Dublin Arch Diocese Report

Since the release of the Murphy Report into the rape and abuse of children by 'religious' Homophiles/Peadophiles in the Dublin Arch Diocese we have heard the usual clambering from the usual quarters but already many of these mealy mouthed Government Ministers and their cheer leaders have moved on to new topics. We all know that the truth will never be told about child abuse in Ireland, not just in relation to the 'religious' child abusers but all of those abusers and their fellow conspiritors in 'civil' society. We all know about the children that were abused in our own communities yet we content ourselves knowing that it was none of our business, it was always someone else that was to blame, ah sure your man is a drunk or yer woman is a headcase.

We all know about the young girls who were made pregnant within the family and then taken down to CURA in Dublin to get the child secretly adopted. This disposal of evidence in any other crime would see people face ten years in jail, but not in Ireland, 20 people can know about the rape and subsequent pregnancy of a child and they need not worry about facing prosecution. We all know about the young girl that was taken over to England to get rid of 'her' shame, we all know about the abusers who hang off both sides of the Altar rails on a Sunday morning.

Oh yes we have all contented oursleves to applaud at the conviction of a few high profile abusers now and again, its easier to look at the front pages of the Lurid Star than to look up stairs in our own bedrooms. Oh yes men and women can content themselves that the crimes committed by the 'religious' rapists were much greater crimes than those committed by themselves. People try to seperate physical abuse from sexual abuse, however, there is no seperation, most children abused have first been objectivied by their abusers, the abuser has to subjectivy his/her victims this makes their crimes more normal "she/he was always a bad child", this physical abuse is easily transferred into sexual abuse depending on access to and control over the child.

I like to call this aspect of abuse Causal Theory it is where we as a society accept that the woman beating her child in the people carrier in front of us in traffic is none of our business, we therefore condem this child to being the possession of that woman when in fact that child is a member of our community and society, if we allow that child to be physically abused in public then what is or concern if that child is sexually abused in private. The greatest example of this Causal Behaviour was to be found in relation to Northern Ireland, for decades groups of men/women took children from their homes tortured, mutilated, raped and on occassion murdered them under the guise of 'anti-social behaviour' the reality was that many of these victims had actually disclosed to someone in the community that they had been sexually abused by a member of one of the politico-criminal gangs controlling their areas IRA, UDA etc etc. These men/women were able to spin their propaganda without question or investigation we the public contented oursleves that the activities of these Homophiles/Peadophiles was acceptable and we went about our normal business. It was due to this care less attitude that the body of 17 year old Columbia Mc Veigh remains un-discovered in Monaghan after he was kidnapped, abused and murdered by so called 'republicans' these child abusers have more in common with Myra Hindley and Ian Huntley than Padraig Pearse.

Yes many have jumped up and down these past days, many have pointed the finger, the reality is of course that few want an open and honest discussion about child rape/abuse in this country, if such honesty were to prevail there would be many empty chairs around the Christmas table this year whether that be in Monaghan, Cork or any other county in this country.

The Irish Times

IrishTimes.com

Exclusive

Dublin Arch Diocese Report

Yesterdays report into the abuse of children in the Dublin Arch Diocese at the hands of members of religious orders brings nothing new to the table in relation to the historical abuse and rape of children in the Irish Republic. This Government is morally bankrupt as was many Fianna Fail Governments before it. Child abuse in the Irish Republic has and will remain a Moral Quagmire Punctuated by Political Indifference. Yesterday TV journalists told us that many who helped the religious child rapists evade prosecution will not face the courts as it is not a crime to have blind faith. This unfortunately is a convenient lie. The Crime of Misprision of Felony existed in Irish Law at the very time that these crimes of concealment were being committed. The Crime of Misprision of Felony meant that anyone concealing a crime that carried a sentence of five years or more could face upon conviction a sentence of five years in jail for that concealment. Yet this crime was removed from the statute books to facilitate the many criminals identified in both yesterdays report and the Ryan report.

However, lets not fool ourselves yesterdays report and the Ryan Report only identify a few of Ireland's many tens of thousands of child abusers and rapists. For every man/woman convicted of abusing a child another thousand walk free. The annual reports from the Health Boards throw some light on the numbers of abusers in the Irish Republic but the reality of numbers is lost due to under reporting. Yesterdays report also highlights the fact that the vast majority of religious child rapists and abusers are homophiles, these are men attracted to prepubescent boys. This is the correct Forensic definition of these offenders and it is important that we use the correct definitions when dealing with child abuse.

