There are some other missing Editorial Digest a clash of interest between these equals— items as well. continued what happens? Between the represent- LISBON TREATY Meehan, said: "I was only one of a number atives of the people and the representatives The pro-Lisbon lobby took some heart of local residents who were stopped by the of the Governments? The only thing to do from the German Constitutional Court PSNI storm troopers from staging a would be to call an election and let the decision on the Treaty. However, it did peaceful protest on the Crumlin Road. I people decide. But it would have to be two not bode well for any serious supporter of didn't organise anything and certainly not elections at once—an election in all 27 the EU to look too closely at the full a riot. Anyone who saw me knows I was states for the Council and a Europe-wide judgement. The Court raised the spectre actually trying to stop kids rioting. Things election for the Parliament The same of what the courts and lawyers might have only happened when the PSNI turned water electorate would vote twice on the same to consider in the future: cannons on people and started firing plastic issue on the same day presumably. bullets. You don't hear Sinn Fein Then we would know who decides—or "The court makes clear what will condemning that" (IN 15th July.) happen if the EU oversteps its boundaries, would we? If the result of the elections Well Kelly did, and was followed the refuses to retreat and endangers German reflect the clash of interest that caused the next day by Sinn Fein leader Jim Gibney in “constitutional-conformed identity”: “if his Irish News column: elections we are back to square one. This the worst comes to the worst, it is for democracy business can be very tricky Germany… to refuse to further participate "The one organisation that cannot escape when you take it literally. in the European Union”" (Irish Times, 2 a major share of responsibility for the But these are all non-issues for Ms July 2009). outbreak of violence in Belfast's Ardoyne Laffan and we have the usual litany of on Monday night past is the Orange Order... alleged benefits and issues paraded and In other words we can see lawyers and The PSNI also has to share responsibility she adds a new one—world population! courts attempting, and feeling they are for the part they played in mishandling the fully entitled, to decide on whether a situation. It should not only have objected "First, Lisbon will strengthen Europe's to but prevented the Orange march on its voice and presence in the world. Europe Member State remains a member or not of return journey home from the Field passing and Ireland face major challenges over the EU in the not too distant future— Ardoyne... Using plastic bullets disturbingly the next 20 years. Global population is thanks to the legal rigmarole that is the reminds the nationalist people of the worst set to grow by 23 per cent to 2025 com- Lisbon Treaty. Clearly, this is a prospect excesses of the RUC and the British Army. pared to just 2 per cent in Europe, which that already has occurred to that profession. They should be banned." will leave Europe at just 6 per cent of They are smart indeed and must be licking Peaceful Protest on the Crumlin Road world population in 2025. We are already their lips in anticipation of the glorious seeing a shift in economic power to the front of Ardoyne is not possible, a fact days to come. It will put the pickings from known to all sides and in particular the emerging markets, notably, China, India the Tribunals in the halfpenny place. and Brazil." Provos, for whom this annual event was a A positive vote for the Lisbon Treaty major plank in its campaign after the Is there a problem for Europe to solve will be a Pyrrhic victory of great magnitude Ceasefire to consolidate and, where here? I can't see it. The implication seems as it will see lawyers and judges becoming possible, to extend the scope of Catholic to be that the countries mentioned are the arbiters of the EU and its future. If they areas. It saw the Crumlin Road as important getting strong because of their increasing feel entitled to judge what States can do, as it is an interface between a declining populations. In fact these countries are as the German Constitutional Court does, Protestant community and Ardoyne which getting stronger because for once they are then the European Court of Justice and is bursting at the seams. The sectarian 11 separation of the two sides has increased formation of the Parades Commission a in South County Dublin. This is well rather than diminished since the Provo few years ago—though several laws existed catered for by the Labour Party and, more Ceasefire. Even if the protests were genu- for the curbing of nationalist parades. recently the Socialist Workers' Party in the inely peaceful in intent, that intent would guise of People Before Profit. Sinn Fein be undermined by the constant leaving of The UDA's likelihood of getting lots of should be the 32-County Party trying to the parade by marchers hitting out at money and/or jobs as a result of decommis- sell the Irish way of doing things in the protesters and spitting at them—as seen on sioning has got Tom Kelly, a commentator North instead of trying to make its way in every TV report. on the Irish News, into a right old tiz. "Not the South by promoting the British way of The Irish News tried its best to portray one pound of scarce taxpayers money doing things. Gerry Adams may be a lost the rioters as at best manipulated by dissid- should go into mainstream UDA or UVF- cause here. But there must be many in the ent Republicans. But it could find no controlled areas. The onus is on main- North who would be impressed by the way evidence for the view it was propounding, stream unionism to reconnect with the things have been done in the South if this that the rioters had no support in Ardoyne. communities living under the cosh of was explained to them. Likewise people in And it looked very hard indeed. The paramilitarism and not to allow para- the South should be lauded for their chosen people of Ardoyne may appear an un- militaries to rehabilitate themselves with path through history. Every time Fianna forgiving lot, but there is an awful lot to lucrative 'community' jobs at the expense Fail wobbles on matters such as the Partner- forgive or forget. And this was the same of ordinary decent citizens... To many ships, Sinn Fein should be in there cutting Orange Order and the same police that observers he [Secretary of State, Sean the ground from under them. But how can they had confronted for 40 years. Martin Woodward] was played like a fiddle by the it do that if its members, even Kerry Og is a case in point. When his father was scheming loyalists who must have a right councillors like Toireasa Ferris who have interned, one of the things the police did to old laugh, as they 'Brasso' their Friday good instincts, have such little understand- him was to stick a needle into his calf and night, two-carat bling or as they chatted in ing of Ireland's distinctive and very un- wiggle it about after it had touched the East Belfast salons waiting for their British development since independence? bone! His father was also one in a string of tangerine spray-on." Happily the British recent deaths, including those of Brian seem to be ignoring the likes of Kelly on Keenan and Michael Ferguson, which have both sides and are willing to give the UDA Conspiracy? occurred among former internees who were and the UVF the chance to retire. As to BBC2 (Tues, June 30) screened The bombed with CR Gas in Long Kesh. Calls mainstream unionism, it was this which set Conspiracy Files: 7/7. It examined, among for an investigation into this matter appear up the UVF in the first place, back in the other things, a video called The 7/7 Ripple to have been so far ignored. 60s—in a very deniable way, of course. Effect . This collated a large number of (apparent) inconsistencies in the official Dolly's Brae is remembered in song and Sinn Fein is suffering a severe identity reports. The people behind this film were a story by Orangemen. It was a skirmish crisis—especially because it failed to chap who, it was allegedly, believed he was the between Orangemen and Catholic advance in the recent elections in the South. Messiah. Another was a ‘Holocaust denier’. Ribbonmen near Castlewellan on 12th July Public representatives like Louise Minihan, The relevance of either of these attributes to 1849. The following account is from an John Dwyer and the party's longest serving the accuracy or otherwise of the Ripple Effect account by historian Colin Johnston Robb councillor, Christy Burke, have resigned. compilation is difficult to grasp. and printed on 13th July 1940 in the Irish The seepage in the North continues with Having a deep-seated aversion to conspiracy News. It was reprinted in that paper on the the resignation of former Strabane council- theories I am prepared to accept it is baloney. 13th July of this year: lor, Gerard Foley. In the North the dis- But such theories have uses in a democratic society. They provide an element of grit in the "...On that morning, George Shaw, agent illusion is with the party's perceived often over-smooth machine of Establishment to Lord Annesley, received a communicat- softening on the national question, and is public relations. Who would have believed ion from the Ribbonmen, or Catholics, that probably not going to be a serious threat to what the spooks got up to in Northern Ireland? they intended to resist the passage of the the party anytime soon. (And in the Republic. The Dublin / Monaghan Orange procession over Dolly's Brae. But in the South the critics are all over bombings of 1974 were the biggest atrocity in "On the morning of the Twelfth, members the place. Louise Minihan claims that the the course of the war) of the Orange party, mostly armed, began party is ignoring "the rotten system of What was somewhat shocking was the to assemble at Ballyward Lodge, the seat of capitalism which is causing so much treatment of this programme by the television Francis Beers, a local landlord. They were hardship to working families across Ireland critics. The two pinko-gray conspiracy theorists assembling to march, via Dolly's Brae, to today". The language is pure British left were, largely, dismissed. Dr Mohammed attend a demonstration at Tullymore Park, liberalism. It is rebutted in An Phoblacht, Naseem of the Birmingham central mosque the seat of the Earl of Roden. On the same where Cllr. Toireasa Ferris addresses the was slated because he was promoting the 7/7 morning, Tabuteau [local magistrate] same problem. "The recent Ard Fheis Ripple Effect video to his congregation. It was proceeded to Dolly's Brae where he found motion and constant 'rights talk' by our clear from the evidence presented that Dr about 400 Ribbonmen assembled on the national spokespeople show the party to Naseem was offering copies of the video to road and fields nearby. Some were armed out of touch with its base. We need to those who wanted them. They could then with muskets and others with scythes and involve councillors and local organisers make up their own minds about the contents. pitchforks. The processionists had their He was open about the matter. When he way and little trouble was encountered but who have the finger on the pulse of public asked for a show of hands from the congregation on the return journey many of them and the opinion in the formation of policy and in as to whether or not they believed the official Ribbonmen would appear to have been setting the direction of publicity" (9th July). explanation of the 7/7 atrocity (the London well inebriated. Following party cries at However, beyond recoiling instinctively bombings of July 2007) a good majority raised the Brae, firing between the parties from these typical British slogans, Ferris their hands. If (pinko-gray) journalists have commenced. Four of the Ribbonmen were has little to offer. problems coming to terms with the fact that killed by two shots and four others were The South is not British, despite the best Muslims in Britain (and Catholics in Northern removed in a dangerous condition to efforts of the media and academia. It Ireland) habitually discount practically Castlewellan dispensary. According to the developed, not in a cauldron of class antag- everything they hear from the UK authorities depositions of a trooper of the Dragoons, he onism, but in an atmosphere of what British they’re living in La-La Land. saw two of the Orange party killed and left liberals would criticise as class collabor- It may not be overt Islamophobia or racism carried away by their friends." ation. Yet it has powerful workers' and that lead to this emphasis in the press. But According to the Irish News the event farmers' organisations. Sinn Fein has Salma Yaqub, leader of the Respect party, and led to the Party Processions Act which put allowed itself to be greatly influenced by Birmingham dweller’s, dismissal of the curbs on the marches. This Act was British left liberalism in the South. That is conspiracy theories was not reported. abolished by Gladstone's Government in its problem. There is, of course, a market Joe Dalton 1872. Curbs did not re-appear until the for British left liberal politics—especially 12 A few years ago—long before the John Maynard Keynes said something housing bubble was at bursting point— like 'if someone owes the bank 1 million Shorts the Long Fellow noticed that the speculat- it’s that person's problem. If he owes the ive element in the price of houses in Lucan, bank 100 million it's the bank's problem. from Co. Dublin (not a particularly affluent If he owes 1 billion it's everyone's problem.' area) was about 42,000 euro at 1998 prices The loans given to the likes of Sean the Long Fellow (see Irish Political Review, January 2003). Dunne are everyone's problem. The State The mere act of the local authority chang- has had to step in to underwrite the banking NAMA ing the land from Agriculture to Residen- system. The beneficiaries, or the people at There is a view that NAMA is a means tial had caused the price of a plot of land the other side of the transactions which to give a sweetheart deal for the developers needed for one house to increase by that led to massive loan defaults, should be and the banks. amount. This was before any "develop- obliged to compensate the State for the That is certainly not the theory, but it is ment" such as the building of roads or crisis which they participated in. too early to say how the plan will be access to services—never mind the build- The Constitution will not allow the executed. ing of the actual house—had taken place. State to introduce new tax laws to apply to The proposed "hair cut" or discount on It therefore does not include building and past transactions (retrospective taxation) the development loans to be transferred to development profits. but there is nothing to prevent the State NAMA does not mean that the discount The house buyer was the person paying from imposing a tax on wealth. Wealth is will be given to the developers. NAMA for all this. It is perfectly in order that the the net assets held by individuals or will pursue 100% of the loans. However, house buyer should pay for the work that collective entities (i.e trusts, companies if a debtor is bankrupt, blood cannot be the builder did in building the house. It is etc.). It is not current income or profits. It taken from a stone. That is a reality, which also reasonable for him to pay for the is, in effect, the accumulation of past applies to trade creditors no less than work in developing the land. But how income or profits. This private wealth banks. The overall percentage discount or much should he pay for the land that the should be taxed. The people who benefited haircut should reflect the overall risk of house is built on? from the crisis should be obliged to help default. It is not a licence to pursue the Land has no "value" in the Marxist the State emerge from it. repayment of development loans less sense of that word. There is no labour vigorously. 250 MILLION V 1 BILLION contained within it. It is a free gift of The Government thinks that ¤250 mil- There is a view that if the "haircut" is nature. The price of land is therefore too big, the banks will have to be re- lion is enough to stabilise businesses and dependent on value that is created else- ensure that no long term damage is done to capitalised. But that is certainly not a where in the economy. In short it is reason for the State (through NAMA) to the economy. IBEC and the ICTU, on the dependent on the buyer's willingness and other hand, think that ¤1 billion is required. pay more than the net realisable value of ability to pay. the loans. If, through the independent What does the difference of ¤750 million In the case of Ireland the price of land mean in real terms? valuation process conducted by NAMA it was fuelled by borrowing from the banks, emerges that the real value of the develop- In order for a company to qualify for a but the ultimate source of the funds was loan from the State body Enterprise ment loans is less than the banks own from abroad (David McWilliams says valuation (i.e. the banks' bad debt provi- Ireland it must show that it is viable. One German Pension Funds). When the banks test is that it will have to show that it was sions are inadequate) then the value of the were no longer able to access funds from banks’ assets will have reduced. If, as a profitable before July 2008 so as to prove abroad the bubble burst. that subsequent losses were down to the consequence, the banks require a new The withdrawal of credit provoked a round of re-capitalisation so be it. The credit crunch rather than some other rea- crisis within the real economy, but the son. Restrictions are imposed on Direct- extra funds provided for by the State should crisis was most intense at its source. The be in exchange for even greater ownership ors' salaries and dividends. Enterprise source of the crisis is the price of land. It Ireland wants to ensure that the loans it and control. Under no circumstances is interesting to note that the homeowner should a hidden subsidy be given to the gives will be put into the business rather has been able to continue to make his than keeping the directors and shareholders shareholders of the banks in the form of a repayments. The financial crisis has been reduced "haircut". in the style they are accustomed. provoked not by the homeowner but by Another requirement is that the com- The idea of NAMA is to provide certain- the likely loan defaults from developers ty to outside investors regarding the true pany's banks retain their credit facilities. who bought land for commercial as well Enterprise Ireland does not want its loans value of the Irish banks. Also, by taking as residential development. the development loans off the balance to be used to reduce the banks' exposure to sheets of the banks they will be in a WEALTH TAX the company. In most cases the Irish banks, position to resume lending. Isaac Newton tells us that for every unlike the foreign banks, are willing to That is the theory. And the Long Fellow action there is an equal and opposite react- accede to this request. The fact that the sees no evidence to suggest that the ion. And in economics for every trans- company has passed Enterprise Ireland's implementation of the plan will not be action there is a buyer and a seller. rigorous stress tests is reassuring to the successful. Where did all the money go? It didn't banks. In recent months Irish banks, thanks to just disappear into thin air. And it wasn't Enterprise Ireland does not want to the support of the State, have begun to taken away from us by foreigners. Quite fund companies that compete with other lend again to small businesses. However, the contrary! Warren Buffet lost a fortune Irish companies. There is no point in it is noticeable that the foreign owned on Irish bank shares. Anecdotal evidence helping one company make another Irish banks remain "closed for business". It suggests that the British banks have been company go bankrupt. looks like the long term strategy of such very badly stung by their involvement in It would be interesting to know what banks is to withdraw from the Irish market. Irish property. type of companies ICTU and IBEC want The answer is that it didn't disappear. to qualify for funding but do not qualify BAIL OUTS For every loser there has been a winner. under existing criteria. At the last budget In all this talk about bail outs there is an Sean Dunne may have lost hundreds of IBEC put in a submission which amounted assumption that we as a nation have not millions on the Jurys Hotel site but the to throwing money at the Irish Motor been "bailing out" the developers and Doyle family who owned the site must Industry. But helping the Irish Motor landowners up until now. have gained hundreds of millions. industry will not help the economy. 