Silly Old Twit

 A few days ago it was announced that Ireland would hold a general election. So what are the issues? What’s the news and what is there to report from the emerald island? Well to be honest there is nothing at all to report. There are various politicians and different parties and party political broadcasts on tv and that kind of thing but that’s about it. There is no campaigning on moral issues. No one is saying that we must invest money in social housing and try to get rid of homelessness. No one is saying that we must contribute more more money in foreign aid to meet our commitments. No one is suggesting that we should modify our immigration policy in order that we might give preference to the old , the infirm and weak throughout the world.
      So what’s it all about? It’s about greed. Just that and no more.
   There are constituancy offices of the major political parties just up the road from me here in Dublin so I could just go and ask them but there would be no point. Nobody cares about such things in the new Ireland. If you take a few minutes and type Ireland Elections into your browser you will see what I mean. There has been investment in segregated education its true and perhaps our leaders would point to that as something they have done for the common good but as we in Ireland have suffered enough from segregation in the north of this island I hardly think this is something to boast about.
    Home ownership and getting on the property ladder. Historically the landlord was the great scourge of the Irish and a figure of hatred but now everyone want’s to be a landlord. Property speculation is the new religion and if you cannot afford to or don’t feel the inclination to be converted then your a fool of worse.
   Men and women who in the recent past sold drugs to finance their murder campaign in the north now pose for photo opportunities outside the Irish Parliament……
           ” All’s changed , changed utterly…” and there’s no fool like an old fool.