There are many groups and individuals who wish to portray the sexual abuse of children as the preserve of heterosexual males, however this is a very dangerous road to travel as it is clear that women, homosexuals and other sexual groups are as engaged in the abuse of children as are heterosexual males. We set a very dangerous precedent if we say its OK to ask such a person to baby sit as they will not abuse a child, child abuse is not alien to any group of persons and it is important that we remember that.

In The Irish Republic today many hypocrites will point the finger at the report released yesterday, however many skeletons sit on the desk of the Director of Public Prosecutions, there will be people in Monaghan, Cork, Dublin and around the country who will point the finger today, but the reality is that the finger is pointing right back at them, these people may have used their position or influence to stop their own prosecutions for heinious crimes against children but the final court of justice will not be presided over by man and will not be influenced by mealy mouthed politicians.

Day of Action

Shame on RTE

RTE grasping at straws. The RTE News at 6pm yesterday highlighted the 'fact' that many strikers went shopping to Newry yesterday rather than manning the picket lines. The RTE methodology for these 'facts' were at best flawed, indeed one could say they were politically motivated. If any academic handed in research based on asking a few passers by if they thought strikers were shopping in Newry they would be very quickly asked to leave the University or at least start again. However, RTE presented one young lad to say "that lad over there is on strike" and that was the evidence needed to run two stories on the main evening news about strikers taking the day to spend their money in another jurisdiction.

Peter Mc Cloone did not help matters yesterday on the RTE news by simply dismissing the reports, when he should have said that many strikers were on a rolling Rota yesterday, which meant that nurses etc were only asked and expected to do two hours picket duty and the rest of the day was theirs to do with what they liked. The fact that RTE journalists who were pointing the finger at strikers 'shopping' in Newry yesterday have themselves had foreign holidays this year is a kin to the kettle calling the pot black. RTE is heavily subsidised by the tax payer and therefore the wages paid to RTE journalists is no less public pay than those workers on strike yesterday.

Flawed methodology and political manipulation is no way for a public broadcaster to conduct its business, will we soon see Union representatives banned from the airways because of their opposition to this inept Government, will we see actors speak the words of Union leaders because their message is a threat to this Fianna Fail government and its decaying green fig leaf. RTE bosses must not allow RTE to become an intellectual mouth-piece for this inept government, report the news that's your job, report the facts that's your job, but don't use flawed methodology and political manipulation to damage good and decent people.

Day of Action

Today as tens of thousands of workers take to the streets to protest at this Government's continued attacks on the tax paying public The Irish Observer would like to congratulate their courageous efforts. The working public have been pushed to breaking point as time and again this government have punished the countries workers for the greed and self serving of the countries corrupt bankers and property speculators. It is outrageous that our front line staff in particular have been targeted, our nurses, gardai, prison staff all subjected to mealy mouthed cuts by a Government that is not fit for purpose. This day of action must not simply be seen as a day of action by public sector workers, but a day of action by all those people subject to economic brutality by a Government that spent our savings and investments on luxury items while failing to save for a rainy day.

An Taoiseach Brian Cowen is not fit for purpose, he was not fit for purpose while he was Minister for Finance and he most certainly is not fit for purpose as An Taoiseach. Biffonian Economics has no place in a society that depends on fiscal prudence, it has no place in a society that needs to be people centred and not greed centred. Today's action will put another political water mark on the good ship Fianna Fail and her decaying green fig leaf, soon this government will be submerged in its self made murky waters from which it will not recover.

Bridge over troubled waters

Political Indifference

The flooding of many thousands of homes, homes left without electricity and other utilities is a devastation that to each individual will be felt differently. Some people have lost everything, it will take months if not years to recover. The cause of the devastation is being blamed on unprecedented rainfall, yet is it unprecedented, is global warming the true culprit in this natural phenomena. When one speaks to locals in Cork or Rosscommon and I have spoken to both these past few days one hears un-ending stories about promises of flood defences over many years and in some cases decades, drains constantly blocked, road side drainage useless and a general careless attitude by the authorities to the concerns of local residents. Councillors blame Town Clerks and County managers, while Town Clerks and County Managers blame lack of funding from central Government, and of course central government blames the economic down turn.