13 Economic recovery can only be based on Hillery. By a strange coincidence Jim no Business or Trade Union leaders on the Agriculture and Manufacturing. Duffy—a Fine Gael activist, who in the programme. The Long Fellow thinks that the Govern- course of academic research had tapes of ment rather than IBEC or ICTU is correct. Lenihan saying that he had phoned Hillery THE PRESTIGE OF THE MEDIA —happened to be sitting beside the mem- The increasing assertiveness of the LEMASS DOCUMENTARY ber of the audience. And, of course media has not corresponded with an RTE broadcast a typically irritating FitzGerald was on hand to contradict Leni- increase in its prestige. The opposite is the documentary on Sean Lemass (30.6.09). han's version of events. Nuala O'Faolain, case and journalists themselves know it. It began with his early life as a "gunman" who was then an Irish Times journalist, Peter Murtagh admitted in The Irish (his participation in 1916 and the execut- was also on that 1990 panel. The archival Times (29.6.09): ion of the Cairo Gang). Of course it was footage showed her smiling ecstatically "Many fellow citizens believe we in not mentioned that the execution of the while Lenihan was giving his reply. Could the media think we can say anything we Cairo Gang was authorised by Michael she have been in on the Fine Gael sting? like and get away with it. They think we Collins and the Chief of Staff Risteard In 2009 all agreed that the issue of target people unjustly, with little thought Mulcahy. Lemass's subsequent life was whether Lenihan made phone calls to of the pain we inflict on them and their portrayed as a turning away from the path Hillery or not was of no importance. families. You know what? They are of violence. There was no explanation of In the course of the programme Bow- largely correct, but the brush is applied the context of his political development. man asked about changes in the last 23 across all media, as though we are all the The impression given was that he was years. All agreed that technology such as same." some kind of reformed criminal. the internet and mobile phones had had a Apart from the arrogant attempt to The conventional wisdom on Sean dramatic influence on our lives. Then exclude The Irish Times from the general Lemass is that de Valera held him back Bowman asked if there had been any low standards in the profession, it is and that he should have been Taoiseach small changes which had come in under difficult to disagree with the analysis. much earlier than 1959. This was repeated the radar but which over time had had a There has been criticism by journalists in the documentary without any discussion. significant impact. of the amount that Monica Leech (Minister But Diarmuid Ferritear has questioned That was a curious and interesting Martin Cullen’s PR consultant) received this wisdom indicating that Lemass was a question, which would require some in her libel case against Independent reluctant leader who was overawed by de thought to come up with an answer. Newspapers. But there are two points that Valera. can be made in defence of the ¤1.8 million One of the contributors was Fintan THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA award. Firstly, anyone embarking on a O’Toole who was hardly past early The Long Fellow can think of one libel case risks becoming bankrupt in the childhood when Lemass left political life gradual change which has had a significant event of losing it. It is a high stakes game in 1966 and has no particular expertise on impact over time. That change is the role and therefore the reward for winning the subject. It was hard to know why he of the media. In the 1980s he remembers should be high. was there other than to give The Irish supporters of Charles Haughey criticising Secondly, and more important, the Times imprimatur to proceedings. the media handling of the 'heaves' against amount that Leech received reflects a puni- their leader. One complaint was: "The tive element and a compensatory element. QUESTIONS & ANSWERS journalists are actually interviewing each The jury wanted to punish the bad beha- Another retrospective was provided by other". It was considered remarkable that viour of the newspaper as well as com- Questions & Answers in its final edition unelected journalists should give each pensate Leech for the distress caused to (29.6.09) of a 23 year run. There was an other licence to express opinions on the her. interesting exchange between John Waters national airwaves about unfolding political Perhaps juries in a libel case should be and Fergus Finlay on the subject of the events. But what was then considered allowed separate out these two elements. Mary Robinson/Brian Lenihan President- remarkable is now a matter of routine. The compensation element should be given ial election of 1990. The verdict of John There were a total of sixteen guests on to the victim; and the punitive element Bowman, who has always been much the final edition of this current affairs should be paid by the newspaper to the more than a host, was that it was game, set programme, but only nine could be State. and match to Finlay in his exchange with considered politicians in the broadest sense Waters. Finlay is certainly a more polished of the word. Included in that list of nine And Is There media performer than Waters, but Waters’s was Senator David Norris, who is elected Jaffa Cakes Still For Tea? point was well made. It was that The Irish under a restricted franchise and is probably Times was not just a reporter but a better known as a media personality and A blanket-grey candy-floss too suspect participant in that campaign. It did not just Joycean scholar. Also included was Mary to eat mixes with the kerosene air report on the Duffy tapes, but held a press Lou McDonald, who does not hold elected straining the rivets heading for its lair conference about them. office; Liz O’Donnell, who has retired the wings quiver alert and circumspect The Questions & Answers television from politics; and Mairead McGuinness, steel hydraulic muscles hits the airbrakes programme was the vehicle for the trap set who was a media personality before she undercarriage down with a thumping sound by Fine Gael for Lenihan in 1990. Jim became a politician. Four of the guests as it swoops towards the de-briefing pound Mitchell was due to appear for Fine Gael were journalists/media personalities; two at Bagram Airbase tea and Jaffa cakes but that party asked RTE if it could replace were lawyers and Fergus Finlay who could in the village children dead and bleeding him with Garret FitzGerald. (FitzGerald also be considered a journalist (he writes old folk pregnant women and the dogs died was with President Hillery at Aras an a column for the Examiner) but is also the trees slowly succumb grass and flowers Uachtarain when Lenihan was alleged to Chief Executive of Barnardos. are fried have made phone calls to the President Of the nine politicians two were Fine crimson earth and the insects are feeding regarding the dissolution of the Dail in the Gael, two PDs!, one Sinn Fein, one Green, hearts and minds lie buried in fertile mud early 1980s.) one Labour, one Independent and only they could not be bought but soon they In the 1990 programme a member of one Fianna Fail (the Taoiseach Brain will bud the audience, who just happened to be the Cowen at the end of the programme). Wilson John Haire. leader of Young Fine Gael, asked Lenihan The concerns of the media are those of 17th June, 2009 if he had made phone calls to President the professional middle class. There were 14 Semitic, perhaps he did not at all relish exploring the antics of the same pair during the debate on the 1934 Moneylenders Act. Did Elizabeth Bowen Slander This had been initially spearheaded by James Dillon As A Fascist? the Jewish Fianna Fáil TD, Bob Briscoe, who abhorred that trade and had previously The June issue of Irish Political Review this is alluded to by those modern-day employed the IRA to force a number of reported on Jack Lane's address to the historians and pundits who wish to make predominantly Jewish moneylenders to Bowen/Trevor Summer School in Mit- a virtue of Dillon's pro-British opposition come to equitable settlements with their chelstown on May 1st, in which he alluded to Irish wartime neutrality. Such is the customers. But when Briscoe withdrew to Elizabeth Bowen's conclusion that, not case with Brian Girvin's 2006 book The his Private Bill to regulate moneylenders withstanding the fact that she regarded Emergency, wherein he relates: in favour of an official Fianna Fáil Govern- James Dillon as a Fascist, he was a wel- "James Dillon had broken with neutral- ment one, Dillon sneered in the Dáil on come ally in Britain's war against Germany. ity… in a surprise speech at the Fine Gael 20th June 1933: "Am I to understand that Enough said. Or is it? Should we not Ard Fheis in February 1942. This was in the introduction of Bill no.2 results from look more carefully at Dillon's record? response to American entry into the war the fact that the Government did not like Two items of reading have recently and according to Bowen, who was the Bill as it came back from the Commit- prompted me to do so. The first was Ryle present, had the impact of a bomb explod- tee? Does it mean that the Committee Dwyer's column in the Irish Examiner on ing among the delegates. Dillon wanted suggested that all moneylenders should June 20th in which he drew attention to a Ireland to end its neutrality and openly learn Irish?" vicious diatribe from Dillon in 1947 support Britain and the United States This was grist to the mill of McDermott's vilifying Galway-born Monsignor Edward against Germany… He became effect- own Dáil speech that day: Flanagan, founder of the world-famous ively isolated as a result and resigned "I hope Deputy Dillon's sinister Boys Town in Nebraska, for daring to from the party…" (p242). suggestion is not justified, and that we criticise how Irish religious orders were And in his own conclusion Girvin fully shall not see that the new Bill leaves out running their Industrial Schools gulags. concurs: "The position taken by James the Irish-speaking clause. It appears to And the second was the newly-published Dillon in 1942… was the policy most me that the moneylending class is a book by Daniel Leach entitled Fugitive likely to fulfil most it not all of the objectives particularly suitable one for an experiment with regard to the Irish language… If the Ireland: European Minority Nationalists of national policy…" (p324). efficiency of moneylenders was to be And Irish Political Asylum. As I related in restricted by their being called upon to the September 2007 issue of Irish Political The only other Southern Irish politician tackle the extra burden of learning the Review, Leach had occasion to protest to agree with Dillon was Senator Frank Irish language… the public might be against the misuse and misrepresentation McDermott. Girvin rightly describes both better pleased if they were less efficient. of his research in the RTE documentary of them as "pro-British figures" (p139), Then, again, the moneylending class as a "Ireland's Nazis", and against the very but he does not delve too deeply into what class are in the main drawn from a race title itself. In his own book, however, he other prejudices they might have held in which has special talent for learning does draw attention to the following 1949 common. Perhaps, given Girvin's own languages…" statement of note: political history, it might have been too "More remarkably, Dillon… also much to expect that he would have And a month later, on July 20th, there directed Irish sympathy to the plight of acknowledged the full publication of was the following exchange between two one Ante Pavelic. That an Irish TD should Elizabeth Bowen's Notes On Éire by the Fine Gael TDs: consider Pavelic, Stepinac and Mindzenty Aubane Historical Society from 1999 Mr. Fitzgerald-Kenny: "Does the equal victims of communist oppression onwards. But when he himself quoted deputy think that any moneylenders who is extraordinary, given that the first was (p168) from Bowen's letter of 9th may come down here form Belfast would not a clergyman but Poglavnick (Führer) November 1940, it was more than a little be of the Celtic race?" of a Croatian fascist terrorist organisation disingenuous for Girvin to stop short from Mr. Dillon: "Well, at least, any money- installed in power by the Nazis in 1941, even alluding to the following observations lender who came here from Belfast would have acquired a Celtic veneer. He would which then presided over some of the in the same letter regarding Dillon: worst atrocities {the systematic massacre have 'wrapped the green flag round "He holds some views which even I of 750,000 Serb and 30,000 Jewish him'…" distrust, and which are abhorrent to many civilians—MO'R} of the Second World Irish people whose integrity I respect… All good 1930s fun? There is a prevail- War." (p135). religious fanaticism of the purest kind I ing myth about Fine Gael, when finding it And, indeed, when one checks back on have met. This streak in Mr. Dillon might impossible to deny that its first President the record in the Irish Times for 2nd be felt in this country, if he ever came into for 1933-34 was the Fascist leader Eoin February 1949, one finds Dillon attempting full power. It would not, I think, affect his O'Duffy, to pretend that all such unsavoury to have his cake and eat it: external policy—at least, where England connotations ceased upon his break with "Speaking in Dublin last night at the was concerned. If the de Valera Govern- them. Not so. The Dáil Debates for the inaugural session of the Law Students' ment were to fall (which does not at the remainder of the 1930s are replete with Debating Society, Mr. Dillon, Minister moment seem at all likely) I have no Fine Gael trying to portray the Fianna Fáil for Agriculture, declared…one had only doubt that Mr. Dillon would emerge as policy of economic protectionism as a to recall such names as Stepinac, Minds- leader of the so-called Cosgravites… I "Jewish plot". And to be fair to both the zenty, Pavelic, and the memory of the have heard Mr. Dillon labelled a Fascist— Minister for Industry and Commerce, Seán millions of anonymous victims of the which I am afraid is at least partly true" Lemass, and the Minister for Finance, Nazis and the Bolsheviks during the last (Aubane edition, p20). Seán MacEntee, they openly confronted 20 years to realise that every yard of the Since we cannot rely on the professional Fine Gael anti-Semitism in that regard. road to serfdom had been, and is being, historians to explore Dillon's views, we The worst offender was General Richard contested…" must do so ourselves. Girvin had no prob- Mulcahy. But Dillon also railed against Dillon was, of course, no Nazi. He lem describing Dillon and McDermott as the de Valera-Lemass policy of facilitating abhorred its pagan content. His Fascism "pro-British", being that way inclined Jewish industrialists in setting up clothing was of a Catholic character. Yet none of himself. But since he is not at all anti- factories. In vain did Lemass respond 15 with the question "if you have no clothing Monaghan, doing well enough to retain displaced persons camps. "Mr. Flanagan industry here, to whom are the woollen his seat despite his criticism of neutrality" asked the Minister for Agriculture if he mills going to sell their cloth?" when (p.246). During World War Two, Flanagan will consider cancelling the proposed gift Dillon railed in the Dáil as follows, on and Dillon each championed Nazi Ger- of 25,000 head of cattle to Europe... as the 27th October 1937: many and Great Britain, respectively. And export of such a large number of cattle "Any fly-by-night from Czecho- yet Fianna Fáil Government Ministers will cause a shortage of beef in this slovakia, Great Britain or Yugoslavia began to notice and comment on a growing country…" can come here, provided he has got a camaraderie between the two. For there Mr. Dillon: name you cannot get your mouth around, was little else that divided them. Dillon "Has the Minister's attention been and he will be nurtured and cherished by would rejoin the Fine Gael Party in 1953 drawn to the statement which appeared this Government, to the detriment and and Flanagan would follow suit the in the New York Times of Thursday, the ultimate destruction of people who following year. And when the second February 6th, headed 'Dublin' and which were engaged in industry in this country Inter-Party Government appointed Dillon goes on: 'The Irish Government is pre- before de Valera was heard of … (and) Minister for Agriculture in 1954, it also paring to ship 10,000,000 lb. of kosher worth more than all the new industries, appointed Flanagan as his Parliamentary meet to Europe for distribution among established by gentlemen with unpro- Secretary. Jewish displaced persons'…" nounceable names, put together… I The reasons for Dillon's support of An Ceann Comhairle: "That is a separ- should like to have a list of the manu- Britain's war did not spring from any ate question…" facturers of ladies' clothes in this country. opposition on his part to anti-Semitism. Mr. Dillon: "Is this meat to which I should like to get their names and I Deputy Flanagan referred the kosher meat should like the Minister to try to pro- Quite the contrary. Five months after Flanagan's opening Dáil diatribe, Dillon described in the New York Times?..." nounce them. He would choke before he Minister James Ryan: "All that I can would get through the list…" teamed up with Liam Cosgrave to engage in the politics of anti-Semitism by say is that the two Deputies have tried to outdo each other in exaggeration…" Dillon added, during a further Dáil innuendo, in the following Dáil exchanges on 16th December 1943: Mr. Dillon: How much of this meat is intervention that same day: going to Europe in the form of kosher "This brings me to one of the factors in Cosgrave: "Does the Minister (Lemass) meat?" the situation which is among the most remember when Deputy Briscoe dis- Dr. Ryan: At the outside, 1,000,000 menacing. The ordinary conditions of covered gold in Wicklow?" lb." international trade provide for immobility Dillon: "There were no flies on Deputy Mr. Flanagan: "It is a damn shame…" of labour and capital and for high mobility Briscoe. The gold was in Wicklow all Dr. Ryan: "The country does not agree of the goods produced by the nations. In right. Devil a much would he spend going with the Deputy". other words, if we contemplate a mid- round looking for it if it was not there." Mr. Flanagan: "It does." Briscoe: "But there were flies on European country, a man does not leave And, two months later, on 16th April Czechoslovakia or Yugoslavia to go Deputy Dillon." 1947, Dillon continued to harass Dev him- anywhere without very grave reason…" Dillon: "The Deputy would have done very nicely out of that." self in the same matter when he asked de I once half-defended James Dillon in a Valera— letter published in the Irish Times on 4th Which indeed, was a more polite version of Flanagan's own mantra: "whether his attention has been drawn October 1975. I now regard parts of that to a series of articles appearing in the "Where the bees are there is the honey, and letter as mistaken, on two fronts. (1) My American Press… whether he is aware where the Jews are there is the money". attack on de Valera's policy of wartime that, in the Denver Register it is alleged… neutrality, written from the pro-USSR that 10,0000 lb. of kosher meat was being Stalinist perspective of 'he who is not with While Oliver Flanagan's anti-Semitism shipped to Europe from this country, for me is against me'. (2) My defence of remained alive and kicking in the post- distribution among Jewish displaced Dillon, springing from the fact that Oliver War years, it began to be expressed more persons, at a cost of about $3,000,000…" J. Flanagan had called for his internment circumspectly. It was none other than James Dillon who was in fact prepared to Anyone who wishes to research the in his own maiden speech to the Dáil on Dáil Debates still further will find that 9th July 1943. But I also quite rightly be even more explicitly anti-Semitic than his future Junior Minister. Following the Dillon was little different in the immedi- highlighted what was grossly outrageous ate post-War years, than he had been in about that speech, namely, Flanagan's death of de Valera, the Irish Times would report on 2nd September 1975: the 1930s, in charging Fianna Fáil's explicit call for Ireland to emulate Nazi Minister for Industry and Commerce, Seán "The Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Germany's example by routing the Jews Lemass, of pursuing a protectionist policy out of Ireland. The overriding context of community in Ireland, the Very Rev. Dr. Isaac Cohen, last night at a memorial that discriminated in favour of Jewish my 1975 letter had been to denounce the businesses. Liam Cosgrave / Conor Cruise O'Brien service in the synagogue in Adelaide Road, Dublin, recalled the late Mr. de Elizabeth Bowen is more than deserving "government of the talents" for appointing of recognition as a spot-on spy. Her Flanagan as Parliamentary Secretary to Valera's deep personal sorrow and con- cern at the suffering of the Jews in Europe espionage reports had not at all slandered the Minister for Defence, notwithstanding in the second World War… They also James Dillon. She had instead got the full the fact that he had never once apologised remembered that, at the very earliest measure of the most pro-British politician for continuing to function as a foul- opportunity after the War, his Govern- in the Dáil. mouthed vociferous Nazi mouthpiece to ment had made a generous gift of one Manus O'Riordan the very end of the Second World War. million tons of Irish meat as a gift to the Indeed the Cosgrave/Cruiser regime went survivors of inhuman Nazi concentration one better: they elevated Flanagan to camps." Elizabeth Bowen: "Notes On Eire". become full Minister for Defence in 1976! Yet this action was vigorously opposed Espionage Reports To Winston Churchill, by both Flanagan and Dillon. 