Sir, – Noel Whelan (Opinion, March 24th) suggested expelling Bertie Ahern was of a different order to the expulsions of Neil Blaney in 1972 and of me in 1985, because in this case the party is expelling a former leader. He is wrong. Blaney’s and my expulsions, both for “conduct unbecoming” a member of the party, were about the future direction of Fianna Fáil. In 1972 the party chose constitutional republicanism over ethnic bigotry, and in 1985 Fianna Fáil chose corruption and personal aggrandisement over basic ethical standards. Those expulsions mattered.
Expelling Bertie Ahern was an attempt at damage limitation and to re-cast the party’s position on past events. But Ahern epitomised the Fianna Fáil approach to politics since Haughey took over the party’s leadership. It will take more than his expulsion to rid the party of the stain with which successive leaders and senior members have tarnished it. – Yours, etc
Sir, – I have never been a supporter of Fianna Fáil, but I must say that I have been impressed very much with Micheál Martin’s handling of the whole affair thus far. The pressure to hold ranks and kick for touch on this one must be enormous but the Corkman’s statesmanship has been paramount.
I hope he keeps his nerve and is rewarded for showing another view of Fianna Fáil. He is at the opposite end of the spectrum to where Haughey, Burke, Flynn and Ahern gather. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – James Browne (March 24th) argues that the costs of the Mahon tribunal are worthwhile because they show “we as a nation are serious about the integrity of our government.” Serious about integrity? Even though the tribunal found “systemic corruption at every level,” The Irish Times reports that prosecutions are unlikely. I can’t believe no one is going to jail.
Where is the deterrent effect? Can anyone say that if the housing boom started over tomorrow, that no one would have their hand out? In the US, we are no strangers to political corruption. Here in Illinois, two of our former governors are currently serving long stretches in federal penitentiaries.However, political corruption cases are investigated by agents of the FBI and are litigated by federal prosecutors who, by the way, earn between €41,000 and €116,000 annually.
Of course, our system isn’t perfect. (If it were, Illinois wouldn’t have had so many corrupt governors.) But unless the Mahon tribunal’s report leads to legislative changes that would allow for thorough, efficient, and cost effective investigations and criminal prosecutions of political corruption, its impact will be limited. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – The most important matter now is what we do as a result of the Mahon report. Forget about all the people named in it. This level of corruption can happen again.
The fact is that our political and justice structures have totally ineffective means to call any one to account for his or her actions. And effective power in this country is concentrated in too few hands. We must have significant reform of these areas: the government, Dáil, civil service, local government and the justice system) to implement true separation of policy-makers from those who implement policy, and to have effective processes to call people in each of these areas to account. We desperately want a better country, so we have to change how it is run. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Judge Alan Mahon describes corruption as endemic in Irish public life, but was limited to examining planning in Dublin. We must now ask what has taken place elsewhere and investigate planning concerns across the country.
This process was begun under John Gormley, but all such investigations were stopped by current Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan. It is now imperative that these investigations are restarted and that no politician be allowed block such inquiries. Otherwise we will never be free of this endemic corruption. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Let us remember that corruption in Ireland has never been punished at the ballot box. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – The Mahon tribunal has now confirmed what many always suspected. The planning process in Ireland has for years been riddled with corruption. Greed and the abuse of power have been endemic in a system in which the public interest has played second fiddle to the personal desires of corrupt politicians, planners and developers.
The need for radical reform of the planning regime and the for an independent and publicly accountable planning regulator is self-evident. For too long the public has effectively been excluded from proper participation in planning applications for developments which have the potential to adversely impact upon local communities.
The cosy relationship between landowner, developer, politician and planner which provides a fertile environment for corrupt practices must come to an end.
In this regard, the planning laws should provide for mandatory local public consultation prior to the determination of planning applications for substantial developments. Government guidance recommending such consultation is currently often ignored by both developer and planner, leading to applications being granted for significant development without proper local public scrutiny.
A mandatory requirement for consultation may go some way at least towards reducing the potential for unaccountable deals to be concluded in private smoke-filled rooms. – Yours, etc,
A chara, – In light of the findings of the Mahon tribunal and considering the nation’s current economic plight, is it not time for us citizens on a national scale to call for the abolition of the obscene pensions being lavished upon those who drove this country to financial ruin?
These same lavish pensions were introduced during the Ahern regime, and we continue to reward these people for either the telling of untruths or corruption, while the vast majority of us struggle to find the €100 for the household tax.
Whatever about the charges levelled against them, one thing is certain, they are guilty of ineptitude in governing this country.
Our country resembles more a feudal state than a democratic republic, with taxes being extracted at every turn.
The middle-class, who keep this country buoyant, are in danger of disappearing under the current burden of taxation. To hear politicians of various hues repeating ad nauseam that people have no excuse for not being able to pay the levy, indicates how far removed they are from the plight of the common citizen. These pensions should stop forthwith and appropriate legislation should be introduced to accommodate this action. – Is mise,
Sir, – In considering post-Mahon reforms, one could do worse than examine how such investigations are done elsewhere in Europe.
In Spain, for example, there are some distinct differences to ours: first, the investigation is under the criminal law from the outset. In our system the criminal investigation only starts after the tribunal has reported and the Garda Síochána can’t use the evidence gathered in that process; so they start from scratch. What a surprise, therefore, that we have so few convictions? The Spanish legal system is inquisitorial, not adversarial, like ours. This means that an “instructing” judge controls the initial investigation and has huge powers, eg to use wiretaps or to get access to bank records, before they start asking awkward questions. The methods used with politicians are the same as those used with mafia figures. This is accidental because the measures were initially introduced to fight organised crime; just that the Spanish politicians forgot to exclude themselves and now the corrupt ones are being hoisted on their own petards.
There are currently hundreds of politicians/public officials in prison in Spain.
Another important difference in Spain is what they call “cohecho pasivo”. This means “passive bribery” ie poliiticians/public officials receiving money but without proof that any favour was done in return. A “dig out” would constitute cohecho pasivo. If we’d had that, very simple, legal measure in Ireland would there have been any need for the 15 years work and the €250 million in costs of the Mahon tribunal? – Yours, etc,