It would appear that we have no one to take responsibility for the crisis thousands face today, we have no one to take responsibility for people being made homeless (while temporarily) unnecessarily. We have mealy mouthed politicians seeking credit for holding weekend crisis meetings, yet they like the little boy who put his finger into the hole in the Dam are really crying wolf. They have sat back and done nothing even when times were good (economically) and now they want applause from the media Gallery as they chew on Sunday Roast and discuss what to do about what they should have done something about many years ago.

Yet we must expect nothing different from this Government and its decaying green fig leaf, they want the Nobel Peace Prize for doing nothing Noble, they have nothing to offer only mealy mouthed words and carefully choreographed political maneuvers, yet the tide of public opinion will soon have its chance to wash over this quagmire of inaction and indifference.

Natures beauty

Value for Money

The annual report by the Rape Crisis network tells us that according to their client base 97% of all child hood sexual abuse suffered by their clients was carried out by a relative or some one known to the family. Further the report tells us that 95% of all the abuse was carried out by males. The problem with these figures is that the majority of the crisis network victims are women and therefore we don't have an actual account of how many women are actually abusing children. The reality is that according to those front line staff working with children who have been abused, women make up at least 50% of all abusers. This level varies depending on the type of abuse disclosed, a number of recent cases show us that women are just as likely to sexually abuse their children as are men.

The problem for the Rape Crisis Network is that it does not attract men who have been abused in great numbers, most male victims of sexual abuse particularly abuse perpetrated by women are reluctant to come forward. Indeed we have witnessed the outrageous situation where certain women have been leading public campaigns against male offenders only to later find out that these women were under investigation by the Gardai and where themselves proven to have committed heinous crimes against children.

Unfortunately we live in a country where small elite groups in towns and villages around the country determine who will and who will not be prosecuted. For example while a man will be prosecuted for sexual assault of a child within his care, his wife who has without reasonable excuse participated and facilitated in that abuse will in 99% of cases not be prosecuted, worse still she will continue to have unsupervised access to the very children abused.

The serious question that must be asked in these difficult economic times is whether we are spending our money wisely in relation to the care and protection of children at risk today, personally I feel that millions of Euros is being squandered on salaries and expenses for makey up groups when it should be spent on social workers and care givers. Violence in the community against children is equally perpetrated by men and women and until that is recognised we will continue to have an imbalance in the care and protection of children.

A reply by Senator Terry Leyden

Many thanks for the link provided. I have now had an opportunity to review your contribution. Firstly, I might preface my reply by complimenting you on your interest in the work of the Seanad, and your new blog (in particular the photo's contained within). I have no doubt you will succeed in attracting followers. In respect of the substance of your article, and in direct response to your statement; "Terry Leyden is an unelected person ". For your information Iam elected to the Labour panel. I need not to explain to you the structure of Seanad elections, but to say that I represent 'nobody', does your blog a disservice, owing to its untruthfulness and misrepresentation. For your information, I was elected 6 times to Dáil Eireann, and to theSeanad twice, (2002 and 2007). I was Minister for State in 1982, '87 and'89. I am entitled to my view, as you are entitled to yours. I stand my comments, to which your article makes direct reference. I firmlybelieve that the article had the possibility to undermine the Governments nomination, and the chances to secure the best portfolio for Ms. Quinn. Once again, many thanks for taking an interest in the issues that were raised during the course of my statement to the House, and I wish you every success with your blog. Yours very sincerely, Senator Terry Leyden

Fiddling while Rome burns

Yesterday Senator Terry Leyden used his time and energy to slag off the Irish Times for offering opinion on the appointment of Marie Geoghan Quinn to a post in Brussels by Mr Brian Cowen. At the moment Ireland is in deep recession, over 400,000 people have lost their jobs, thousands of people have been forced from their homes, thousands of children have been refused operations, and the most vulnerable in society are being brutalised by this Government for the crimes of corrupt bankers and property speculators. Terry Leyden is an unelected person who represents nobody only his own and his party's narrow interests, the fact that Terry Leyden used his position to attack a paper of record for offering an opinion on a political appointment must be a kin to fiddling while Rome burns. Terry Leyden would be better tasked to get out on to the streets of Dublin and see how the ordinary decent people of this country are being treated, they unlike himself don't have 70,000 Euro per year salary for a makey up job they don't have access to tens of thousands in expenses, they don't have cosy centrally heated offices, they don't have fancy houses and gas guzzling cars at their disposal, they don't have investments and fatted pension plans, they don't have private health care, many have nothing not even a roof over their heads. Terry Leyden is entitled to his opinion but he is not entitled to use and abuse his unelected position to put his whims before the needs of the people.