1940-42; With an extended Review of Brian Girvin wrote of those who won Irish Neutrality in World War 2 by Jack Dáil seats in the 1943 General Election: In the Dáil debates on 13th February Lane and Brendan Clifford. "Of the independents, Oliver J. Flanagan 1947, that anti-Jewish duo sought to outdo Third edition with extra reports. 266pp. ISBN supported the IRA and was strongly anti- each other, by denouncing de Valera's gift 978-1-903497-55-5. 2009. €20, £15. Semitic, with James Dillon, in County of meat to Holocaust survivors in Europe's 16 itself as it noted "uncannily accurate". Phoenix did a little digging and found that The Eye described the guarantees given to "Shell International was last month fined es ahora* the Government as "pure political theatre. in London £300,000 and also ordered to Not one single word will change". And, on pay £45,000 costs (a total of ¤406,000) the issue of neutrality, for Cowen it was for three breaches of the Regulatory LISBON TREATY—MARK 11. all "smoke and mirrors"—something Reform (Fire Safety) Order (RRO) 2005 Now that a date has been decided for which the Eye of course knows a lot about. following two fires at its own HQ, the the referendum on the Lisbon Treaty again, In its next issue, the Eye had more about Shell Centre in central London. The fine it is interesting to see where the dices the phoney guarantees the Irish had got was the largest ever exposed under the fall—politically speaking. Just as the Dail from Brussels—courtesy of The National RRO." And this was not a once off either. is about to go off on holiday, the release of Platform EU Research, whose Director is In 2003 Shell failed to remedy what the the An Bord Snip Nua (or the Colm Mc Anthony Coughlan. But still the Irish London Fire Brigade noted, while handling Carthy Report) was well timed to say the Government continues to peddle the the outbreak of fires there, that there was least. While the newspapers reacted with safeguards to the people and now, amidst a widespread breach of fire regulations that shrill hysteria that they have lately such financial meltdown, that 'fear' may and "Shell's own staff were being put at become renowned for—is it a case that risk". they think we won't react unless they be the one thing that will drive the Irish people to finally buckle down and pass the So one can imagine how concerned shriek at us—the world as we knew it was Shell executives are to protect the little ending, if the media are right about it that Treaty. I think that is what is going to happen but it will be a very small turnout. farmers in remote Co. Mayo when they is. So many things will be gone, the Gardai, wouldn't even safeguard their own staff at the Defence Forces, the local Councils, their magnificent London HQ? the Civil Service, civilization, etc. etc. SHELL AND IRELAND The Phoenix is easily the most inform- Marathon Oil has reached an agreement Well maybe not quite—because the to sell its 18.5pc stake in the Corrib gas Taoiseach Brian Cowen, TD, in an ative and investigative media organ work- ing to uncover what Shell is up to in Mayo. development for up to $400million. The interview, stated that he will have to think oil and gas company will sell the stake to about things until—oh like—the beginning For a time, Phoenix looked as if it had joined the cosy consensus and just rode Canadian firm Vermilion Energy Trust, of the New Year. So the savings of ¤5 which will join the group developing the billion can be left for a while longer and along on its former glory days but, boy, how that's changed and all for the good. field, including project leader Shell and we can thus deduce that it is not a matter Statoil (Irish Independent 26th June 2009). of import really. Consider that, though the Irish Times But by goodness it is still one way to makes much of its so-called ethical jour- nalism, put the fear of God into the solid citizenry the paper seems to loathe the poor SHELL AND THE NIGER DELTA of Ireland who have now been scared householders who have to continually I was watching a programme on what enough to become willing pawns to protest while living lives of terrified happened to the rich, beautiful Niger Delta whatever saviour might deliver us out of desperation.. Please. Recently, the Sunday in Nigeria recently. It was fronted by one such terrors. You see where I am going World crime hack Paul Williams fronted Ross Kemp and he had a TV crew with with this? Ah yes Lisbon! So there might a TV programme entitled 'The Battle for him. He said at the outset he was looking well be a back-up plan? Aren't we the the Gas Fields' , a programme made by for Pirates and this completely threw me: lucky ones? And aren't the Government? Praxis Pictures—owned by none other when do the British go looking for Pirates The Phoenix (19th June 2009) did a rather than Gerry Gregg and Eoghan Harris. It with their TV crews in tow? It must be said wonderful exposé on luminaries who was wilful in its distortion but then that's that I laughed out loud at the historic irony people the 'Yes' side, chief amongst them propaganda for you. Despite its controvers- which amazingly didn't seem to strike being Brendan Halligan—yes that old war ial nature, it was overlooked by much of Kemp and his mates. horse—whose Institute for International the mainstream media. Of course Senator The swooping aerial shots of the amaz- and European Affairs (IIEA), of which he Harris used his Sunday Independent col- ing waters of the Delta were something to is still Chairman, obtains truly munificent umn to promote it (did he bother to state a behold. But when the camera crew went monies from our State every year and conflict of interests—did he what?). on a small boat up the actual Delta they goes on to produce literature and propa- The programme was reviewed in the were visibly choking and trying to keep ganda in favour of all European treaties. Sunday Business Post where Emmanuel their mouths covered. In the end a coughing However, as Phoenix pointed out, Halligan Kehoe noted Williams' "lip-curling Kemp with tears streaming down his face began political life as an opponent of the disdain for the protesters" in a programme admitted that the chemically-laden air was European Community in the early 70s. that "never seemed neutral in its intent". so polluted that he couldn't stand much The other war horse is of course that old There Paul Williams might have lain more of it. But to see the people of the friend of Foreign Affairs Minister Michael except the Phoenix exposed his rather filthy area, with their reed-thin malnour- Martin: the University College, Dublin, beneficial relationship with Shell itself. In ished bodies telling Kemp that this "was European Professor Brigid Laffan, who one instance of such a nature, when Croke the so-called clean-up by Royal Dutch stalks the media and RTE coverage so Park was opened to the Rugby people Shell", was to be very furious. The fumes often that her absence would actually be with that 'historic' match against England were coming from the rusted Shell oil notable. Also onboard is former Fianna in 2007, Paul Williams was one of the pumps, still lying twisted and seeping all Fail General Secretary Martin Mackin, spectators in the sold-out stadium. Not around the ground. Everything was now with PR company Q4 and lastly but that he paid. The crime correspondent was affected. The poor fishermen were out of certainly not least, the former President of deemed sufficiently influential to be work and would indeed never fish those the European Parliament, Pat Cox. And included on what Shell told Goldhawk waters again in anyone's lifetime. The keeping a close watch is the very English was its "'stakeholder engagement list'". birds were gone too—and yet we make Private Eye, the satirical magazine with Williams was the only crime hack invited deals with these people! Secret underhand all the political news and scandals. In its and feted by the oil giant that day. deals. And our own Government too black- No. 1226 issue (Dec.to Jan. 2009) it The Phoenix (17th July 2009) did guards the very people they are committed proclaimed that "so it came to pass as another piece in which it was revealed that to protect. How come it is always the poor foretold that Ireland would vote again on a "pro gas Mayo Irish Times correspond- who end up paying the most? Oh and the Lisbon treaty in late 2009" proving ent was scathing about those who would Kemp—well he, it seems, thought that the criticise Shell's safety record". Well the out-of-work fishermen were now operati- It Is Time 17 ng as Pirates but he never got to seeing Granville's Gripes Granville writes of an unnamed group them I think, but ironic— no? (presumably Labour in Northern Ireland) The Campaign for Labour Represent- have been allowed to set up a constituency ation (in Northern Ireland; CLR) re- body—and may well be allowed to fight UK ARMS AND TERRORISM emerged into history in the pages of the David Miliband, Foreign Secretary elections at some unspecified time in the Morning Star (19.6.2009) under the banner (who was in Dublin recently urging the future: New Labour's version of glass Ireland Matters. (The MS seems to have Irish voters to vote for Lisbon—what is it beads for the natives. (More or less the adopted the BBC's habit of using 'Ireland' about irony this month?) after the Mumbai offer CLR rejected in 1982). He writes where 'Irish' should be used). The headline terrorist murders called on India and that 'Andy McGiven' is responsible for is: Bad news for Good Friday agreement. Pakistan "for peace between two hostile this situation because he brought a court The article was written by David neighbours". As if that is what the UK case against the Labour Party. (The man's Granville 'online editor of the Irish wants when it has been selling both states name is 'McGivern'.) He and his colleagues Democrat', the publication of the Connolly arms like there is no tomorrow. Well—of are accused of being sectarian. Association (CA). The CA, which dates course there well might not be. Anyway Granville makes a laboured comparison from the late 1930s, was perceived as a Private Eye (No. 1225) again informs us between New Labour and the SDLP. Communist Party 'front' organisation in that the Foreign Office licensed £82.5m (Which tends to demonstrate that the SDLP the Irish community resident in Great of British arms last year for sale to the two is rather to the left of New Labour). He Britain. There is an (apparently) flourish- countries, of which Pakistan only got asks rhetorically why 'McGiven' and ing local group of the CA in Northampton. £18million worth. In 2006, there was more company don't join the SDLP. The obvious The associated Four Provinces bookshop parity with arms exports to Pakistan worth reason is that the SDLP is not in contention in London's Grays Inn Road opens a couple a whopping £62.3million while India got to rule the UK (or any other) State. North- of days a week. The Communist Party of £54.5million. ern Ireland is going to be part of the UK Great Britain is no more. That must for as long as it is in the perceived interests induce existential problems for erstwhile of the British State for the region to be part THE RYAN REPORT 'front' organisations and their members. As I am working on a long piece for the of it. Andy McGivern has been a Trade The Morning Star is the daily publication next Church & State on this whole subject, Unionist (GMB) activist for many years. of the CPGB's largest shard the CPB (CP there is just one thing I just have to say. He is not 'sectarian'. of Britain). Amongst all the media hoopla and political Granville quotes from the 1992 publica- A sub-heading presumably supplied furore there was one thing, one step too tion Oranges or Lemons?, attributed to by a Morning Star sub-editor reads: far, one abiding image that was utterly Kevin McNamara. (It was actually written DAVID GRANVILLE on Labour's entry vile and exploitative. It was the picture— by Professor Brendan O'Leary formerly into the six counties political field. Labour well thought out—of a pile of children's of the London School of Economics and has been involved in the Wee Six since shoes. The shoes, redolent of the icono- Political Science. The quotation is to the Labour Party members served in the Great graphy of the Holocaust, of the hellpits of effect that 'integrationists' and 'Unionists' (1914-18) War Cabinet. Labour has had the concentration camps was utterly are one and the same. And they should be direct responsibility for the place every appalling. The shoes were new, expensive kept out of the mystical body of the Labour time it exercised power, whether solo, in —I recognised converse trainers, Uggs Party. It might then become polluted with the National Government, or in the etc. How have we as a people come to sectarianism. What he fails to recognise is wartime coalition of 1940—45. this? Have we no shame anymore? that the Labour Party—when it meant The above may is laboured but worth Julianne Herlihy something—killed off actual sectarianism emphasising—Labour administrations in in Glasgow and Liverpool (and a fair Westminster / Whitehall administer number of other places where it was con- Northern Ireland—whether they relish the ducted in a more genteel fashion). This letter went in to the Irish Times prospect or not. Like the Conservatives, on 3rd July but did not appear Activists in the CLR consider them- they have taken an essentially colonialist selves lucky not to have been involved in attitude to the place. the 'Blair project'. Democracy Now! Closure of Foinse? David Granville appears to think that is fizzled out in the mid-1990s. Ms Hoey is a legitimate socialist attitude to the probably holding the title in reserve if it The only remaining Irish language governing of Northern Ireland. The CLR ever again becomes necessary to break up newspaper, the weekly Foinse, faces is described as "pro-union, "integration- a move towards real Labour politics in closure. The problem apparently has ist"" along with Democracy Now (men- Northern Ireland. New Labour—so to do with an insufficiency of financial tioned minus its exclamation mark!). CLR precious about 'sectarianism' in the North support from the cross border body wound itself up in 1993. Kate Hoey's of Ireland—is in the process of demonising concerned; Foras na Gaeilge. Democracy Now! fizzled out some years the Muslim community in Great Britain. Interestingly, just in recent years later. It had performed the task of Seán McGouran our European partners consented that destroying the CLR's long campaign to Irish be recognized as an official get the Labour Party to do its duty by the Look Up working language of the Union and people of Northern Ireland. Presumably Hoey was doing her duty by whatever agreed funds be made available for Athol Books such matters as appropriate translation body of spooks to which she is connected. facilities. She got to be a Minister of State when on the Internet Isn’t it strange that at European Blair led New Labour into Government in level the Irish state expects to have 1997. She spent a deal of time in Northern www.atholbooks.org more respect extended to the language Ireland campaigning on various Unionist than what it is prepared to extend itself platforms. And canvassing for the Robert You will find plenty to read; on this island? The word hypocrisy McCartney / UK Unionist Party. And you can look over comes to mind but fails on grounds of latterly the UUP (Ulster Unionist Party: the Catalogue, inadequacy. Chris McGimpsey's tendency insists this and Ted O'Sullivan still exists, being opposed to the Reg order publications Empey / David Cameron 'New Force' lash-up). 18 Japanese civilians to save the lives of part of a wider world—is a mistake that American soldiers did not undermine we too frequently make. Take Harry White, Massacre Western Civilisation'. But I didn't say that Professor of Music in UCD. He has long the killing of itself did that! I write (p12) been 'explaining' the absence of a classical and Other Matters that the "official justification of these music composer in nineteenth-century massacres" (directly by the American Ireland by attributing it to Irish national- In the July issue of the Irish Political government, and acquiesced in by Britain ism, while ignoring that Ireland was then Review John Martin had an article on 'The and France) did it. That was a rejection of part of a United Kingdom which was a Rise of Left Liberalism' which referred to the European rule that forbade massacre desert of classical music. The Irish Times, three of my books and commented on unconditionally. It replaced that European in adopting the new liberalism, was indeed some passages from the latest of them: or Western rule with a new rule which said following its habit of following London; Ireland After the End of Western implicitly: "Massacre is legitimate if but seen in a broader context, it was doing Civilisation. carried out in a righteous cause and with in western capitalist terms what the I am grateful for feedback, I thrive on it humanitarian intentions". newspapers of Moscow-controlled eastern for refinement of my thinking; and in my Martin does well to make clear that the Europe had earlier done in communist turn I have a few comments to make on left liberalism that now passes for 'liberal- terms. It was adapting to the requirement Martin's article. ism' in Ireland, as in the US and Britain, is of a superpower. He writes that I have things to say about not the 'classical' liberalism of the nine- The left liberalism of The Irish Times, 'Christian Civilisation' and its recent teenth and early twentieth centuries in taken up from the start by RTÉ, gradually demise. But I have never used that term these countries. A fundamentalist develop- replaced the previous pluralism of the and do not know what it means. I have ment of that liberalism's principles of Dublin press, so that from the 1970s the written about the end of European or West- individualism and equality, with an anti- Dublin media were as ideologically unified ern Civilisation, meaning the civilisation religious bias added, it is the ideology that as the media of communist Bucharest. that developed in Western Europe from has facilitated consumerism. Because its With the tacit support of the Irish Govern- around 1000 onwards; that extended across new, post-European rules to live by suited ment and Irish commercial interests, left the Atlantic and other oceans; and that the consumerist project, they appealed to liberal journalists and academics replaced lasted until the mid-twentieth century. A the American rulers, who had their own the Catholic clergy as the endorsed moral civilisation is, essentially, a set of rules of reasons for wanting that kind of economy; teachers of the nation. Because they behaviour that is subscribed to by rulers not only in the US, but also in its West instruct us on the correct way to see life, and ruled over a long period, because it European satellites. So from the 1960s and the correct ways to think and behave, makes sense as a life framework. By the onward, the new consumerist liberalism, I call them, collectively, the Irish Correct- end of European civilisation—actually its with its 'agenda' of new rules, came to orate. Every western country has a left overthrow—I mean the rejection and power in Britain and arrived in the Repub- liberal correctorate of its own, linked to replacement of many of its essential rules lic of Ireland as a local spin-off of that the one in Brussels that legislates for the by western governments. Martin says I process. EU, the Republic included. am on weak ground in what I say about the Martin is right to reject the notion that How this new, post-European collection rejection of the rule forbidding massacre. The Irish Times adopted that liberalism, of rules to live by measures up in terms of This European rule forbade two kinds and championed it in the Republic, as part sense, I discuss in Ireland After. Given of massacre, namely, of people indiscrim- of its effort to undermine the Irish State. that all of us are required to subscribe to inately, and of prisoners taken in war. In Finding an internal Irish cause for every this replacement Decalogue, and to live Irish history a