Where are the real Politicians and Leaders? The letter to 4 Ministers

davepatr07

I'm typing this from across the other side of the world on a 1 year work and travel visa. A place where I have spoken to young Irish people and how they are viewing Ireland from abroad.
Basically comes down to the state of affairs in Ireland. They did not appear to be homesick they were just sick at the situation back home. No jobs to go to and a Government that couldn't care less what the people say.
Funny how it is back home I got replies from my letters, from here, nothing not even an email response. I wrote the following letter by email and by post to BIFFO, Lenihan, Hanafin, and Dempsey. Slightly editing the letter to suit each.
Here is this one for Dempsey.. Please feel free to comment

30 April 2010


Minister Dempsey,



I am writing to you out of concern for where Ireland is heading and the fact it faces serious problems both politically and economically.
I wouldn’t be writing this letter all the way from New Zealand if I didn’t care and if I wasn’t serious.
Ireland needs a change in Government. Recent SBP polls back this, the people have spoken. They have lost confidence in a Fianna Fail Party that lacks leadership, is disillusioned and has no focus as to where to go in these challenging times.
The truth is Fianna Fail have been in Government for far too long, and as a result have become stubborn, ignorant and power happy not to mention ignoring what’s best for the
Irish people/voters. They/you don’t speak for the people. I believe Minister Dempsey in response to one of my endless letters to Government said that a Government needs to be careful to avoid abusing its position in power. What a contradiction!
There are many young educated Irish people I have met down under that are happy and settled here. They wouldn’t even think about going back home the state it’s in.
Ireland faces a brain drain. It faces a serious crisis due to Government inaction and stubbornness. The Irish Education system is failing (not to mention Health). This is the key to what we need for a knowledge based economy and the Government of Fianna Fail and the pathetic Greens turn their back on it. Education needs all the support it can get, for the sake of the remaining young population.

I could go on and blame Fianna Fail on the mess they have created and indeed Bertie Ahern for his mismanagement of the finances during the boom years.
It appears saving for a rainy day never came to his or other Fianna Fail Ministers minds!
It’s so easy to blame outside circumstances for the economic downturn in Ireland, but the writing was on the wall and much of the downturn was exasperated and helped by Fianna Fail overspending and wasting money/resources during the good times. Let I remind you of the e-voting machines being one example and those consultants not to mention the high-mile big spending jet setters such as John O’ Donoghue among others.
Why can’t Government Ministers look outside the zone and see how successful some economies are dealing with the crisis, not many successful economies about but one good example is Australia. They virtually got away with the 2008/09/10 recession. Why? Because they kept a close eye on things, watched the spends, didn’t over rely on a construction industry, and made sure banks didn’t get the run of themselves.
Regulation has failed Ireland. Many would say it has become a Banana Republic. Certainly a young Irish person like me and many others I have met at home and abroad would agree to this.
They have had enough and now they have a choice, emigrate, educate (if they have the money) or be miserable on the dole because they can’t find work. Of course those that do qualify through the college route find no jobs around at home and decide to then emigrate. The brains we need are then gone.

Why has Fianna Fail not fully supported the idea of a bi-yearly (even a yearly) Global Irish Economic Forum?
That was a great idea thanks to David McWilliams and Gerry Robinson.
Top Irish Business people are the key to getting some sort of trigger going in generating ideas that will benefit Ireland domestically and internationally. Getting Ireland on the road to recovery does NOT involve Fianna Fail/Greens solely. It involves people with experience in business. Not many politicians make good business people! (As can be seen from our financial mess) Pity Mary Coughlan couldn’t see the benefits of this forum. Instead she chose to use foolish comments which were picked up by the media.

Ireland needs all the help it can get globally.
As an island nation we depend on air transport and tourism.
It needs to stop acting like a Banana Republic if it wants to be competitive and attractive on the world stage particularly in relation to inward investment.
It is unfortunate to see this Government supporting the air/tourism travel tax which airlines then have to pass on. What short sighted idea this is and a stupid one when we need tourism growth now more then ever. This goes against the idea of tourism growth. Costs need to be kept low to remain competitive. Holland, Spain and a few others have gotten rid of this stupid tax to encourage inbound traffic.
VRT is having an effect on car rental companies. There now appears to be a shortage of cars for rent in Ireland. How are tourists supposed to see the country? Not all of them can rely on our public transport!
This Government could do a lot more in promoting tourism by lowering costs and abolishing non essential taxes and levies that hinder growth.
All you have to do is see the falling passenger figures at the airports as evidence and no that is not all to do with the current economic climate, in fact there are still airports recording growth!
Here’s a website page I thought you should see. Not a good promotion of Ireland is it?
This was in a Forbes article on Canadian Yahoo.
http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/personal-finance/article/forbes/1492/worlds-worst-countries-for-jobs

If you care to respond to this letter you can do so through my email

---

As it’s a power happy, know it all, ignore the people party I’m writing to, I’m not expecting a response.