Dont be selfish be careful

Accidents

Last night we were brought the tragic news that four young women have lost their lives in a car accident in Galway, these deaths followed the deaths of two more people on the road earlier yesterday in the Republic and one person in the north. We cannot underestimate the change in driving conditions these past weeks, in the morning and evening we are driving in virtual darkness, add rain and fog to this dim light and the conditions for serious accidents are all too visible. Each one of us must take responsibility for our driving in these conditions, I know some of the roads are in a poor state of repair, however that's not going to change in the near future, so it is important that we take care. Firstly, make sure your vehicle is in good working order, are all your lights working, have you good tyres, when was the last time you checked your oil and water levels, many accidents occur while people break down on the road so lets avoid that. Are you in good condition, have you slept well, if not drive with your window open if you must drive, if you have had too much alcohol the night before don't drive. It is time now to make changes to your driving, leave home earlier if you have to be somewhere, if you don't have to be somewhere don't drive unless it is necessary. If your walking or cycling to the shop or anywhere else wear high visibility clothes, these may not have street cred but they may save your life. Lets do our best to insure that the Gardai don't have to go to any more homes with bad news before Christmas, do you want to be responsible for an empty chair at the Christmas table this year, I don't.

Justice

The Irish Times asks today in its daily news poll if the death penalty should be reintroduced. The answer for me is No. The Birmingham 6, Guildford 4 and many other innocent people would have been put to death if the death penalty had been available in such cases. It is very important that the State remains above barbarism and acts of cruelty, if the State becomes cruel and barbaric then people will lose faith in that State and its institutions of justice. The Irish Republic has one of the greatest criminal justice systems in the world, it is fair and just, yet it has like any system its flaws. In the Irish Republic there has time and again been political interference with the judicial process, depending on the case people some times turn a blind eye to such criminal political behaviour. However, our system demands safe guards against such interference, it demands safe guards against mis-carrages of justice. There are many self serving, self profiling, money grabbing makey up groups out there who would do anything to heighten their profile so that they get more tax dollars from the State each year to furnish their lavish life style, these makey up groups need to be kept in check and indeed we would be a better country if they were closed down altogether. The death penalty is a mis-carrage of justice that once executed can not be undone, many with skeletons in their own cupboard will champion such cruelty simply to keep the camera pointing in a different direction, however, we have seen it all before, "They who shout loudest about the crimes of others do so to conceal their own crimes".

Time for Reflection

Pensions

The vast majority of pensioners in the Irish Republic live on either the contributory or non contributory State pension which is in or about 230 Euro per week. Due to the high cost of living in the Irish republic this 230 Euro does not go very far. The Irish Government are now considering a range of measures to be implemented in the December budget that will attack the most vulnerable people in society including and in particular pensioners. The very people who took the pain so that a new generation could be educated are now to be punished for the crimes of greedy bankers, corrupt politicians and millionaire property speculators.

This Government has consistently turned a deaf ear to the cries of abused children, women struggling to make ends meet and men who simply want to work and pay their way. Yet this Government has had an open ear policy to the corrupt and the reckless. As typified by the resignation of John O Donoghue, Government Ministers used tax payers money as if it was their right to squander the nations savings and investments. Our pensioners have been consistently targeted by this inept Government by way of attacking their right to medical and care provision, while at the same time this government have been on its knees to bankers and speculators. As we approach December and the birthday of Our Lord perhaps it is fitting that this Government exposes itself before God and man as heartless and cruel, however, God will be the Judge of that.

Fuel

Bio-fuels

In 2008 bio-fuels provided 1.8% of the worlds transport fuel requirement. Investments into bio-fuel production capacity exceeded 4 Billion world wide in 2007 and is growing. The Irish Government is proposing that all fuel distributors purchase at least 4% of their total stock from bio-fuel sources. The question is whether this is simply more window dressing for the tailors dummy that is the green party or whether there is a serious attempt being made here to reduce the harmful side effects of petrol, diesel etc. Personally I think this is more lip service being paid to the ever degrading Mother earth. I don't think this Government or in particular its decaying green fig leaf has any real interest in challenging climate change or attitudes to the Top Gear fuel industry. Few people are interested in driving at 40 mile per hour with the smell of last nights chipper coming from the boot of the car. This Government that has acclimatised itself to gas guzzling Limos has little interest in sitting in bean tins driven by animal fat, its a long way from Offally at 40 mile per-hour even if there is a few good down hill runs on the way. Imagine John O Donahue having to travel from the Kingdom in a Sinclair C5 powered by fat products. No this new 4% bio-fuel commitment is simply window dressing on a shop that has already gone into liquidation.