notable instance of each cultural or ideological event in Irish history by it, that is an important question. kind led at the time to widespread con- —forgetting that we have always formed Desmond Fennell demnation. The massacre of prisoners was at Dún an Óir on the Dingle Peninsula in of German capitalism—reverted to an 1580, when 600 Spanish and Italian Political Stories, orthodox imperialist position. British soldiers who had surrendered were put to Whigs And Tories, Capital needed the British Navy to open death on the orders of Lord Grey. The new markets throughout the world. massacre of people indiscriminately was Free Trade, World Peace, Indeed, the Liberals became more ext- that at Drogheda in 1649 when Cromwell's And Imperial Glories. reme imperialists than the Tories. A army massacred many civilians as well as section of the Liberal Party believed that John Martin's article in the last issue of the garrison. no boundaries should be placed on the the Irish Political Review raises many In Ireland After (pp12-13) I quote a geographical extent of the British Empire more questions than it answers. And they phrase from the American Declaration of whereas the Tories and Joseph Chamber- aren't questions that can just be let sit, Independence which implicitly indicates lain's Liberal Unionists thought that the questioning away as unanswered questions that its authors regarded massacre as a existing Empire should be consolidated tend to do. They are questions that deserve savage action, alien to (Western) civilisa- rather than expanded." at least some further questioning with at tion. The Declaration refers with best some answers to follow. John Martin doesn't say anything abhorrence to 'the merciless Indian sav- According to John Martin: specific about the roots, origin or formation ages, whose known rule of warfare is an of the Liberal Party. Nor is he entirely "In the nineteenth century British Liber- indiscriminate destruction of all ages, clear about what apparently anti- alism was an alliance of Manchester Cap- sexes and conditions'. Long before the italism and the old Whig aristocracy… imperialist position it had adopted "By the Hiroshima and Nagasaki massacres— "By the middle of the nineteenth middle of the nineteenth century". He namely, in Conventions agreed at Geneva century the Liberal Party had adopted doesn't say what influential persons or and the Hague in the nineteenth and early what appeared to be an anti-imperialist tendency within the Liberal Party wanted twentieth centuries—a ban on the deliber- position. It believed that it was no longer to dismantle or at least halt the growth of ate killing of non-combatants in warfare necessary for Britain to have colonies. the Empire at that time. It is up to his had become formally part of International All that was required was that the capitalist readers to investigate in order hopefully to Law. system be spread throughout the world. discover something to which his words John Martin, in the belief that he is However, by the turn of the century, the might refer. That's quite a lot of work for contradicting me, writes "The killing of Liberals—possibly in response to the rise him to put us to but, hey, its a typical Irish 19 Summer complete with unpredictable this period Pitt called himself an Independ- no friend to the peace and welfare of this heatwaves and torrential downpours and ent Whig. The party he created was referred country would attempt to disturb, either I've little else to occupy me . . . to as the Independent Whigs or the Friends by direct or by insidious means. of Mr. Pitt. Only after Pitt's death did the "Then, as to the spirit of the Reform WHIGS AND TORIES new party acquire the old name and Bill, and the willingness to adopt and So to begin. Stating the simple fact that become generally known as Tory. And enforce it as a rule of government: if, by "By the middle of the nineteenth century fair enough, as those former radicals had adopting the spirit of the Reform Bill, it the Liberal Party" had not yet been formed during the course of the French Wars be meant that we are to live in a perpetual would be mere pedantic fun. It might call become thoroughly reactionary. vortex of agitation; that public men can John Martin's procedures into question By the 1830s then the Whigs were back only support themselves in public but it answers nothing. For answers we in the run of themselves, in a radical estimation by adopting every popular impression of the day—by promising the have to get down to the particulars of the alliance with an industrial bourgeoisie instant redress of anything which anybody matter in hand, which in this case is the that was simply aching to be introduced to may call an abuse—by abandoning British political system, a two-party system the Constitution. The agitation which led altogether that great aid of government— which in the first instance was, more or to the 1832 Reform Act established the more powerful than either law or reason— less, a matter of Whigs and Tories. Whigs as the radical element of the two- the respect for ancient rights, and the It is perhaps worth stating that each of party system. deference to prescriptive authority; if this those titles was originally an insulting But, regarding the Tories, there is no be the spirit of the Reform Bill, I will not epithet which the insulted chose not to be vice versa here. It wasn't their opposition undertake to adopt it. But if the spirit of injured by and instead took up as a kind of to the owner-operators of Hull and Halifax the Reform Bill implies merely a careful badge of honour. Tories were a species of and Hell that, so to speak, damned the review of institutions, civil and Irish bandit. Whigs were some manner of Tories as the reactionary element of the ecclesiastical, undertaken in a friendly Covenanting Scots. So far so much, so two-party system. That was their temper combining, with the firm very little. Of themselves the names have opposition to Repeal of the Corn Laws in maintenance of established rights, the no political significance whatsoever. general. In particular it was the blame correction of proved abuses and the But the radical section of the ruling which attached to them over the Peterloo redress of real grievances—in that case, class which succeeded upon the Glorious Massacre that set the popular template I can for myself and colleagues undertake Revolution and its Act of Settlement was once and for all. to act in such a spirit and with such happy to be called Whig. And the reaction- intentions." ary section was not downcast to be called However, the Whigs became the Liberal Party in kind of an interesting way, in that After Free Trade the other major plank Tory. So we call them such, knowing that in mid-nineteenth century Whiggery was the names mean nothing that can be caught the Liberal Party as such, in name and fitted out for pack drill, was founded on just what Peel referred to in 1834: "a or fielded in serious political discourse perpetual vortex of agitation" for reform where the real balls of it all are radical and the basis of a split in the Tory Party (just as the Tories some eighty years before had and further reform of the electoral fran- reactionary. chise. The Conservative Party was very Under the direction of, and within the finally found coherence on the basis of a split in the Whigs). much against this. Then in 1867, domina- network of corruption established by, ted by Disraeli who was Chancellor of the Walpole, the Whigs developed into a Free Trade, in its first agitational phase Repeal of the Corn Laws, was one of the Exchequer in the Earl of Derby's admin- coherent party long before the Tories. istration, it u-turned spectacularly and Stating the case very broadly I think it two major planks of mid-nineteenth century Whiggery. Opposition to Repeal carried a Reform Act which, going much would be accurate to say that radicalism further than the Liberals had proposed, had a coherent sense of mission about it was one of the defining characteristics of Toryism in the same period. So when the brought the working class into electoral while reaction was more inclined just to politics for the first time. leave things be; the Whigs were naturally Corn Laws were at last repealed by a Tory inclined to government while the Tories administration under Sir Robert Peel the Tory Party split. The Corn Laws were PARTY POLITICS were a born opposition. I hope it is clear at this point that the two In the first parliaments of the glorious repealed and Peel very soon after had to resign (the protectionist rebellion against party system of British politics has never revolutionary era, when radicals and been a contest between Whig and Tory, reactionaries were evenly balanced, the him was organised and led by Disraeli). He left the Tory Party in 1846, taking a Liberal and Conservative (or Labour and reactionaries proved willing to convict Conservative). Rather, it has been a very James Stuart of High Treason (the Act of substantial minority (about a third) of his parliamentary party with him. Peel died in fluid set of arrangements between radicals Attainder in 1702) but unwilling to swear and reactionaries to take account of the allegiance to William III (the Abjuration 1850 and in June 1859, following a meeting in Willis' Tea Rooms in London, Whigs pervasive, overwhelmingly radical and Bill, also in 1702). And that sums them progressive, tendency within those politics up: where the Whigs were positive and and Peelite Tories merged to form the Liberal Party. and provide a quiet stable ground amidst dynamic the Tories were acquiescent and the shifting chattering chaos which is the bloody-minded about it, which is just to And, just to keep things straight, the Tory Party which opposed, a majority of business. say, a born opposition. Peel and Disraeli moved a considerable The general tendency of English politics which continued to oppose, Free Trade, had officially been, since Sir Robert Peel's way from principled positions of their between the Glorious Revolution and the parties, which in many's the body politic Reform Bills of the 19th century was so Tamworth Manifesto of 1834, the Con- servative Party. would lead to great unrest and upheaval, thoroughly radical, so overwhelmingly but they moved along stable lines within progressive, that divisions within them The Tamworth Manifesto itself is worth a bit of a quote: the fluid arrangements of the British two- could really only have formed around party system. differences in temperament. "With respect to the Reform Bill itself, I will repeat now the declaration I made Now then, the Liberal Party holding an The Tories became coherent and cap- when I entered the House of Commons as apparently anti-imperialist position by the able of governing in the 1780s, when Pitt a member of the Reformed Parliament— middle of the nineteenth century when "it split Walpole's grand old party and led it that I consider the Reform Bill a final and believed that it was no longer necessary and his country through the series of wars irrevocable settlement of a great con- for Britain to have colonies" and then against Revolutionary France. Throughout stitutional question—a settlement which reverting by the end of the century to "an 20 orthodox imperialist position". What's that for that “there is no friendship in trade” is a maxim interesting in the broader context, all about? equally applicable to nations and to individuals. It explained how the two-party system had is solely from the promptings of self interest that been called into play by the agitation: The sentence in between those positions the merchants of Europe, as of the rest of the world, —"All that was required was that the send their ships to our ports to be freighted with the "In reference to our proposing these capitalist system be spread throughout products of our labour. The self-same impulse measures, I have no wish to rob any the world"—strongly suggests that John drew all nations, at different periods of history, to person of the credit which is justly due to is referring to Richard Cobden and the Tyre, to Venice, and to Amsterdam; and if, in the him for them. But I may say that neither revolution of time and events, a country should be the gentlemen sitting on the benches extreme Free Trade propaganda of the found (which is probable) whose cottons and Anti-Corn Law League; in which case woolens shall be cheaper than those of England opposite, nor myself, nor the gentlemen we're talking about ideology not politics and the rest of the world, then to that spot—even sitting round me—I say that neither of us (certainly not run of the mill party politics), should it, by supposition, be buried in the remotest are the parties who are strictly entitled to nook of the globe—will all the traders of the world the merit. There has been a combination over the head of which there are many flock; and no human power, no fleets or armies, interesting things that can be said and of parties, and that combination of parties will prevent Manchester, Liverpool, and Leeds, together with the influence of the Govern- argued about. from sharing the fate of their once proud predecessors in Holland, Italy, and Phoenicia…' ment, has led to the ultimate success of And this is interesting to me in the first the measures. But, Sir, there is a name place because Cobden's biographer (also "Thus there was no need for an Empire; trade would take care of itself—and which ought to be associated with the Gladstone's) John Morley, along with John success of these measures: it is not the Burns (formerly of the Social Democratic everything else too, including world peace. In May 1856 Cobden went so far name of the noble Lord, the member for Foundation and the Independent Labour as to say that it would 'be a happy day London, neither is it my name. Sir, the Party), resigned from the Liberal Cabinet when England has not an acre of territory name which ought to be, and which will when it launched the First World War that in Continental Asia'. be associated with the success of these a small group within it had been secretly "The common factor in all such measures is the name of a man who, planning for years. I hadn't realised until arguments was and remains, however, acting, I believe, from pure and dis- Brendan Clifford mentioned at a meeting the assumption that the benefits of interested motives, has advocated their in London earlier this year that the grounds international exchange could have been cause with untiring energy, and by appeals of Morley's resignation was the Cobdenite and can be reaped without the costs of to reason, expressed by an eloquence, the belief that Free Trade made imperialist empire. To put it more concisely, can you more to be admired because it was wars unnecessary. If Burns' resignation have globalization without gunboats?" unaffected and unadorned—the name wasn't some species of dissenter pacifism (Penguin Books, xviii - xx, no references which ought to be and will be associated it may well have been on similar grounds given for the passages quoted from Cobden). with the success of these measures is the (one of these days I'll get round to name of Richard Cobden. Without checking). Within a page of posing the question scruple, Sir, I attribute the success of Ferguson admitted that "free" markets Interesting also in the second place these measures to him." because the neo-Imperialist historian, Niall have to be imposed on people; so you can't have globalization without gunboats. MODERN LIBERALISM Ferguson, raised just this point (without Returning to John Martin's article; I mentioning the Liberal Party or claiming Cobden (and John Bright) built the mass extra-parliamentary movement that can see little value in describing Margaret it as a party political position) in the forced the Cotton Lords' demands on the Thatcher as the first Liberal leader of the introduction to his Empire—How Britain Conservative Party. The two-party system Made The Modern World. According to attention of the two-party system as I have described it. An earlier Anti-Corn Law simply hasn't worked in any way that Ferguson: Association had failed to rouse much or would make sense of that statement. "…it was Cobden who had originally any public support for a sectional interest. Take Winston Churchill. Churchill insisted that the expansion of British trade Cobden set out to make the Anti-Corn entered Parliament in 1900 as a Conservat- should go hand in hand with a foreign ive MP. In 1904, on a matter of principle policy of complete non-intervention. Law League into a national movement. He issued instructions to the League's concerning Free Trade versus Imperial Commerce alone, he maintained, was Tariffs, Churchill, always a free trader, 'the grand panacea', organisers and orators that they should not "…let the enemy make it be believed crossed the floor of the house and joined 'which, like a beneficent medical discovery, the Liberal Party. As a Liberal he was will serve to inoculate with the healthy and saving that this is a mere manufacturers' or cotton taste for civilization all the nations of the world. spinners' question" (quoted in Myths Of President of the Board of Trade, Home Not a bale of merchandise leaves our shores, but it Empire: Domestic Politics and Secretary, First Lord of the Admiralty, bears the seeds of intelligence and fruitful thought International Ambition by Jack Snyder, Minister of Munitions, Secretary of State to the members of some less enlightened New York, 1991, page 184). for War and Secretary of State for Air. community; not a merchant visits our seats of Then the Great War destroyed the Liberal manufacturing industry, but he returns to his own So he preached a gospel of Free Trade country the missionary of freedom, peace, and as the engine of Universal Peace which Party and in 1925 Churchill, who had good government—whilst our steamboats, that worked up popular enthusiasm and stuck it out as long as he could among no- now visit every port of Europe, and our miraculous converted the Conservative administration hopers, 're-ratted', ie. rejoined the Con- railroads, that are the talk of all nations, are the servative Party which, after all the ups and advertisements and vouchers for the value of our of Robert Peel (not any administration of enlightened institutions.' his own Whig Party) from an aristocratic downs you'd expect, he subsequently led. Nor was Tony Blair, as John would "The critical point for Cobden was that and agricultural to a bourgeois and neither trade nor even the spread of British industrial policy. have it, the first Liberal leader of the 'civilization' needed to be enforced by And he believed every word of that Labour Party. Only two leaders of the imperial structures. Indeed, the use of gospel and went on preaching it until the Labour Party can reasonably be described force could achieve nothing if it sought to day he died. But, while he carried Repeal as having been other than Liberal in their run counter to the benign laws of the of the Corn Laws, Universal Peace eluded political outlook: Clement Attlee and global free market: him (as much as anything else because it Harold Wilson. Keir Hardie, Ramsay 'So far as our commerce is concerned, it can did not especially interest either the Cotton MacDonald, Arthur Henderson and neither be sustained nor greatly injured abroad by Lords or the guardians of the two-party George Lansbury (who should maybe be force or violence. The foreign customers who visit forgiven an early mistake, except perhaps our markets are not brought hither through fear of system). the power or the influence of British diplomatists: for his later mistake) were former members they are not captured by our fleets and armies: and In his resignation speech Peel paid of the Liberal Party, the first three of as little are they attracted by feelings of love for us; tribute to Cobden's efforts and, more whom had left it upon failing to be selected 21 for a winnable seat. Barnes, Gaitskell, the Progressive Movement which three of the Liberal parties together in Callaghan, Foot and Kinnock were all Gladstone had brought into existence in coalition. Liberal Dictatorship as far as Liberal by inclination at least (John Smith the 1860s. In 1894 Ramsay MacDonald the eye can see or the mind can speculate. may have been of a different stamp, I don't was elected onto the Rainbow Circle's The end of history? know enough about him or his period as organising committee. He was still a Joe Keenan leader to be sure; John Clynes I would member of the Rainbow Circle in 1931. think of as a Liberal but really I don't know As was Sir Herbert Samuel. From Judaism to Islam: enough about him to say). Brown is a The radicals whom Blair spoke of as Liberal in the radical mould of Blair and being divided in 1900 continued in a the journey of Muhammad Asad Thatcher. substantial contact which facilitated the The Road to Mecca: the journey of Blair attempted to be honest at least development of a common Progressive Muhammad Asad. A documentary film once in his political career, when he policy on all the major issues of many's a directed by Georg Misch (2008). addressed