Regards


Frustrated, Angry Irishman in New Zealand (who doesn’t have to be)

Dannyboy83

Well done making your voice heard.

davepatr07

Dear David,

Thank you for your letter dated 31st of April 2010 (?). I take it that you are the David M..... that was in communications with me last year. If you are, your bone fides in relation to the concern, anger and frustration that you feel about the current situation in Ireland are well established.

As with your correspondence last year, there are parts of it with which I agree and parts with which I don't agree. While I accept fully that the opinion polls, not just in the Sunday Business Post, do not favour Fianna Fáil at the moment, I fundamentally disagree that we should decide the composition of our Government by opinion poll.

While I also accept that we are in a serious economic situation that needs to be rectified, I don't accept the thesis that Fianna Fáil cannot and should not be allowed to rectify it. In fact, I firmly believe that Fianna Fáil has a duty and obligation to stay in Government as long as they possibly can to try and ensure that we lay the foundations for longer term recovery. As I look across and listen to the Opposition benches, taking the diametrically opposed views to each other on the solutions and policies necessary to get us to the future, I shudder to think what would happen in a coalition Government with two parties heading in opposite directions. While I accept the decisions that we have had to make have been very difficult for people generally, I also passionately believe that they are in the best long term interest of the country, will help us to get out of the current crisis, and will help us also on the road to recovery.

I do not agree with your refusal to accept that a major part of the difficulties that we face has been due to the international economic banking crisis and recession. While things may be better in Australia currently, while we were having our 15 years of relative prosperity, Australia went through at least three or four recessions. I know because I have brother living there and in business. The reason why Australia is getting away relatively better in the current circumstances is because they are selling all of their natural resources to China.

Fianna Fáil has not only supported but organised the Global Irish Economic Forum, which took place last September. As a result of that, proposals that were made there are subject to ongoing discussion and in many instances implementation. This is only one initiative that is constantly pursued by Fianna Fáil and Government. Enterprise Ireland organise very frequent trade missions to various parts of the world to try to ensure in conjunction with IDA Ireland that we attract as many industries, businesses etc back to Ireland and that Irish companies have the opportunity to expand and generate money for the economy at home.

While it's very easy to suggest scrapping this tax and that tax claiming that they will make a huge difference, one of the criticisms of Government policy over the last number of years is that we've reduced the tax base so much we can no longer provide the services we are providing. I am always delighted to hear new ideas and fresh ideas that are properly thought out and in the current climate any suggestions that are made in relation to reducing tax, I believe should be matched by an analysis of how the tax foregone/lost can be made up.

Thank you for the link page on the negative comments on Ireland. I have seen it previously. In addition, I've seen many, many articles in newspapers and magazines commenting favourably on how Ireland is dealing with it's currently difficulties.

Kindest regards

Yours sincerely,

_____________________
Noel Dempsey, T.D.,
Minister for Transport.

21st April 2010.
***********************************************

ei.sdraob

While it's very easy to suggest scrapping this tax and that tax claiming that they will make a huge difference

what taxes is he referring to? in the context of your letter

thanks

davepatr07

Air taxes. I was talking about getting rid of them to help boost tourism.

CoalBucket

Dubious - The example you gave yesterday just happened to have been sent to Noel Dempsey and by some chance he is the one who replyed out of all the all the ministers mentioned.
I have sent letters to ministers before and while you do get a response it is usually some civil servant letter saying they are dealing with a particular issue. If that is from Dempsey he must have f*** all better to be doin than sitting down replying to e-mails, maybe he doesn't.