What does the future hold

President Obama is continuing to pursue a militaristic campaign in both Iraq and Afghanistan, yet we had hoped for something new, something different, no matter what America does in either country it will do nothing for a real and lasting settlement in these countries. Nations must be allowed to determine their own destinies anyone who thinks different is not in touch with the reality of the situation. America may well help establish 'democratic' institutions but at what cost, is one American life worth the establishment of tin pot regimes that will eventually fall. What price is America prepared to pay for oil, what price is America prepared to pay for control over desserts and wilderness, non of this is worth the life of one young American. Obama should show some steel, he should stand up on the world stage and be counted, Nobel Peace Prizes are not meant to be window dressings on the west wing of the White House. Obama has a real and historical opportunity to make the right moves, committing more young Americans to a lost cause is not the way to go. Bring the lads home and focus on the real issues facing Americans, home repossession, job loss, health care are much more to the front of the mind than any amount of dessert sand or crude oil.

The Irish Times

The Irish Times asks this morning if we support the Governments view that the economy is improving. Well no is the simple answer to that question. Each day in Ireland small businesses are closing down due to the failure of this Government to ensure that the banks they are bailing out with tax payers money are lending to small and medium (viable) businesses. many tens of thousands of people made redundant through no fault of their own cant access social welfare payments as their employers did not pay their stamp while working. Many companies have gone into liquidation and thousands of workers have been left without redundancy packages. Hundreds of thousands of workers are going to work each day uncertain and depressed as this government fails to meet its basic duties of care to those workers. Front line staff are being punished for the sins of greedy bankers and speculative property developers. This Government is bailing out corrupt people while putting hard working tax payers out of their homes. Now the greatest crime of all is to be committed as NAMA is established to bail out the bankers and builders with tens of Billions of Euro of tax payers money. Children will starve in Ireland this year so that bankers and speculators can have their fatted goose and their wives can keep their fur coats.

Misty Morning

Failed Government Policy

Yesterday the Irish Government stated that it would not be paying the traditional Christmas Bonus to those persons including old age pensioners who are in receipt of Social Welfare payments. This at a time when the same Government will pay its members millions of Euro in Salary and expenses for a three week Christmas Holiday, at a time when this Government has committed tens of Billions of Euro to bail out corrupt bankers and property speculators and paid tens of millions of euro to top up the pensions of inept bankers and failed government appointees. This Government has failed in its most basic of functions, it has failed to put people at the centre of Government policy and has opted to put the interests of big business and corruption at the centre of its policy agenda.

This Christmas children will starve, children will be brutalised, children will be homeless because this failed Government bailed out the criminals and punished the innocent. This Government and its intellectual mouth-pieces may well fill their pockets with gold today but on the day of judgement that gold will weight them down under the burden of their crimes. This Government is not fit for purpose and if it was a private company it would have been closed down long ago, we can only hope and pray that the day soon comes when we can send this Government from office and replace it with a Government that is people centred and has a heart where there is now only stone.

Why do they call me Biffo

Child Benifit

The Irish Times News Poll asks this morning if Child Benefit should be cut in the up coming December budget. Firstly what is child benefit, child benefit is paid on the first Tuesday of every month to persons who have a child or children in their care that is under 18 years of age. The problem is that whether one is a Millionaire or on the basic minimum wage you are entitled to the same Social Welfare payment each month. Even Tax Exiles are entitled to this Social Welfare payment for their children and they all collect it. Parents who's children are in the care of the State continue to get paid Child Benefit, yes indeed even if you have committed serious crimes against your children you continue to get paid child benefit to care for your child. Its has for decades been a moral quagmire punctuated by political indifference. Few politicians have ever even considered making changes to the Child Benefit system due to the potential back lash from those in woolly jumper land. For low income families the Child Benefit payment each month is for essentials such as school books and clothes for those top earners it is simply a few Euro that's goes into the bank account each month that can be used to get the legs waxed or the hair done. There is a need for real change to the Child Benefit payment system, why should Millionaires wives be in receipt of a Social Welfare payment, however it is unlikely that this Government will have the steel to make the necessary changes but will simply punish the vulnerable to help out the Millionaires wives.

