It’s many years since I spent time in Ireland, when two past employers both posted me to Dublin for short periods. Dublin then, as now, was a warm and friendly place, and as a result I’ve always retained a fondness for the country and its citizens.
I did though see two sides of Irish society then. One, the vast majority, where people with a strong sense of Irish identity worked hard, the other, a small minority in the body politic were corrupt.
The collapse of the Irish economy and banks in particular in 2008 were painful for Ireland, and so it’s pleasing to read reports of the recovery in the Irish economy. The crash was so severe that it’s certain to take a long term for Ireland to fully recover. It is happening, but as Finlan O’Toole in the New York Times reports, Ireland’s Rebound is European Blarney. Here’s the last part of his article,
“A torrent of debt continues to flow from the catastrophic decision to save bad banks at all costs. Hopes that Ireland’s debts might be alleviated by its European partners in recognition of the country’s role in saving the euro are now fading.
Little Ireland took one for the team. In return, it gets a pat on the head and the dubious pleasure of being called a success story.
This is why, in the end, the austerity program has not succeeded even in its basic aim of bringing down Ireland’s sovereign debt, which actually rose sharply over the last five years. In 2009, it was 64 percent of G.D.P. Last year, it peaked at 125 percent. The debt has doubled while public spending has been slashed.
In this, Ireland may be a model indeed: suffering to maintain an unreal image of slimmed-down perfection.”
I wish Ireland and the Irish people well, though they need more voices to speak on the reality in Irish society.
Lightwater 