Scofflaw

Just the one thread, I think.

moderately,
Scofflaw

The_Honeybadger

I'm awaiting a response from my local TD after I wrote them a letter with a few concerns I had, namely why are we funding Berties state car to plug his book among other things, I reckon we should all bombard them with our list of complaints and concerns, give the b**stards something to think about

davepatr07

Thats the only way to get the message across. Sitting in the armchair looking at the bad economic news on 6 one with Sharon Ni B being the only attraction won't help. I only hope that we get a new breed of decent, honest politicians with leadership potential in the next 10 years. I won't hold my breath on that but I'll try to be optimistic for our childrens future!

problemchimp

Well done DavepatrO7, nice to see someone caring enough to actually write to these people. Most of us(including myself most of the time) complain but do nothing constructive about the situation. We need to do more and by God we need to use our vote come election time.Joe Higgins recently had a protest at Anglo hq on a Saturday afternoon and 12 people turned up, shame on us. But it's not too late to show these fukcers we care about our country, our people and our future!!!

Dannyboy83

davepatr07 wrote: »

In addition, I've seen many, many articles in newspapers and magazines commenting favourably on how Ireland is dealing with it's currently difficulties.

Does anyone have a link for these please?

The only positive comments I saw were post budget, when The Economist & FT and a few others commented that austerity was a step in the right direction.
Seems to have been washed away in the meanwhile tho and the onslaught continues. Most articles I've seen recently are saying that we have the seat behind Greece on the Titanic.

I'd genuinely like to see these articles which comment favorably if anyone has any links, unless they are from Pravda or an equivalent.

davepatr07

I realised when I sent the letter I screwed up on the dates. Perhaps it was the spur of the moment frustration, I felt that I needed to get this out on paper. If every Irish/Half Irish person worldwide could do this it would be something. Unlike some of the Irish abroad I will be back home. But it is good to get a perspective from people living here and what they feel. Dannyboy83 Havnt heard about or seen any positive articles on how Ireland's dealing with it's economy. Certainly seen a good few negatives in NZ!

dan_d

Fair play to you. I've sent a number of emails to various different people and normally I get back some standard response from some civil servant.
I'm going to keep trying anyway. As should everyone else.

Liam Byrne

OP :

It’s so easy to blame outside circumstances for the economic downturn in Ireland, but the writing was on the wall and much of the downturn was exasperated and helped by Fianna Fail overspending and wasting money/resources during the good times

Dempsey :

I do not agree with your refusal to accept that a major part of the difficulties that we face has been due to the international economic banking crisis and recession

I didn't see any "refusal to accept" by the OP, given that he said that FF made a bad situation worse, but I do see a "refusal to accept" by Dempsey, the blinkered, in-denial, biased deluded idiot!

As I look across and listen to the Opposition benches, taking the diametrically opposed views to each other on the solutions and policies necessary to get us to the future, I shudder to think what would happen in a coalition Government with two parties heading in opposite directions.

Well, Dempsey, I shudder to think what mess FF have already gotten us into, and how they're making it worse, and I am (or was) a neutral, with no vested interest or blind party loyalty.

....how Ireland is dealing with it's currently difficulties.

Back to school for Mr Dempsey; the correct phrase is "its (no apostrophe) current".....actually the correct phrase is "FF-imposed difficulties", but there's no way he'd have the sense to admit that.

davepatr07

Having replied to his last letter this is the 2nd response I got back. Talk about hitting a brick wall, the stubborn arrogance that prevails in Politics especially FF!



Dear David,


Many thanks for your response to my e-mail. As before, I really don’t want to become involved in a tit for tat exchange of letters because I don’t believe that I can convince you of my point of view anymore than you will be able to convince me about some of the assertions you make. However I think it healthy to agree to disagree and have a level of respect for each other’s opinions.

I must disagree with your assertion that the last 15 years have been a disaster and are an example of why Fianna Fáil should not be allowed to remain in Government. That is a very bleak view of what was a period of growth and advancement in our history. No other period in our history could come anywhere near matching the progress that we made in the period from 1990 and 2008 – almost two decades. Of course we, as a Government, or as a people did not get everything right. Mistakes were made, but allowing for those mistakes and allowing for the fact that we have reverted probably to 2003/2004 levels of income, we still have made huge progress.

Again, I can accept that not everything is perfect, that many things need to be changed, that there are many, many improvements that we could still make but if you can point to any perfect society, any utopia anywhere in the world, I will be glad to go and see how they do it.

Again, many thanks for contacting me and best wishes.

Kindest regards,

Yours sincerely,

_____________________
Noel Dempsey, T.D.,
Minister for Transport.