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Iceland return centre right party that precided over collapse

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    #32
    Anynama141
    Closed Accounts Posts: 964 ✭✭✭Anynama141


    bmaxi wrote: »
    First of all, you're not comparing like with like. The tribunals cost hundreds of millions to deal with the corrupt activities of a few individuals, the welfare system deals with over half a million, many of them in their situation because of these corrupt activities. On a pro-rata basis, no individual on welfare could, in a lifetime, cost as much as these corrupt individuals.
    I agree entirely, and was making no such comparison. In fact the damage due to planning corruption is far greater again than the mere cost of the tribunals.

    The point is that the cost of the tribunals is a drop in the ocean compared to ongoing costs.
    bmaxi wrote: »
    For the most part welfare payments are a claim on an insurance policy, people have paid their premiums and are collecting on maturity but there is no doubt that the system is open to abuse.
    This is certainly true today, when most people on the dole are former workers who would rather be in employment. 5 years ago, most people were voluntarily unemployed/unemployable.
    bmaxi wrote: »
    Policing of the system is laughable at best.
    The Public Service again. is an example of political corruption. In the 1990s , Ahern, that pillar of society, thought he'd never get enough people into the Public Service and the more "foot soldiers" there were, the more generals were needed to command them but in time of crisis, it's the foot soldiers who are being decommissioned, while the officer corps are left untouched. The officer corps of course, being the aides de camp of the politicians.
    Why was it necessary to hire all these public servants if, as you said, it hasn't increased the efficiency of the Public Service? I can make a pretty good guess at the answer.
    I agree entirely.


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    #33
    bmaxi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,859 ✭✭✭bmaxi


    Anynama141 wrote: »

    The point is that the cost of the tribunals is a drop in the ocean compared to ongoing costs.

    This is debatable. It could be argued that had the Beef Tribunal been prosecuted to the full and with impartiality, then it's likely the gangsters who brought about the situation we currently find ourselves in would not be around today. Crooked money that was used to return FF to power in 1997 might not have been available.
    There are many unanswered questions still, about that unfortunate (for the Irish taxpayer) episode.


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