his first Labour Conference as long day until the great denouement of Screened at the Austrian Cultural Forum in Prime Minister in 1997 and said: 1931. That year Ramsay MacDonald, London, 14 May 2009. "Since this is a day for honesty, I'll tell Prime Minister of a minority Labour This film explores the spiritual and you my heroes aren't just Ernie Bevin, Government, conspired with his Rainbow Nye Bevan and Attlee. They are also Circle colleague, Sir Herbert Samuel, soon intellectual journey of Leopold Weiss Keynes, Beveridge, Lloyd George. to be Leader of the Liberal Party, to whose life spanned most of the 20th Division among radicals almost one collapse his Government and go into a century. He was born in 1900 in the city of hundred years ago resulted in a 20th coalition including the Conservatives that Lemberg (then in Galicia in the Austro- century dominated by Conservatives. I he and Samuel expected would end with a Hungarian Empire but now known as Lviv want the 21st century to be the century of General Election which the reunited in the Ukraine). His grandfather was an the radicals." Progressive Movement would fight under Orthodox rabbi from Czernowitz (now Chernovtsy). At the beginning of the First The programmatic statement therein whatever title, but win as New Liberals all. World War his family moved to Vienna pledged Blair to heal the great division in where Weiss attended high school before the British Left which opened up when the Quick decisive action by Ernie Bevin smashed the conspiracy and punctured enrolling at the university in 1918 to study Labour Party stuttered into existence Philosophy and Art History. By this time outside the embrace of the Liberal Party the conspirators' expectations. MacDonald collapsed his administration into a National however he had begun to drift from his which had shepherded the working class Jewish religion and immerse himself in into politics in the wake of Disraeli's Government which gained very little support from his Cabinet and Party, the intellectual and literary life of Vienna. Reform Act. He frequented Café Herrenhof where he However, just to set the record straight. practically all of which had been pulled into line by Bevin and Citrine. The ensuing got to know people like Milan Dubrovic The "Division among radicals almost one (later Editor of Die Presse) and Otto Gross, hundred years ago" (referring to the election resulted in a Conservative Landslide. This is the point at which the the psychoanalyst and social revolution- formation of the Labour Representation ary. After the destruction of the Austro- Committee in 1900, which became the appalling division to which Blair referred actually occurred. Hungarian Empire he moved to Berlin in Labour Party six years later) was not really the early 1920s where he continued his a seismic event. The division was not A couple of months into this debacle the Rainbow Circle finally gave up the Bohemian lifestyle and met people like terribly deep and there was good reason to Bertolt Brecht, Max Reinhardt and Mar- believe it would not long endure. ghost. It held its last meeting and wound itself up on 14th October 1931. lene Dietrich. He found work as an assistant The Labour Party flourished electorally on one of Friedrich W. Murnau's films under the wing of a New Liberalism that Radical Liberalism was sidelined (Murnau was the director of the seminal was the shared inheritance of Labour and thereby. When party politics re-emerged Nosferatu) and wrote screenplays with Liberal Progressives. Labour's impressive after a period of National Government Anton Kuh. Mixing with artists and writers showing in the 1906 election (which was and war-time coalition, it was dominated associated with Expressionism and otherwise a Liberal landslide) was the by the new working-class Labour Party orientalism and having been largely result of a secret deal between progressive that Bevin built to replace the displaced formed through the culture of Austro- New Liberals in each of the two parties. section of the Liberal Party which Keir Hungary, he developed an interest in the Ramsay MacDonald, acting for Keir Hardie and Ramsay MacDonald had led. Arab world. Hardie, negotiated an electoral pact with The two-party system coped with that and In 1922 he visited Palestine and stayed with Jesse Herbert who was acting for Herbert showed every sign that it would be able to his maternal uncle in Jerusalem, Dorian Gladstone. The collapse of the Liberal cope with the major extension of working- Feigenbaum, a psychoanalyst and pupil of Party, which no-one could have foreseen class power that the implementation of Freud. Although Dorian was not a Zionist, before the event, forced Labour out into industrial democracy would have in- another uncle, Aryeh Feigenbaum (1885-1981) the open to govern (as minority govern- augurated. was a committed Zionist who had moved to ments which required Liberal support) in But industrial democracy was not Palestine in 1913 (Aryeh was to figure again in his life at a later stage). Weiss had visited 1924 and 1929-31. implemented and the consequent collapse Palestine with the intention of studying the From Lib-Lab days—when the Liberal of the working class Labour Party led to a Arab world at first hand but he quickly came to Party wined and dined and spoke revival of Radical Liberalism under view Zionism as a gross injustice on the Arab extravagantly in praise of Trade Union Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair. All majority population. "I conceived from the MPs like Thomas Burt, Henry Broadhurst three of the main parties of British politics outset a strong objection to Zionism", he would and Alexander Macdonald—it took great today are Liberal Parties with similar later record, "I considered it immoral that care to keep in touch with the development policies and similar personnel to oversee immigrants, assisted by a foreign Great Power, of labour representation. Immediately their implementation. I'm not at all sure should come from abroad with the avowed upon the formation of the Independent that the two-party system has survived the intention of attaining to majority in the country Labour Party the leaders of New Liberal- last thirty-two years. and thus to dispossess the people whose country it had been from time immemorial" ("Road to ism, J. A Hobson and Herbert Samuel, Mecca", p.93, 1954). While in Jerusalem he formed a discussion group, the Rainbow I very much suspect that the next British used every opportunity to confront the Zionist Circle, which was to function as a link General Election will be followed by a leaders with the reality of their project, even between the Labour and Liberal wings of period of National Government, with all risking alienation from his Jewish relatives by 22 raising the issue with the likes of Menahem Koran was published in 1980 by which time he about Muhammed Asad with a number of the Ussishkin (1863-1941) and Chaim Weizmann was living in Tangiers. In 1982 he moved to a Bedouin elders present. He is well known to (1874-1952). village outside Lisbon before going to Mijas in several of them as he lived among their fathers In Palestine he also became friends with the Granada in Spain where he died in 1992. He is for some time in the 1920s and knowledge of Dutch Jewish homosexual writer and journalist, buried in the Muslim cemetery in Granada. Asad has been passed down to them. One of the Jacob Israel de Haan. De Haan at one time had elders is handed a copy of Road To Mecca been a socialist agitator before becoming a THE FILM which he immediately begins to read. In the Such are the basic facts of his life. Georg Zionist. He moved to Palestine where he came meantime outside the tent the others continue Misch's film provides a sympathetic account into contact with the indigenous orthodox to talk and joke while two manage to mount a of Asad's life, which takes the form of a Jewish community whose presence in the camel (illustrating the difference between their discussion on a number of levels —between country pre-dated Zionist immigration. Under fate and that of their Palestinian kinsman) and history and the present, between Islam and the their influence he became an anti-Zionist and pretend to head off towards Mecca. All through West, and within Islam itself. used his journalism to publicise the existence this scene several camera shots continue to At the outset we are shown a film clip of an in Palestine of a Jewish community which refer back to the elder inside the tent oblivious interview in what seems to be a Ukrainian TV opposed the Zionist project. His articles were to what is happening around him as he remains studio between a Jew and a Muslim, presumably published in Holland and in the Daily Express engrossed in the contents of Asad's book. At after Asad's death in 1992 (the Ukraine is now in London and caused severe embarrassment the end of the scene he asks the Director if he anxious to reclaim him as one of their own). to the Zionist leadership who did not want to can have a copy of the book. Both are asked to give an account of Weiss's confuse the British public regarding their pro- significance to their respective religions. While ject. A general awareness of the existence of a The physical difficulties of attempting to the Muslim applauds his life as one which significant anti-Zionist body of Jewish opinion retrace Asad's first pilgrimage to Mecca teaches tolerance and understanding between in Palestine at this time was a dangerous thing generates another scene at an Israeli checkpoint the West and Islam, the Jew cannot see beyond for the Zionists. In Palestine de Haan was in the West Bank where pilgrims are being the equation of Islam with terrorism. The use warned off, reporting under pain of death, but held up for hours. One man approaches the of counter-balancing situations and viewpoints he persisted in his activities. On 30th June camera and asks what it is about. When told it is utilized excellently throughout the film. The 1924, after dispatching his last Daily Express is a film about Muhammed Asad he immediate- Director also restricts any voice-over to an piece he made his way to the synagogue in the ly reveals a profound knowledge of the man absolute minimum and allows the people Sha'arei Sedeq Hospital where he was in the and his works, even to the extent of knowing themselves to drive the narrative in their own habit of praying twice a day. After finishing his that he was originally an Austrian Jew. The words and predicaments. This is a very effective prayers he was shot dead while leaving the camera crew share part of the bus journey with device and gives it great natural impact in synagogue at the gates of the hospital. His these pilgrims until they are arrested at another terms of tragedy and humour. death had been ordered by the Haganah but Israeli checkpoint because they are not One of the most effective series of scenes was mourned by many orthodox Jews who travelling on a pilgrim's visa. Later, as we centres upon a Bedouin tribesman living in the continue to view him as one of their heroes to approach Mecca along the modern highway in West Bank. He and his family are restricted to this day. Saudi Arabia, the exit road signs display a small enclosed encampment where the It was through de Haan's press contacts that directions for a 'Muslims only' and 'Non Mus- traditional freedom to roam the desert is denied Weiss had managed to get work with the lims" symbolically illustrates the divergence them by the presence of the Israeli Wall and German press and began to write articles for between Islam and the West. Israeli troops. He is shown bewailing the fact the Frankfurter Zeitung. His articles from that in the days of Asad he could ride a camel While many travel to Mecca by road most Palestine and Egypt were highly critical of from there to Mecca without any hindrance, pilgrims arrive at Riyadh Airport. Here, several Zionist and British policies. He had already whereas nowadays . . . The poignancy of his of them talk to camera about Asad and his begun to learn Arabic and studied the Koran situation is amplified by his failed attempt to works. However, there is one discordant voice before undertaking a second journey through mount one of his last remaining two camels. from an Arab Muslim who says that there was the East which this time included Iran and When he falls off he exclaims to God that he something suspicious about Asad and that he Afghanistan. This second journey resulted in has forgotten how to ride a camel—the ultimate was not a good Muslim. Further scenes in the publication of his first work Unroman- failure for the Bedouin. The impact of this Saudi Arabia include a discussion by two tisches Morgenland ("The Unromantic Orient") scene is enhanced by the following scene in Saudi writers, one of whom was a journalist, in in 1924. He converted to Islam in 1926 and which a leading Israeli academic demographer what looks like the Royal coach on a train took the name Muhammad Asad. (whose name I failed to catch), standing on the travelling through the desert. As they sit in After his first pilgrimage to Mecca (during Jewish side of the Wall, unapologetically opulent armchairs they declaim about the which he travelled for months by camel) he declares that the Wall was his idea several importance of Asad to Islam. The journalist's stayed on in Saudi Arabia for several years years previously. He quite openly states that attitude was that, although Asad was an under the protection of King Abd al-Aziz Al the intention of the Wall was the separation of important figure, his teachings were directed Saud (also known as Ibn Saud), who founded Jews on one side and Arabs on the other. Its towards the elite and tended to be irrelevant to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. At this time he realization, however, had to wait on Ariel the poor. In another scene, Ahmed Zaki Yamani was also working as a correspondent in the Sharon's decision to begin the construction. (Saudi Minister of Oil, 1962-1986) also gives Middle East for newspapers in Germany and On the question of Muhammad Asad, of whom his views about Asad's legacy. Asad, he says, Austria. In the early 1930s he went to India he said he knew a little, he said he knows what had pointed to a different path for Saudi Arabia where, under the influence of the poet and the film's Director is attempting to do—he is to develop as a Muslim state. At the beginning philosopher Muhammad Iqbal, he became a trying to depict Asad as a bridge between the of the state, when Asad was the friend of King supporter of the concept of Pakistan as a Jews and the Arabs and using the Wall as a Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, and the character of the separate Islamic state. During the Second World graphic illustration of the alternative. This society had not yet solidified, if Asad's path War he was interned by the British as an enemy project, he says, is an impossibility as the been followed the current preoccupation with alien and at the end of the war, with the birth of Arabs have no actual power to change history. things like the forcible wearing of headscarfs Pakistan, he was appointed director of the He illustrates the argument by pointing to the by women and other unreasonable restrictions Department of Islamic Reconstruction and later fate of the Jews in Germany and Poland. Even would not have happened. head of the Foreign Ministry's Middle East they could not change history he says. "He" The next stage of the journey was Pakistan Department. In 1952 he became the Pakistani meaning the Bedouin tribesman, "cannot where we are introduced to a group of intellect- representative at the United Nations. After change history and will end up keeping his uals who call themselves "Asadians". The being forced out of his position within the year camels purely for the tourists". "Asadians" appear to consist of a small group (of which more later) Asad remained in the The film then moves to the open deserts of of Western-educated individuals who, for the USA where, in 1954, he published a biographi- Saudi Arabia and a meeting of Bedouin elders most part, seemed to be employed by Western cal account of his life under the title The Road in a tent. This provides a graphic counter- universities. At a meeting in Lahore one of To Mecca. He subsequently moved to the positioning of the open spaces of the Bedouin's them was almost in tears as he proclaimed his Lebanon and then Switzerland where he began life outside Israel's occupied territories with sorrow as an emigrant at the current state of working on an English translation of the Koran the restricted enclosures of the Bedouin in the Pakistan. It was unclear what he was referring in Geneva in 1960. The translation of the West Bank. There then follows a discussion to as the film was shot when Musharraf was 23 still in power, but he was probably referring to his grave is designed to encapsulate the entire illusion on the part of leading Islamic scholars the power battle between the Pakistani judiciary story of Asad's struggle to overcome rigid with Asad. The feeling was that he was drifting and the state. The one woman in the group Islamic interpretation of the Koran. The Muslim from them. Asad's first printed exploration of vouched for Asad's superior translation of the keeper of the graveyard objects to the height of Islamic thought was his pamphlet Islam At The Koran using his account of the role of women Asad's gravestone claiming it infringes Islamic Crossroads, which was published in March as an example. While Asad translated the law. We are left with Asad's secretary dismis- 1934. In this work Asad made the case for relevant passage as saying that man must be sing such an interpretation, claiming it says no Islam against the West. He refers to the histori- the provider for the woman, previous such thing in the Koran. He replaces the cal echoes of Imperialism and the Crusades translations had claimed it said man must have headstone to its original height—in death it and blames Western orientalists for their dominance over the woman. A bookshop is would appear that Asad's struggle with Islamic distortions of Islam. The pamphlet was very also visited to confirm the ongoing popularity orthodoxy continues. influential in its day and went through several of Asad's books in the country. reprints in the course of the 1940s and 1950s. THE OUTCOME In some quarters it is claimed to have influenced Asad's role in Pakistan's early history is Overall, Georg Misch's film is enjoyable, certain threads of what has now become known linked to the fact that the filming took place on informative, moving, humorous and certainly as Islamic fundamentalist thought— and around the country's Independence Day worth seeing. The film is constructed around particularly in the area of 'Crusaderism'. (14 August). His official position in its early the casting of Muhammad Asad as the tragic Government is mentioned but the manner of figure who managed to develop and explore In later years, as he refined his interpretation his dismissal as the country's UN representative Islam in a way that provides a pathway for a of Islam, he was to distance himself from the is not explained, beyond the fact that it was the better understanding between Islam and the political contents of this pamphlet describing result of enemies plotting against him. This is West. Unfortunately, nobody is listening. the it as a "harsh book". Increasingly, he had probably the most disingenuous part of the implication being that Islam has been hijacked nothing political to say to the Muslim world film. Although there is no official account of by an orthodoxy which distorts the Koran to its and what he did say was not designed to bridge why he was dismissed, there is enough circum- own ends and the West, responding to the any gaps. For instance, when commenting on stantial evidence to point to a logical results of actions based on that distorted the toppling of the Shah of Iran in 1979, he explanation. The film does not reveal this but orthodoxy, refuses to properly engage with the described Khomeini as being worse than the it seems that, while he was working as the Muslim world. According to this model, it is Shah. Again, the conflicts caused by the Pakistani UN representative in New York, he the Muslims who must bear the greatest expansionist policies of the Israeli state did not renewed contact with his Israeli Jewish family. responsibility for the situation. appear to exercise him and in 1981 he was It is not known who initiated the contact but Although the film stimulates a sympathy for quoted as saying "it is possible that if I would Aryeh Feigenbaum (whom we came across Asad and takes us some way towards under- come into contact with Arabs today for the first earlier), had a daughter, Hemdah (1916-1989) standing the plight of Muslims at the hands of time, I would not be attracted to them". The who was living in the city at the same time. Her the West, it falls short of providing any real irony was that, as Asad's thinking went in one husband was Harry (Zvi) Zindar (1909-1991) insight into why