At least I have a roof over my head

Bio-fuels

In 2008 bio-fuels provided 1.8% of the worlds transport fuel requirement. Investments into bio-fuel production capacity exceeded 4 Billion world wide in 2007 and is growing. The Irish Government is proposing that all fuel distributors purchase at least 4% of their total stock from bio-fuel sources. The question is whether this is simply more window dressing for the tailors dummy that is the green party or whether there is a serious attempt being made here to reduce the harmful side effects of petrol, diesel etc. Personally I think this is more lip service being paid to the ever degrading Mother earth. I don't think this Government or in particular its decaying green fig leaf has any real interest in challenging climate change or attitudes to the Top Gear fuel industry. Few people are interested in driving at 40 mile per hour with the smell of last nights chipper coming from the boot of the car. This Government that has acclimatised itself to gas guzzling Limos has little interest in sitting in bean tins driven by animal fat, its a long way from Offally at 40 mile per-hour even if there is a few good down hill runs on the way. Imagine John O Donahue having to travel from the Kingdom in a Sinclair C5 powered by fat products. No this new 4% bio-fuel commitment is simply window dressing on a shop that has already gone into liquidation.

When Apples Still Grow In November

Climate Change

The Irish Times asks this morning if International Agreements are the best way of addressing Climate Change. The reality is that it is the worse offenders or their surrogate offenders (China etc) that are setting the rules by which climate change will be addressed. This is a kin to asking murderers if they believe they should be convicted of murder or a lesser charge even when the evidence clearly points to murder in the first degree.

While I believe that International agreements are the best way forward the difficulty is that these agreements appear to be at the bottom of the must do list when Industrial nations are setting their targets and budgets. Particularly now when the capitalist world is crumbling on its own foundations it is unlikely that any government is going to push a green agenda, there will of course be tokenism such as here in Ireland where the green party is in coalition with Fianna Fail, however no real change. If the planet is waiting to be rescued by Brown and Cowen it is in for a long wait.

It is of course a matter of debate whether the planet is actually heading towards melt down, big business is producing intellectual mouth-piece after intellectual mouth-piece to reassure the public that the planet earth is not melting like a blob of butter on a hot pan, while short term ineffective Governments have feathered their won nest rather than put solid policies and practices in place to protect the planet. There is little value in householders having blue, brown and black bins when there is no recycling facilities available and most end up in land fill sites.

International agreements are necessary and useful but only if there are real punishments put in place to stop offenders re-offending, such as countries refusing to take products that are clearly causing pollution beyond their worth. For example nobody would argue that we don't need medical equipment even if it does cause some environmental damage, but do we need billions of plastic toys from China, most of which are being ordered by western countries who are side stepping their responsibilities by pointing the finger at China for their poor environmental record. Are we now to be subject to decades of Hot War as western countries get their unnecessary products made in China and India etc and these western countries point the finger at China and India etc as poor environmentalists.

The X Factor

The popularity of the X Factor and other reality TV reminds of the times we live in. During the 'boom' people had much more choice in their viewing as the many channels now available competed to sell their air time to advertisers. Now however the 'boom' is gone and so in many instances are the advertisers. People are now watching programmes like the X Factor to give them a break from the reality of our economic situation, it brings light where there is nothing for many but darkness. Yet the X factor is not simply a talent contest it is a programme that reminds us of Human frailty, want and desire, frailty in that young people (including the oldies) have so much expected from them and yet week after week go out there and do their best, it is perhaps a lesson to us all even if we are in the over 25 group. People want a better future for them selves and their families and they are entitled to want, they are entitled to set goals and targets and hopefully reach their full potential. Desire, each one of us has within a desire to do something that we have not yet achieved, its not easy and as time goes by we see that desire moving further away, yet we should not stop pursuing that desire, we may not become a world famous artist but at least we give it a lash, we may not become world famous writers but nobody can stop us from giving it a lash.

Perhaps now is the time to re-evaluate our own X FACTOR, is there something you have always wanted to do, always wanted to be, then now is the time to see how best to begin that journey. Maybe you simply want to do a computer course, why not visit you local education centre and talk to a careers advisor, stop making excuses and start making and effort. Thanks to Simon, Louis, Cheryl and Danni for giving us this opportunity to re-examine our own time on this earth.