Asad's type of liberal Islamic direction, the world went in another. As his who was Press Officer at the Israeli Information teaching fails to find root in the Muslim world. refinement of Islamic thought became less Office (he later became Director of the Voice Asad's finished template was one that was politically critical of the West, the more of Israel). Zindar was in regular touch with inevitably forged within the sensibilities of aggressively anti-Islamic did the West became. Mossad and would dine with Asad in "out of Western values and was the result of his own Asad's search became one of a purely spiritual the way" restaurants and regularly entertained journey within Islam. odyssey at the expense of his original political him to dinner in their Forest Hills home (Asad The question: did Muslims desert Asad or understanding of the relationship between Islam even attended their son's Bar Mitvah). The did Asad desert the Muslims was one that and the West. The answer to the question "did conversations at these events were conveyed deserved an exploration within the terms of the Muslims desert Asad or did Asad desert the by Zindar to Mossad. Although he knew Asad film. Yet it was avoided and in the process of Muslims?" is that it was probably a combination remained an unequivocal enemy of Israel, its avoidance made it impossible to formulate of both. Zindar believed that it might be possible to get any coherent understanding of the man or the him to soften his stance. Mossad felt that, reason for the breakdown of relations between The shortcoming of the film is that given Asad's positive standing within the him and the world he claimed to have embraced. these aspects of Asad's life and personality Pakistani Foreign Ministry, it would be worthwhile making an attempt to recruit him. The evidence of the growing rift is not hard are not explored. If they were, the central An ideological inducement was out of the to find. This is a Pakistani Muslim teacher facts of the failure of understanding question but perhaps a monetary one would writing in 1961: between Islam and the West would very bear fruit. Zindar concluded that this would be "I have great respect for [Asad's] expos- quickly become obvious. The popularity a waste of time and would only alienate him. ition of Islamic ideas and especially his of Islamic fundamentalism today is the Although there is no evidence that Asad ever criticism of Western culture and its material- direct result of the Middle Eastern policies consciously assisted Zindar in providing istic philosophies. I am sorry to say how- of the West driven by the USA and Israel. information useful to the Israelis, the mere fact ever, that although in the early days of his It is these policies which have created the of his regular contact with someone associated conversion, he was a staunch, practicing conditions on the ground for the emergence Muslim, gradually he drifted close to the with Mossad would have compromised him as of an Islamic fundamentalism capable of far as the Pakistani authorities were concerned. ways of the so-called 'progressive' Muslim This provides the only logical explanation of just like the 'reformed' Jews. Recently his calling to action significant numbers of why he was cast adrift by Pakistan in late 1952. divorce from his Arab wife and marriage to Muslims in all parts of the world. Asad's He never returned to Pakistan. a modern American girl hastened this pro- increasing concentration upon his own cess of deviation more definitely… Once a spiritual journey meant a loss of any Asad's subsequent travels to the Lebanon, man begins to live the life of a true Muslim, political understanding he once possessed. Switzerland, Morocco, Portugal and Spain are all his capabilities lose their 'market value.' This loss meant that he could not compre- passed over fairly quickly. His stay in Tangiers He is the same sad story with Muhammad hend the forces that were providing the (where he completed his English translation of Asad, who has always been accustomed to fertile soil for the development of a form the Koran after 15 years work) is recounted by a high and modern standard of living and of Islam to which he had nothing to say. In two elderly women who are part of the Jewish after embracing Islam, had to face the community in the city. It appears that he severest financial difficulties. As a result, the end all he saw was a people who had regularly visited one of them and would bring he was forced to make one compromise turned their back on him and did not cake in true Viennese fashion. They knew he after another." (Maududi (Lahore) to deserve his teaching. He ended as a tragic had been an Islamic convert from Judaism but Margaret Marcus (Maryam Jameelah), 25 solitary figure moving ever Westward both struggled to know what motivated his conver- Feb. 1961. In Maryam Jameelah, Corres- politically and geographically. sion. His time in Spain at the end of his life is pondence between Maulana Maudoodi and hardly touched upon beyond the fact of his Maryam Jameelah (Delhi, Crescent A DVD of the film will be out later in the burial in the Muslim cemetery in Granada. The Publicity, 1969). year available via the Amazon German website. final scene where his old driver/secretary visits As early as 1961 there was a growing dis- Eamon Dyas 24 · Biteback · Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback

or to go with the rest of us. Tough call. They ism within the State machinations. In the (Part 3) Judicial Swipes think we don't want a State! The people's past, this distracted from, assisted in and The following letter was submitted to the mood is one like a Romanian crowd chanting sustained the nexus of support for institution- Irish Times but did not find publication "Freedom, Democracy" over and over again alized mass rape. Societal Genocide. Who and it is 1991. We are bounded into a will take the Irish State to the war crimes And then the other thing. This tradition- traditionalist State of Nature here as far as tribunal in The Hague? Can the Vatican as alist set all have the jibs of their cowardly the writer's generation can see. Political State be brought to International Justice? sick political progenitors (yea....their auld Primitivism theory rules the ephemeral of The writer would guess they have the legal fellas) who engaged in the nexus of cover the Cabinet. How could you even join a risks of such a challenge wrapped up already up and protection of pedophiles, who raped political party? after 2000 years. However, Nazis did have a and committed acts of necrophilia on those Civilised citizenry, respectful of quality justice placed upon their heads. children, made the living dead through law in spirit, want environmentally progres- These dire paradigms continue today in dehumanising brutality in a church-state sive social economic cohesion through a Ireland into a totalitarian type of leadership disparate democratic state administration i.e. projectism currently manifest and presented mind-murder complex. Irish poverty direct democratic access to power decisions as liberal micro business proliferation via culture, with the depraved power class, and legislation creation systems. This would American electronic technology corporate judicial progenitors (including...yea...... modernize business regulation beyond all focus. This is not intrinsically negative as it their auld fellas), perpetuated the totalitar- competitors' legislative bodies. Regulation creates liberalised employment infrastruct- ian complex with all citizenry reduced into will be kingmaker for the writer's kind of ures and broadly speaking, is socially positive. a State of Nature and behaviourally political leader. All the Devil gives us are What should also be happening is an contained into a socialised guilt complex idle democratic statist executive propa- immediate Cabinet-driven environmentally of ignorant and sexually self-hating com- gandists and a centrist power-obsessed -sustainable National energy project for plicity. The writer's mother walked by a executive through poster democrats who completeness of energy independence. Cur- local institution in the 1940. She was 9 use democracy as a poster story plaything rent Green policy and effect is only scratching years old and was told that, "it's where they perpetuating the other national weakness of the surface. The Greens in cabinet are political keep bastards". The writer saw such Irish political party patronage. They are minnows. All-Ireland energy engineering mindsets in 1980s in his home town and supported in this by all elements of the Irish projects on a scale not seen before in the was lucky not to be physically dehuman- media, particularly the loyal Statist Irish State's history must be initiated. Energy ized. National life as death-cult? Fear- Times, which along with the IPR, is the only security and environmental sustainability on driven amoral idolatry? They didn't com- paper the writer buys. He should get it for a global scale is a problem of object reality. mit mass rape (or rapes at masses) after the free, and probably read other papers too. Also, a totality of agrarian expansion is Ireland's current democracy is a power needed as food security policy for all citizens Famine, and that was a pretty bad time to diversionary trick. Only the courts give sustainably into the next 70 years without the be about the place. people an idea of justice and faith in what we need to import foodstuff commodities which The above reality reads like Constitu- Irish call our democracy. But it will be good can be grown here. This can save the farming tional subversion and seditious conspiracy to to get the current crowd out within the next communities being strangled within the EEA, the writer, with the power and economic 6-12 months. within CAP mere marketeering. Their classes acting like enemies of the people. A It is the Parliament that should be enabled problems are serious and real. Food security, disgrace of our civilization, comparable to to hold the executive by the neck. The Senate pricing regulation, and supply-chain econo- the debasement of the old colonial masters. should round out the State ensuring the frolics mic distortions, on a global scale, are problems But the Constitution protects the Nation's of the junior emanations are matured and of objective reality. Sovereign Body, and the other emanations of seasoned. Currently the Senate is perceived The cabinet's energy, focus of determina- state, not so much the people (or women's as a dumping ground for the colourful and tion and old-fashioned concentration, taught right to work, or children, or queers, or queens, useless. It is effectively, by actor allocation, to the writer by a good christian brother, or lesbians, or single mothers). It references and student parental voting, and obvious should be directed intently to such great Jesus Christ and a church demeaned by its administrative systems structuring deficit, National projects with deep deliverance of functionaries as church of Anti-Christ. One powerless. Our State should not be this way. citizenry participation. Not merely the cannot subvert or be convicted for seditious The body executive bites its smiles smugly privateers. Generational and societal con- conspiracy against the people the writer when talking about popular modern partici- solidation is required. understands. Tough luck. Why they did not patory democracy as people power. Modern The Parliamentary under-democratisation put that in? It might have come to be known power distribution systems exist in modern creates a sick curse which riddles the State, as a "Constitutional oxymoron"? I suppose European countries, but not here. they might have lost their jobs in the Execu- the body politic and public life. The The Irish Parliament is under-democratised, diseased State cries out: "A new Constitu- tive more easily too. That sounds like a good and will be superfluous in the oncoming idea at this stage in our generation's history. tional Settlement, Reform the Constitution, economic NAMA war theatre. The power Reform the Parliament, Reform the Our generation. goal of the actors is to own the recovery for Executive, Reform the Senate, Reform the The BBC have gone more native than political posterity. That is all that matters to usual and started using the term "the people". the traditionalist statists. The unemployment state administrative bodies!" REFORM! Like an auld Times tendency, they too body count that this war causes is just free REFORM! REFORM! Traditionalists are instinctually are going for a more power- market cyclical collateral to them. Contain- dumb to this and tactic through the gaps in centrist executive angle, reporting that the ment of the situation until the next cycle their silence. The old man's back again. "mother of all Parliaments" has been over comes around is primary. Society does not The Long Fella. He is an expansionist and democratised over the last 20 years. Here in seem to exist to them. It is economic he consumes. The Constitution protects the Republic, Irish punditry and the media modelling and the Irish-American Chamber the sick executive power complex. They haven't a clue what is going on or what to say of Commerce they are interesting in. won't let go. Right now they are called about the sick State functioning and practice The National Sovereign Body Parliament Fianna Fail. This time their church is full in concise deconstruction. Even the Irish being bounded and constricted coupled with of child rapists. Dr. Woods let them off in Times is grasping at where to put its feet, an excessively handed and real national twenty minutes. Who is raping who, young whether to go native with the anti-liberal democratic inertia provides sustenance to man? You are the guilty. traditionalist religious power centrist statists, administrative asymmetric power traditional- Tom Sheridan 2009, Copyright 25 It is not that the Ministers and Taoisigh hadn't the funds and that too is unarguably did not know. They must have known true. But try saying that to a baying mob! Does because a great many of them were and Truth such as that on occasions the It are lawyers. Voices in the wilderness were children were committed for misbehav- Stack Judge Charles Gavin Duffy and John Kelly iour. One man told me that he, as a child, Up TD who did draw attention to the awful was "a blackguard and that his mother in ? situation, only to be ignored by politicians Court said she could not control him and and lawyers who seem to prefer to hide so the Judge put him in the Reformatory". behind the thicket of obfuscation provided Another man told me his fellow-inmates LAW REFORM The Law Reform Commission is still by obsolete UK Acts. were the worst abusers of each other. "The labouring on. Lawyers have a gift of keep- Brothers were always trying to keep ing themselves occupied ad aeternum with RTE order". I am satisfied that in the long run, whatever project is entrusted to their care RTE has done it wrong again. On 30th Truth will be again established. All the and law reform in Ireland seems to be a June 2009, the national broadcaster Orders kept records and so did the Courts. perpetually ongoing process. A person of attempted to pay tribute to the late Sean The present emphasis on 'the extraordinary' commonsense might think of a simple Lemass, former Taoiseach. He was not a suggests a complex reflex in our own way to get rid of old laws such as 'all laws lawyer. He started off as a soldier in present society, added to which of course made prior to 1921 by the UK Parliament Oglaigh na hEireann, the national army. there is pure greed about money—a huge are hereby declared to be of no force or He later became a TD and a very pragmatic motivating factor for some in tall tales of effect from the date of the passing of this and capable Minister and Taoiseach. When strange abusive nature. Some suggest that act'. the economy rapidly improved in the 1960s the more awful the accounts are, the more But no. That would be too simple for and 1970s he self-deprecatingly said "the money the victims got, but it was the the lawyers. Yet there are thousands of rising tide (of international trade) lifts all lawyers who gained the most. It has been UK laws of ancient vintage still "on the boats". The RTE programme opened with suggested that The Ryan Report will Statute Book", even though they are con- the narrator saying Lemass was a "gun- eventually cost the State up to €100 mil- sidered obsolete, and the Law Reform man". This, and the way in which it was lion. Furthermore, it has been reported Commission is going through them one said, was a travesty. As was the picture of that four members of that commission by one. It could take forever, especially as the death of a British soldier accompanying remain in situ, in unexplained circumstances. the available staff of competent lawyers is the statement implying Lemass shot him. It is true to say that people in the cities small. Recently, a heave was discerned Lemass is one of our major important knew that there were Reformatories: and there is movement with a proposal to personalities of the past century. Why youngsters were threatened with being repeal about 4,800 obsolete laws which does RTE have to treat Irish history and sent to where bad children went. are described by the Department of the the Irish people with such insolence and In some cases orphans also ended up in Taoiseach as "technically still on the such casual insults? some of the Schools if there were no Statute Book but have become irrelevant family able to keep them. The Protestant community had these over the centuries". THE RYAN REPORT Hopefully, among the irrelevant statutes The Ryan Report has renewed the Institutions also and Protestants are keep- to be abolished is the enactment which baying of the herd for blood. The media ing their heads down in case the mob empowers the English Prince of Wales to are feeding on it like pigs when food is comes for them next. But the lawyers are declare himself Chancellor of Trinity thrown before them. The truth is trampled rapacious and already I have heard stories College, Dublin. This power was thought underfoot and it is not allowed to get in the in West Cork that some former Protestant to be appropriate 300 years ago when way of a good story. children sent to Homes, now grown up, TCD was a seminary for clergy for the Truth, such as that Industrial Schools are beginning to talk about their own new Protestant Church of which the King were State institutions under the super- injustice. It seems ominous. Just now it is or Queen of England was the Head. As I vision of the Department of Justice and the time for kicking the Catholic Church write, the present Prince of Wales, Charles Education. The religious Brothers and and The Ryan Report is another handy Windsor has still the power. Still on the Nuns took on the job in an attempt to "save cudgel to do it with. But why should it be Irish Statute Book are the laws under the souls" of those children committed to Catholics who get all the money? It seems which Roger Casement, an Irishman, was the Schools by the State's Courts usually some of that might now have to be ear- held in an English Court to be guilty of because the case was made that the children marked for the Protestants. treason under The Treason Act of 1351— had got out of control of their parents. For Michael Stack also of 1695, 1795, and 1848—even a myriad of social reasons—a lot to do though the Rising in Ireland in 1916 could with poverty which was widespread all The IFA should issue an not have been "…to compass, imagine, over Europe in those days—the children invite to the Palestinians invent, devise, or intend death or destruct- ended up in these Schools. One person ion or any bodily harm tending to death or said that they already were damaged before The following letter by David Morrison destruction, maiming or wounding, im- they ever entered these institutions and he appeared in the Irish News and the prisonment or restraint of the person of was bayed down—yet he spoke the truth. Andersonstown News the Sovereign…" (i.e. Sovereign of And parents too were sometimes complicit One thing is sure about the forthcoming England.) in their children's removal—again for football match between Northern Ireland Also still on the Statute Book in Ireland many reasons. and Israel on August 12: the certain winner are laws prohibiting Catholics from own- Truth, like the religious orders were will be the Israeli government's propa- ing land and holding certain important underpaid and the schools were under- ganda machine. positions. funded. Advantage was taken by the State Israel craves the cloak of respectability It is good to have these laws repealed of the desire of the Orders to do the work that participation in sporting and cultural now but how can politicians expect to be as "God's Work". The archives are full of events gives it, much as the Apartheid treated as professionals when each of the begging letters from Brothers, Priests, and regime in South Africa did during its dark main political parties did nothing in the Nuns asking the State for funding—mostly heyday. Unfortunately, the IFA is helping previous eighty years about these patently ignored by the State on behalf of its them in that process by staging this repressive and nationally insulting Acts? citizens. One can argue that the State "friendly" game. 26 VERDICT continued Deputy Finian McGrath, Damian O'Far- rell, polled the highest number of first CORK preference votes in the city ward of Real Minimum Wage Of the 31 Councillors elected to Cork Clontarf in Dublin, 4,194 votes. Already Cut By 4% City hall: four are Sinn Fein. Mr. O'Farrell openly spoke about the Mick Barry of the Socialist Party abuse he suffered at a Christian Brothers The following letter was published by the school. Sunday Business Post on July 26, 2009, recorded the biggest per centage first but with the titled altered by the editor to preference vote in either the city or county, Another victim of clerical abuse, writer read Minimum Rate Already Frozen over 26% of the vote. and actor Mannix Flynn took a seat in the The clarion cry from Dr. Peter Bacon Ted Tynan, Workers' Party, is back in South East inner city in Dublin. for a cut in the minimum wage is based on City Hall after an absence of 25 years, His campaign was "advised and partly an "analysis" which, if it exists it all, is along with four Independent Councillors. run" by former PD member, Senator Fiona decidedly faulty. The minimum wage was Fianna Fail is now down to six O'Malley. equivalent to €5.59 per hour whenfirst Councillors, their lowest representation introduced in April 2000. In the meantime, ever in Cork City hall. ****************************************************************************** average industrial earnings for manual In the Cork City South West ward, EUROPEAN ELECTIONS (5.6.2009) workers increased by 60 percent up to the John Buttimer of Fine Gael polled 2,070 % of first preferences votes by parties final quarter of last year. If there had been whilst his Fine Gael running mate, Lord Turnout: 57.6% a pro rata adjustment in the minimum Mayor Brian 'Poppy' Bermingham got a Fine Gael: 29.1%—(4 seats) wage, it would have been set at €8.95 poor 575 first preference votes and had to Fianna Fail: 24.1%—(3 seats) from this January. wait for the completion of the 4th count to Labour: 13.9%—(3 seats) As we all know, or should know, it has Sinn Fein: 11.2% (0 seats) be re-elected on the elimination of another in fact been frozen for the past two years at Fine Gael minnow. Green Party: 1.9% (0 seats) Other: 19.7%—(2 seats) €8.65 since July 2007. From May of this Meanwhile, over in the seven-seater ****************************************************************************** year, the Minister for Finance subjected it Cork South East ward, ex-Lord Mayor LOCAL ELECTIONS (5.6.2009) to a 2 percent income levy, reducing the and Poppy bearer, Donal Counihan could % of first preferences votes by parties take-home minimum wageto €8.48 per only garner half a quota, 729 first preferen- hour. On top of that, the Harmonised ces and was booted out after the 5th count, Turnout: 57.7% Fine Gael: 32.3%—+3.8% (340 seats) Index of Consumer Prices increased by his voted dropped to half the level of 2004. Fianna Fail: 24.4%—-7.8% (219 seats) 1.8 percent between July 2007 and June "After 24 years service on Cork City Labour: 14.6%—+2.7% (132 seats) of this year. Minimum wage earners have, Council, I'm disappointed,' he said. "It Sinn Fein: 7.3%—-0.1% (55 seats) accordingly, already suffered a 4 percent was hard work but little flamboyancy," Green Party: 2.3%—-1.5% (3 seats) cut in their living standards. said Donal. Other: 18.0%—+3.7% (134 seats) There is no evidence that a single job His only flamboyant gesture (apart from ****************************************************************************** has been lost because of the minimum an invite to John Major), was that of a THE DAIL wage. Small wonder. The latest CSO data Fianna Fail Lord Mayor wearing a Royal 166 seats shows that the percentage of industrial British Legion poppy. Surely a political The Ceann Comhairle (Fianna Fail) (1) workers covered by that rate fell from 2.5 quiz question for years to come. The Government: 84 TDs* percent in the first quarter of 2007 to 1.6 Fianna Fail: 75 percent in the final quarter of last year. "From Flanders Field to the South Green Party: 6 East ward, they're cutting the generals The call by Dr. Bacon for still further Progressive Dem: 2 (Harney, Grealish) minimum wage cuts, accompanied by a down". Independents: 2 (Lowry, Healy-Rae) variety of "good cop, bad cop" echoes INDEPENDENTS * Pat "The Cope" Gallagher elected MEP, resigns In the North Tipperary constituency, from assorted Government Ministers, is The Opposition: 80 TDs as economically ignorant as it is ethically candidates from the Michael 'Offshore' Fine Gael: 52 Lowry camp won four County Council indecent. Labour: 20 Manus O'Riordan seats and three Town Council seats. Sinn Fein: 4 Lowry claimed "…his party was now Head of Research Independents: 4 (Behan, McDaid, SIPTU bigger than the Green Party nationally". McGrath, O'Sullivan) Liberty Hall The former campaign manager for ******************************************************************************

In 1967, Israel invaded and occupied Palestinian football team, which has to 3-0 defeat for Palestine. Worse was to Palestinian lands. 42 years later these lands operate under the severe restrictions of follow in the 2010 qualifying when the are still under Israeli military occupation. Israeli occupation – and little or no second leg of a play-off against Singapore What is more, contrary to international financial resources. Apart from one match had to be called off because of Israeli law, Israel has built numerous Jewish against Jordan, it has never played a game travel restrictions on players. settlements there on land expropriated at home. It is next to impossible to organise If the IFA is interested in "sport for all", from Palestinians. The building continues training at home for the entire squad it should organise a friendly match with today and now there are around 500,000 because of travel restrictions between the Palestine at Windsor Park and donate the Jewish settlers living on the West Bank. West Bank and Gaza imposed by Israel, or whole gate money to the Palestine Football Israel has simply ignored United Nations abroad, because of the denial of exit visas Federation. But the IFA would be well Security Council resolutions demanding by Israel. The Palestine Football Feder- advised to get an assurance from Israel in that it cease settlement building and ation was recognised by FIFA in 1998 and advance that it will not deny the Palestinian remove its settlers from Palestinian lands. entered for the 2002, 2006 and 2010 World players exit visas, lest the match have to That is the behaviour of the state, whose Cups. Qualification for the 2006 finals be cancelled at the last minute. football team the IFA has invited to play was greatly hampered by Israel's refusal David Morrison, in Belfast. Northern Ireland fans, and the of exit visas to almost half the squad for a National Committee, IFA, should spare a thought for the match against Uzbekistan, which led to a Ireland Palestine Solidarity

27 Donald's seat in Dublin, Toireasa Ferris stronghold, a further swing to the left has VERDICT continued received the third highest first preference emerged, with 16 of the 33 seats in the vote in Ireland South and was eliminated area under the control of left-leaning desire of the Labour Party to take a seat in on the 7th of eight counts. parties. Speaking after the gains, Joe Higgins North Tipperary, the obvious candidate is THE GREENS Alan Kelly, but can HQ persuade him to "The opposition don't need them and of the Socialist Party, who was also elected leave Brussels and at what price? voters don't want them" (Irish Examiner, in Castleknock, said the result signalled a Alan Kelly's replacement candidates 8.6.2009). new dawn in Irish politics. "It's clear that working people and are Councillor Arthur J. Spring, Tralee; Would the Green Party retain even one unemployed people and pensioners are Senator Phil Prendergast, Clonmel; Cllr. of their six Dail seats if we had a General Joe Leddin, Limerick; Cllr. Virginia taking their revenge on Fianna Fáil and Election in the morning? the Green party for saddling them with O'Dowd, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary and Mark While Fianna Fail has been reduced to Khan from Cork city. the burden of a jobs crisis and a crash that its core vote, the Green Party must be Fianna Fáil's economy caused, that those wondering if it even has a core any longer. people had absolutely nothing to do with. DISCLOSURE OF DONATIONS The party has lost all its city and county "People haven't just voted for Disclosure of donations to political Council seats in Dublin, as well as single establishment parties in opposition to the parties fell to the lowest level in 12 years. seats in Carlow and in Galway city. In all Government, they've also voted for the The 2008 figure was €96,523. they lost 15 of their 18 Councillors. left in increasing numbers showing the The maximum value of donations which search for an alternative economic and a political party can accept from the same THE LEFT The force behind the People Before social policy," he said. donor in the same year is €6,348.69. SOCIALIST PARTY No amounts for 2008 were disclosed Profit Alliance, Richard Boyd Barrett, has said the left-wing swing in the Local Following the dramatic victory of Joe by the Labour Party or Fine Gael or other Higgins, the Socialist Party leader, over smaller parties. Individual donations were Elections can be a springboard for a new political movement. both Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein to take a disclosed by Sinn Fein and Green Party Euro seat in Dublin, an old comrade representatives. Across the country almost one in five people backed a candidate outside the remarked that: "Joe will probably enjoy SINN FEIN main political parties. the somewhat sterile atmosphere of "At a time when the crisis is having a The PBP Alliance won five Council Strasbourg": the present writer believes big impact on Sinn Féin's target commun- seats in three Dublin Local Authorities, Joe won't be in Strasbourg for very long, ities, it gained no new seats. With the including one for Mr. Boyd Barrett, he will be back to fight the next General post-election resignation of Christy Burke crowning significant victories for left- Election and that is for sure! from the party, it is today actually weaker His first two replacements: Clare Daly than it was five years ago. wing groups nationally. In Dublin, independent by-election and Ruth Coppinger won't be filling his "Taken together with the other setbacks boots, they are local Councillors and they of the disappointing 2007 general candidate Maureen O'Sullivan scored a stunning victory and Socialist Party leader too will have their eye on a Dail seat. election, the loss of Mary Lou McDonald's But Mick Murphy, a sitting SP Council- European seat and the failure of European Joe Higgins polled impressively in the city's European elections. lor in Tallaght Central who surprisingly candidate Pádraig MacLochlainn to win lost his seat could answer the call! a seat, Sinn Féin is at a low point" (Sunday Mr. Higgins' party won three Council Business Post, 21.6.2009). seats in Dublin and in Cork city party I NDEPENDENTS "Sinn Fein is now arguably less relevant colleague Mick Barry was elected on the More than 100 Independents have taken in the Republic than at any time since it first count. seats on City and County Councils—this was founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith" Separately, Damien Farrell was elected is a significant portion out of a total of 883 (Irish Independent, 9.6.2009). under the banner of Independent TD Finian seats. In the Dunshaughlin electorate of So the Irish Independent has finally McGrath in Dublin. Sinn Féin, while suffering in Dublin, Meath County Council, the former Labour conceded, after years of denial, that Provi- Party TD and SIPTU official, Brian Fitz- sional Sinn Fein are the genuine lineal made gains in Limerick. In Leitrim Sinn Féin held two seats, as gerald, an opponent of the Labour Party/ descendants of the party founded by Arthur Democratic Left merger polled a whopping Griffith. Well done! did a pair of independents. Mr. Boyd Barrett said if the swell of 2,410 votes to take the first seat. support behind alternative candidates In Tipperary South, the Workers' and "And although I think that it would Unemployed Action Group led by former have been better if all those elected to the could be harnessed there is potential for a TD Seamus Healy took five out of 12 seats European Parliament has been supporters national alliance which could become a of the Lisbon Treaty, I am glad that it was force in the Dáil. in Clonmel town Council, (43.3% of first preferences). Joe Higgins (about whom I was happy to "People Before Profit is our attempt to hear some of his opponents speaking bring principled left-wing political groups Healy lost his seat in the General Elect- most warmly on Sunday night), who won together in a way that people understand ion to Martin Mansergh but now has a the seat rather than the Sinn Fein and we are open to discussions with other solid platform for a return to Leinster candidate" (Garret FitzGerald, Irish groups. House. Times, 10.6.2009). "Although it is modest, what we have Declan Bree, the former Sligo Labour "Clearly the gloss has gone off Sinn achieved in winning five seats shows T.D. topped the poll in his Sligo borough Fein in our part of Ireland: they are no there is a brand of left-wing politics there Council and was also elected to Sligo longer flavour of the month and may in and it is possible to create a new model. County Council on the first count. the period ahead see their share of the "We want to build quickly on that and REPUBLICAN SINN FEIN national vote declining further" (Garret if we can do that we are in a position to Tomas O Curraoin gained Republican FitzGerald, Irish Times, 13.6.2009). win half a dozen seats and become a Sinn Fein's only public authority seat for On Dublin City Council, Sinn Fein lost significant force in the Dáil," he said. the Connemara area on Galway County 3 seats and another seat in Fingal. In Fingal County Council in North Council. An unemployed man, Tomas Despite the loss of Mary Lou Mc Dublin, traditionally a FG and Fianna Fáil took the sixth seat with 2,050 votes. continued on page 27 28 VERDICT continued stand on major decisions, such as the leen O'Meara as Labour's candidate in the deposit guarantee and public sector levy. constituency. "Whenever possible support for Kelly, a 33-year old native of Portroe, its intelligent vote management strategy tough decisions has been withheld and North Tipperary is a University College despite a veritable 'civil war' between the the magic formula of “the rich should Cork graduate, with a BA in English and Blaney and McDaid camps. pay more” has been deployed with History; a Masters in Political History and Overall, Fine Gael increased its vote by increasing abandon. an MBS in eCommerce from University 7% in Donegal but gained only a single "Unlike the 1980s and 1990s, Labour College, Cork. seat. has worked hard to leave as little room as "His brother, Declan is a public rela- The Labour Party increased its vote to possible on its left flank for a significant tions executive in New York and cam- 7%—a jump of just over 6% since 2004. protest party to emerge. This was the role Sinn Féin saw for itself and, five years paigned for Hillary Clinton last year" It secured two seats on Donegal County (Irish Times, 9.6.2009). Council, including Frank McBrearty, Jnr. ago, it was seen by many as an almost who was framed by the Garda in 1996. unstoppable machine" (Sunday Business Senator Alan Kelly hit the headlines Despite a drop in their vote Sinn Fein Post, 21.6.2009). when he topped last year's Standards in have now four County Councillors in The Labour Party secured a 15.7% share Public Office Commission list for dis- Donegal, up one seat. in the Local Elections with an exception- closable political donations. ally good result in Dublin. "Mr. Kelly is running an uncharacter- FIANNA FAIL Labour leader Eamon Gilmore hailed istically well-resourced campaign for a Fianna Fail lost more than 80 seats it as its best Local Election result. Labour Party candidate. He topped the since the 2004 Local Elections, which The Labour Party trebled its number of donations league table in the Oireachtas itself represented a loss of 80 on that result Euro Parliamentary seats. Proinsias de last year, taking in €35,310 or nearly a of five years earlier. The party now has Rossa, the former leader of the Workers' quarter of all the declared donations. "But he has spent the money wisely, approximately 220 local Councillors, Party retained his Dublin seat; Nessa damn nearly half of what the party had 20 establishing his name as a brand with the Childers, a former Green Party Councillor, public. The interaction with Labour's local years ago. was elected for Ireland East and Senator election campaign on the ground has also The Fianna Fail vote was 25.4%, down Alan Kelly of Nenagh had a dramatic proved fruitful" (Irish Independent, from the 32% of the 2004 Local Elections. victory in Munster (Ireland South). 14.5.2009). Nearly one quarter of all electoral areas "Eamon Gilmore described Nessa "Looking at the European election in the four Dublin Local Authority areas Childers, the successful Euro Labour campaign, it has to be said that Senator will now be without Fianna Fail represent- Party candidate in Ireland East as a person Kelly ran one of the most high-profile, ation, whilst the Labour Party claims to be 'whom he would like to see carry the high-visibility—and expensive— the biggest party in the capital. Labour Party values' into the European campaigns" (Evening Echo, Cork, Fianna Fail have lost control of all but Parliament" (Irish Times, 9.6.2009). 6.6.2009). seven Local Authorities: Leitrim, Donegal, A Labour resurgence in Kerry North, "When Alan Kelly held off Dick Limerick, North Tipperary, Meath, Kerry marked by a poll-topping performance by Spring's nephew Arthur to secure the and Clare, all but one you could describe Arthur J. Spring, a nephew of Dick Spring, Labour nomination last autumn, it as being West of the Shannon: or an an old could provide a serious challenge to Sinn appeared he didn't have a hope. "But Mr. Kelly fought a superb Fianna Fail veteran might hum "… to hell Fein in the Kerry North Dail seat. campaign, coordinated well with the local or to …! Young Spring topped the poll in both 40 ex-Fianna Fail candidates who stood organisation across Munster, but it was the Tralee County and Town electorates. also well-resourced" (Irish Independent, as Independents gained seats despite being However, Toireasa Ferris was hot on his rejected by Party HQ for selection. 9.6.2009). heels on both occasions—getting elected "He even remembered to thank the ****************************************************************************** on the first count in each poll. media for their coverage of the campaign. "I had come to the view that it would "His opinion isn't outdated like lino in "There was stoney silence, as the media take something akin to a revolution to kitchens were hardly going to applaud themselves, drop the Fianna Fail core vote to below And women like to say he looks like and too many ordinary party members about 33%. But it happened. The Brian O'Driscoll". and canvassers view the media with deep biggest question has to be—is there a That was new Ireland South Labour suspicion. way back?" (Fergus Finlay, Irish "But the new MEP, who ran an Examiner, 8.6.2009). MEP, Senator Alan Kelly's rap song launched on YouTube the week before his extremely successful PR campaign, ****************************************************************************** knows what side his bread is buttered on" election to Brussels. (Evening Echo, Cork, 13.6.2009). LABOUR PARTY Senator Alan Kelly's success was "Labour was also a big winner—in undoubtedly one of the great achievements Alan Kelly had more posters than pot fact, you could argue that it has gained for the Labour Party in these elections. He holes in Munster. Nobody was more the greatest momentum from the elections surprised to win a seat than Alan himself because it has finally put in place a set of was a rank outsider weeks before the June : bar one, perhaps, his millionaire brother, young and credible candidates to replace 5th elections. Labour hadn't held a seat in Cork Examiner ageing TDs, and to target pick-ups. Munster since Eileen Desmond lost her Declan Kelly, the former "Eamon Gilmore—who was once a seat, after one term in 1981. And last time reporter and now a resident Madison student firebrand as well as a leading out, the Labour vote dropped to a pathetic Avenue media guru. member in Sinn Féin the Workers' Party four per cent. An opposing candidate, Ned O'Keeffe and its successors—is proving to be a Kelly's 64,152 first preference vote of Fianna Fail, has referred to the massive very effective leader. made party history by being the largest expenditure in the Labour campaign in "What he seems to understand is that, ever secured by a Labour party candidate Munster. first and foremost, Labour must be visible in Munster. In 2004, Fine Gael spent €225,139 on the ground. A big effort to increase The original intention was that Kelly's getting their celebrity media candidate leafleting and support candidates has had European campaign was a prelude for a Mairead McGuinness elected. an undoubted impact. Then there has run in North Tipperary in the next General A leading question here has to be the been the decision to take a solidly populist Election, where he would succeed Kath- continued on page 28