A Long Hard Winter

The Voice of the People

Yesterday many tens of thousands of Irish workers took to the streets to send a very clear message to this inept Government, that message was that their days of greed and self serving are coming to a rapid end. This Government that has committed tens of billions of Tax payers money to bail out corrupt bankers and property developers has done little to help the tens of thousands of ordinary decent citizens who have lost the jobs and their homes through no fault of their own. This Government continues to live in luxury while children in its care are treated like animals (Mr Justice Peter Kelly). This Government continues to drive around in chauffeur driven Tax payer funded limousines while children are being denied basic standards of Human dignity. Women are being driven from the work place as child care facilities are being denied to them, Women are being specifically targeted by this Government by way of cuts in basic welfare payments such as rent supplement in order to drive them back into the home where women already account for 87% of all domestic care. This Government is about to attack the most vulnerable in the December budget, this it will do by cutting basic welfare payments in the hope of driving tens of thousands of young Irish people out of the country and to drive those foreign nationals who served this country so well during the economic boom back to their own countries. This the Government hopes will reduce the Live Register figures and take the pressure of them as an inept Government. The Government is pursuing the same policies that Fianna Fail pursued in the 1980s when tens of thousands of young Irish were driven from these shores. Yet this Government has underestimated the determination of the Irish People to see them from office, the Irish people are ready and waiting for the day when they can march to the polling station and drive this not fit for purpose Government into political history.

National Day of Action

The Irish Observer.Blogspot.com would like to salute all those people who take to the streets of Ireland today to protest against this inept Government and its failed policies. While the Government continues to provide tens of billions of Euro to Bankers and Property Speculators in order to dig them out of their self made economic grave, good people are losing their jobs, their homes and in some cases their lives. The Government put nothing aside for a rainy day they simply lived like Lords and introduced policies that would see this country face its worst economic decline in its history. This Government continues to bail out bankers and speculators while allowing the tax payer to fall into the depths of despair, this Government is not fit for purpose and therefore should follow John O Donoghue's example and resign its position. If this Government was a private company its entire Board of Management would be sacked, its failures would be testimony to the need for a people centred Government that is driven by innovation and imagination, not greed and self serving. Our Front line staff are being attacked on an almost daily basis by the Government and it's intellectual mouth-pieces, men and women who have lost their jobs through not fault of their own are being brutalised by mealy mouthed cuts in social welfare payments such as rent supplement. Families already at breaking point are being forced from their homes by the same corrupt bankers who caused this economic crisis in the first instance due to their inept management systems and criminal lending on the basis of assets that did not for the most part exist.

NAMA will be established to bail out bankers and speculators while the decent people in this country face the bailiffs. This Government spent tens of millions on personal luxuary travel and expenses to fullfil their greedy and self serving needs, they continue to live a life detached from the reality of those living under the threat of the bailiff or the P45. This country can no longer afford this Government, unless this Government is replaced Ireland is heading into an economic depression that can only be compared to the 1920s and 30s, this Government hopes that if it drives down basic welfare support payments it will force women out of the work force and back into the home and it will force young people to leave the country in their tens of thousands, this was the same approach used by Fianna Fail in the 1980s, we must stop them and we must stop them now.

Eating Out

Employment

Yesterday the Irish Government released new figures suggesting that unemployment was down 3,000 on the last results. However the reality is that many unemployed people are not being counted on the live register figures. As many as 20,000 people are presently in limbo as they did not have their Stamp paid for them by their employers or had the wrong type of stamp paid, these people have to go to the community welfare officer each week to get a living allowance to ensure that they are at least able to buy food, it is not fault of these people that the have been left in limbo but it suits the government to keep them there as the live register figures stay lower than the actual figures. Also people in receipt of other social welfare payments such as back to work scheme or government provided training are not included in the live figures. Recently the Social Welfare offices have been sending out letters on mass to those in receipt of Job Seekers allowance telling them to turn up for computer courses for which many are ill equipped to take on, an artificial demand is being created for the private companies delivering these courses and many are being taken off the live register under false pretences. This Government and its intellectual mouth-pieces are continuing to massage the figures rather than face up to their responsibilities to help stimulate new business, for too long this government sat back as multi-nationals provided the employment and this Government was nothing more than a ribbon cutter at new factories and offices. This Government needs to be replaced with a Government that is people centred and creative, only then will we have a real opportunity to take this country out of the deep depression into which it is falling.