29 bills were paid. He added that Mr Roche 4 set. VERDICT continued was a senior member of Fianna Fáil in the mid-1990s when Mr Ganley donated F INE GAEL as he appeared. $25,000 to the party, “and his background "The largest winner in seats terms was "The self-made billionaire had, and was never of concern to Dick then”…" Fine Gael, a party which hasn't had an presumably still has, a house in Ireland, (Irish Times, 10.6.2009). ideology since it stopped trying to be (apparently a very pretty house) although Enda Kenny, Gay Mitchell, John Gorm- more Catholic than the hierarchy 30 years it is not clear if he is resident here for tax ley have all attacked Ganley, even Cohn- ago. It is a comfortable, middle-class and purposes, and until the Libertas campaign, Bendit had a 'go', making allegations about farming party which has learned the art his was never a very noticeable presence CIA connections! of expressing anger even when it basically in this country" (21.6.2009). "Dick Roche is still looking. He has agrees with the policy it is attacking" ***************************************************************************** found nothing (Sunday Business Post, 21.6.2009). "So does he see himself as Europe's "Declan Ganley was the most success- Fine Gael has overtaken Fianna Fail as answer to Barack Obama. “No. ful Irish politician of 2008. He won the the biggest party in Local Government for Absolutely not”, he replied swiftly. “I'm Lisbon Treaty referendum, throwing the the first time in its history. from Glenamaddy for God's sake”, he Government and opposition into chaotic The party obtained 38% of all Local roared with laughter at the very idea" confusion. He did this democratically. Authority seats off 32% of the vote, (Irish Independent, 2.5.2009). This irritated the losers, particularly Dick according to Garret FitzGerald. ***************************************************************************** Roche. As Minister for Europe, Roche "Having said that, it is possible to make was significantly at fault for the defeat. "The treatment of Libertas founder some kind of an estimate as to how at this He was well-versed in EU Lisbon Treaty Declan Ganley by the media raises “very moment a general election might go. intricacies, so this was inexcusable. fundamental questions” about Irish journ- And, looking individually at each constit- "The campaign points made by Ganley alism, Minister for European Affairs Dick uency, it is difficult to see how Fianna throughout 2008 have been consistently Roche has said. Fáil could at this moment secure more ignored; instead, personal attacks have "Mr Roche said that, notwithstanding than 55 seats. Fine Gael could win 65 or been launched. Among actions taken was the work of two journalists—Colm Keena more seats, and Labour almost 30—which an unbalanced, ill-researched and, in my of The Irish Times and RTÉ's Katie would give a coalition of these two parties view, malicious 'Prime Time' programme. Hannon—Mr Ganley's background in a very substantial Dáil majority. Sinn The 'Irish Times' has published exclusive- business was not “properly probed”. Féin would be likely to lose one or two ly negative stories. There have been 'Vil- "“He suckered a lot of senior journalists seats, and despite what I have just said, lage' magazine attacks, the latest of these all over this country”, Mr Roche said. there could be as many Independents as provoking legal action by Ganley, now “All you have to do is look at the simple in the present Dáil" (Irish Times, partly resolved. improbability of his biography and at the 10.6.2009). "Dick Roche was a significant contri- suggestions that he was, at 20, 22 years of butor in 'Village' magazine, quoted as "Back Room": Inside Politics, in the age, running the largest forestry operation saying: “Declan Ganley is a liar, a self- Sunday Business Post (14.6.2009) was all in the former Soviet Union. You just employed mythologiser, a snake oil praise for the backroom boys in the poli- have to look at any of these so-called salesman”…:" (Bruce Arnold, Irish Inde- facts and you could begin to ask serious tical parties. He specifically referred to pendent, 14.2.2009). questions”…" (Irish Times, 10.6.2009). the Fine Gael luminaries: Frank Flannery, "Europe has an abundance of traditional Tom Curran and Peter Prendergast. Maybe we should set up another tri- Catholics unhappy with much of the EU's "They are logistics specialists", he bunal, Dick! Ganley's CV reads like a modern social legislation, a view that Mr writes. successful Irish Celtic Tiger cub, these Ganley, a man with a similar outlook, were the sort of achievements that were endorses and advocates." says Sam The present writer singled out two regarded as a badge of honour 12 months Smyth. Counties: Cork and Donegal and quickly discovered that the Fine Gael 'logistic ago. If the EU had stuck to many of the Dick didn't mention Ganley's US specialists' in those two counties made a traditional Catholic social principles, it right hames of the job. military contracts, he was wise not to, wouldn't be in the political quagmire it being a state minister of some sort in a On Cork County Council, despite now finds itself. It was principally old increasing their share of the vote by 2.6%, Government that is totally supine to US Christian Democratic values that establish- foreign policy and entirely dependent on Fine Gael ended up losing three seats— ed a unique political vision. And to think dropping their 2004 majority of 25 down U.S. multi-nationals to provide the jobs that it is predominately the forces of that the native establishment renege on to 22. 'progress', the so-called New Socialists Fianna Fail are down from 16 to 12 providing: they prefer to put their wealth and Social Democrats who are unravelling into property instead of their own people. seats in Cork County hall. the entire concept. The Labour Party vote increased by "Mr Roche also asked what had Ganley was the son of Irish emigrants, happened to the funds Libertas had col- 3.2% to gain two extra seats—their repres- he made good! He never forgot his roots, entation has increased from five to seven lected over the past year. he decided to involve himself in the politics "A Libertas spokesman said: “I have seats. of the old country! But he discovered that Sinn Fein has one seat on Cork County never known anybody in politics who the old "wink and nod" game had to be doesn't think that the other side is getting Council and the Independents increased played if one was to succeed, he wouldn't from one to six. off too easily from the media, which play! Why didn't he just subscribe a million probably implies to me that they or two of his 'dirty' money to Fianna Fail [journalists] do a reasonably good job. D ONEGAL "“Anybody who thinks that Declan got or Fine Gael and he was made. In Letterkenny, the five Fine Gael candi- fair or positive treatment from the media Even a couple hundred thousand, dates polled over 1,600 first preferences for the last six months to a year is just would have bought him the leadership of and elected just one Councillor. In stark deluding themselves, and that's really not the defunct Progressive Democrats! contrast, Fianna Fail with the same number a first for Dick Roche”." Another mistake he made, he fervently of candidates and 2,000 first preferences "He said Libertas did not expect to remained steadfast to the "Faith of his managed to elect four Councillors due to have funds left over once its campaign Fathers"! And that really bugs the Dublin continued on page 29 30 Ganley of Libertas entered the fray and ran rings around them—and refused to VERDICT continued the fear that Libertas would get a huge play the game their way. vote in Donegal, where the highest "No" He got 67,638 votes in Ireland North your vote you end up voting for political vote in the first Lisbon Referendum was West. Labour media candidate, Susan parties you have absolutely no belief in. recorded, meant the need for a high 'profile' O'Keeffe got 28,708. He took his beating SPOILED VOTES Fianna Fail candidate. and bowed out. If the truth be known, he In the Ireland South Euro constituency, "Long-serving MEP Brian Crowley probably felt that as a reformer, albeit a there was more than 11,000 votes spoiled was last night sacked as Fianna Fail's conservative reformer, he was casting corn (2.3% of the total cast). Many of them leader in the European Parliament and on rocks. "I have to go back to work", he were deliberately spoiled in protest against replaced by newly elected MEP Pat 'The said. No seat in the Seanad or a Brussels the phoney politics which pertain at the Cope' Gallagher, writes Aine Kerr" (Irish quango chairmanship, or even a nominal moment. Independent, 1.7.2009). position with Alan Dukes on the Anglo For the majority, people just hadn't a The appointment came as Fianna Fail Irish bank board. clue! Where is this great Irish education held its first meeting with its new European "Mr. Ganley talked up his strong system they keep telling us about? grouping—the Alliance for Liberal Demo- Galway roots as he talked in his strong Another farcical aspect of the June 5th crats in Europe. British accent, so the likely rebuff from Euro ballot was the use of a single ballot And the by-election to fill "The Cope's" voters in the sprawling North West con- box for both Local and European elections. seat, ah well, it might be held next Spring— stituency would come all the harder" It's amazing that Brussels allowed this— surely after a death or resignation of a TD, (Irish Examiner, 8.6.2009). there was an overwhelming media focus it should be compulsory to hold the by- This political bile was written by Shaun on Europe at the expense of local election 90 days after. And they wonder Connolly, himself an exile from Britain democracy. why people are cynical! and of Irish extraction. No, I don't know if For all the media hype about the ballot "…people basically do not care about he has a strong or weak British accent but box and local democracy, election cover- local elections, because they perceive he has certainly adopted to the incestuous age by the national broadcasting stations them as making little difference" (Irish cesspool of Dublin journalism. He's now was one of the worst ever. The RTE telev- Times, 13.6.2009). one of the boys! ision role was scurrilous, it showed nothing Another one of the Dublin boyos, the but contempt for the entire local process. dThe political 'craic' was mighty but at former editor of the Spotlight pop maga- In the past, there were graphs and analysis the end of the day, very few people take zine, Belfast-born, Sam Smyth of the Local Government politics very seriously —not this time. Because both ballot paper Independent had a go: were in a single box, Europe prevailed —it has been completely denuded of financial support, it is denied fund-raising "This message would be difficult to over the Local Government election, when absorb for anyone with a healthy ego. It's in fact, the Euro boxes should not have capacity and is under the whip and whim of a suffocating managerial system. particularly tricky for a multimillionaire been opened until 9.00 p.m. on the Sunday who is fundamentally convinced that he night as in the rest of the EU. A very valid concern here is that if Local Democracy does not undergo serious is right about everything. It was all summed up by one of their "Still, 14% of the electorate—an aston- reform and continues to be a joke, it may leading political commentators, Sean O' ishing 67,000 people—gave him their Rourke, who had condescendingly written not be long before national politics heads number one and Mr Ganley will hold up Joe Higgins (Socialist Party) off as a seri- for the same destination. their votes as vindication of himself and ous Euro contender on the Sunday (7.6. Some would say it already has! his dream. "He is a successful businessman but 2009): he was corrected by Higgins who GANLEY AND LIBERTAS went on to take Fianna Fail's Euro seat in Great media play has been made of probably not nearly as rich as his lifestyle Dublin. Declan Ganley's demand for a recount in and demeanour suggests." (Sam Smyth, ibid.). ELECTORAL REFORM the Ireland North West Euro constituency: Take Maureen O'Sullivan, the success- "Declan Ganley is a spit-the-dummy But it gets even better! Play it, Sam: ful 'Gregory' candidate in Dublin Central, loser, a spoiled child of a candidate who "He has built a chapel, complete with she also topped the poll in the North Inner confronts imminent failure by halting an the Stations of the Cross, pews and a City ward in the Local Elections, she will entire election count for some real or bellow organ in the spacious grounds of now have to forego her seat; similarly imagined procedural handling of his his period home near Tuam in Co Galway. with Joe Higgins in Castleknock. But they votes" (Sam Smyth, Irish Independent- "He is a family man who espouses don't really lose their seats at all, they just 9.6.2009). family values and is a conservative and pass them on to a buddy. "… it has emerged that Ganley lost traditional Irish Catholic, although he 3,000 votes in the poll after his demand Would it not be far more democratic has a distinct 'Jack The Lad' London for an investigation into the allocation of accent. He is driven by a fierce ambition that the seat goes to the candidate with the ballots embarrassingly backfired" (Eve- and the certainty of his argument. He is next highest vote? or simply hold a local ning Echo, Cork, 9.6.2009). vain and the certainty of his self-belief is by-election within 30 days. a monumental conceit. Last night, he told It isn't Ganley who should have been reporters the dedication of his campaign One of the most contemptible actions embarrassed, its the daft voting system staff and the support he received from of the entire election was the Euro nomin- that we cling onto! How many votes go ordinary people had made it a “humbling ation of Pat "The Cope" Gallagher (FF). missing and we don't know about it? This experience”. In more ways than one"(Sam This man was elected to Brussels in 1999, wasn't a reflection on Ganley—this is a Smyth, Irish Independent, 9.6.2009) resigned in 2002 to contest the General reflection on us. And where is the almighty Election when it looked as if Pearse investigative powers of the Irish media Then Emer O'Kelly of the Sunday Doherty (SF) would take a seat in Donegal that they refuse to look into this scandal. Independent had a 'go': South-West. For this, Gallagher was given Right to the end, Ganley showed up the "Now that it is all over, Declan Ganley, a junior ministry by Bertie Ahern. When political system for the sham that it is! The the leader of the now apparently defunct Cowen gained the leadership of Fianna main parties and the likes of Pat Cox have 'pan-European' Libertas party, looks set to disappear as quickly and mysteriously Fail, "The Cope" got the boot, but then breathed a sigh of relief that he is gone. He continued on page 30

31 VOLUME 27 No. 8 CORK ISSN 0790-1712 People's Verdict

"Fianna Fail has lost its self-proclaimed He then advocated Fianna Fail taking the Progressive Democrats, who set out to status as national movement" says the on the public sector, thus with a single destroy Fianna Fail—they didn't achieve headline to an article by Professor Diar- stroke renewing "its traditional links to that aim, but they managed to turn a sub- maid Ferriter in the Irish Times (13.6.2009). the majority of Irish workers… Fianna stantial enough body of the party into a If it has, that status was lost long before Fail has three years to renew its old rela- likeness of the Progressive Democrats 5th June 2009. tionship with the men and women of no themselves, in fact the root of our modern Yes, the June election was a disaster. property in the private sector". economic problems emanated from the The party ceded control of the majority of A single stroke! Does he know what he philosophy of the PDs. the state's 114 Local Authorities and for is talking about? The Public Sector is now The sight of a viper like Des O'Malley the first time have been overtaken by Fine the core vote of Fianna Fail! Doesn't he giving the oration at the grave of a Fianna Gael. ever think that is the very reason why they Fail leader said it all. 'Tis only when you examine the results are so well provided for—Teachers, Garda for cities like Limerick and Waterford and and Nurses! Fianna Fail won't win the next election discover that Fianna Fail has a sole Coun- but if Cowen has the courage he can cillor on both that you begin to realise the As for the "men and women of no immediately ensure that they will win the extent of the disaster. The town of Midleton property"—the problem here is that too following election by introducing serious in East Cork failed to elect a single Fianna many of the "men and women of no reform. He has nothing to lose. Fail Councillor—the heart of Martin Corry property" have now too much property. He can start by introducing a Property country. When the Taoiseach tells you that there Tax on the lines of the old Domestic Rates In Cork city, the party now has six out are deposits of €62 billion in the Anglo and in a progressive fashion. He should of 31 Councillors. Irish Bank Corporation, half the bloody also abolish the Seanad and introduce In Dublin, the party vote collapsed and population must be telling us porkies! serious electoral reforms including the this was then compounded by the loss of By all means let Fianna Fail have a voting system. its only Euro seat in the capital to a member renewal of the traditional relationship with THE VOTING SYSTEM of the Socialist Party. the Irish people. We agree! But not I'm The June 5th elections again high- On top of that, two disastrous by- afraid for the same reasons as the Senator. lighted the discrepancies in the Multi-seat election defeats in Dublin where FF secur- Go back to the Arms Trial and the role system as against single seat wards or ed less than 20% of the vote. In Dublin of Jack Lynch : that was the first breach of constituencies. Central, the brother of former Taoiseach that "traditional relationship", then came In an earlier Labour Comment we Bertie Ahern, failed to be elected and also highlighted this but reflecting on the Local lost his City Council seatwhile in Dublin Subscribers to the magazine are regularly Government elections, the political nega- South, the son of a former Cabinet Minister offered special rates on other publications tivity of the system is even more glaring— and party logistics specialist bit the dust. it encourages political cop-out! Shay Brennan, the Fianna Fail candidate Irish Political Review is published by The present writer is an old Labour was an employee of Anglo Irish Bank the IPR Group: write to— voter in a five-seat ward, but the party had Corporation. Baffled, Yes! 1 Sutton Villas, Lower Dargle Road only two candidates, I have never voted In all, Fianna Fail lost 84 Local Author- Bray, Co. Wicklow or Fianna Fail or Fine Gael, so I forego the ity seats. PO Box 339, Belfast BT12 4GQ or right to be involved in the destiny of the Brian Cowen and his party may not be PO Box 6589, London, N7 6SG, or other three seats. standing on the burning deck but there is The voter is not compelled to think, he a very distinct hum of burning oil and Labour Comment, C/O Shandon St. P.O., Cork City. may be an honest to goodness Fianna Fail there is not a port in sight. If there was, voter but to fully exercise his vote, and fill would the captain know which was the Subscription by Post: the five seats he has to vote in three other safest port? Lisbon, perhaps! 12 issues: £20, UK; candidates whose political philosophy he € 30, Ireland; € 35, Europe. detests. Senator Harris, that political cuckold, Electronic Subscription: If the five-seater was divided into five is now advising Fianna Fail that "Unless, € 15 / £12 for 12 issues single wards, it would compel people to it renews its traditional relationship with (or € 1.30 / £1.10 per issue) make a more conscious political decision, the Irish people, it will be in terminal You can also order both postal and similar to a by-election—in the current trouble at the next General election" electronic subscriptions from: multiple system to obtain full value for (Sunday Independent, 7.6.2009). www.atholbooks.org continued on page 31