The Irish Times

Today the Irish Times reports that 20% of children in the 'care' of the State have no assigned social worker. Dear God, after all that has been learned by the Ryan Report that exposed the systematic abuse of children in the care of the Irish State over decades we remain today in a position where children remain at daily risk. The excuses are gone, we did not know, things were different then, we did not have the money for services, all of these excuses have been used by the Government in the past yet they have done nothing. Today thousands of children are in the 'care' of the Irish State without any formal protection. This government have misspent billions on luxury items while the very fundamentals of any modern democracy have been ignored, the care and protection of the nations children is the corner stone of any modern democracy yet this Government has decided to feather its own nest while neglecting the nations children. All of the talk by John O Donoghue and Birty Ahern about protecting children was all lies, these men like this government are simply headline makers, pointing the finger somewhere else so that nobody looked too closely at their bank accounts. It is a crime against Humanity that this government has not spent a small sum of money to protect the children in its care but can spend billions on bailing out bankers and speculators. Shame on this Government and shame on they who are its cheer leaders.

Last nights full moon

Tax Credit for an auld duck house

Property

The Irish Times asks this morning if the property market has bottomed out. The simple answer has to be No. No matter where one goes there is a stock pile of empty properties, estimates suggest that there may be as many as 200, 000 vacant properties in Ireland. The market can only begin to recover when there is demand for this stock pile, yesterday the High Court ordered the repossession of many homes, yet the High Court is the last place to hear such matters. Many people have simply handed back their keys and the banks have began leasing the properties back to the original purchasers as there is no demand. The Government have done nothing to help the situation as their focus has been on bailing out their buddies in the Banks and the building trade while home owners are allowed to go to the wall. The Government had even put in place legislation that allowed Government Ministers to claim Tax credit for second homes in Dublin that they did not even have. Yes Government Ministers were allowed to claim a tax credit of 5,500 Euro on a second home that many of them did not even own, this while ordinary people were and are being put to the street. This government has failed beyond the comprehension of decent hard working people, this Government has feathered its own nest and the nests of its buddies while ordinary working people have lost their jobs and their homes. Jack O Connor did yesterday offer an alternative direction for this countries economic recovery, however, as it does not include bailing out bankers and property speculators it is unlikely to be even taken seriously by this inept Government.

Time to Go Home

President Obama

President Obama is continuing to pursue a militaristic campaign in both Iraq and Afghanistan, yet we had hoped for something new, something different, no matter what America does in either country it will do nothing for a real and lasting settlement in these countries. Nations must be allowed to determine their own destinies anyone who thinks different is not in touch with the reality of the situation. America may well help establish 'democratic' institutions but at what cost, is one American life worth the establishment of tin pot regimes that will eventually fall. What price is America prepared to pay for oil, what price is America prepared to pay for control over desserts and wilderness, non of this is worth the life of one young American. Obama should show some steel, he should stand up on the world stage and be counted, Nobel Peace Prizes are not meant to be window dressings on the west wing of the White House. Obama has a real and historical opportunity to make the right moves, committing more young Americans to a lost cause is not the way to go. Bring the lads home and focus on the real issues facing Americans, home repossession, job loss, health care are much more to the front of the mind than any amount of dessert sand or crude oil.

Money Matters

Matt Cooper has just published his book on the Elite group of people who brought about the boom and then the bust. Cooper who is a seasoned journalist of over 20 years tells it as it was and as it is. How people like Birty Ahern and Sir Antony O Reilly were big players in the elite group that drove Ireland during the boom years but like many others they ran from the scene once the economy crashed and left others to pick up the pieces. Cooper tells us that Brian Cowen is a man with talent yet it is a talent not seen in his years as Minister for Finance or indeed since becoming leader of the present inept Government. Cooper says himself that much of what he has written is already in the public domain yet he is the one who has joined the dots, he is the one who places the weight of truth on the shoulders of those who would like to re-write history. Cooper I think has got it write, I am sure he had and has more to say yet the legal millionaires down at the Goldmines would cause great difficulty for anyone trying to put it all out there, yet Cooper has managed to side step much of what has been kept under raps up until now. This is a book that will be on my Christmas list because of its honesty and diligent research.