Cowen has polarised the country [Irish Examiner]
- Published: 21 February 2009
Source: Irish Examiner
TAOISEACH Brian Cowen has polarised the country in a way not seen since the Civil War or the War of Independence. Brother against brother, cousin against cousin, neighbour against neighbour, public sector against private sector.
The Taoiseach reminds me of a stubborn toddler to whom someone has firmly said no. This toddler breaks all the toys so no one will have anything to play with.
By removing so much income from the economy, Mr Cowen is sentencing many more to short working hours or unemployment.
He is hitting every community and all the small businesses based in these communities.
He is hitting the family-run businesses that need the support of the local nurses, gardaí, fire staff, ambulance staff, teachers and local authority staff.
Cabinet members are not out there on our roads in inclement weather, at all hours of the day and night, clearing up after road accidents with our ambulance staff, fire staff and the gardaí.
They are not knocking at front doors to break the news that a precious son or daughter is lying in a hospital injured or worse. They are not working in our A&E departments, fighting with the drunks who are a permanent fixture at the weekends, while all the time trying to help the genuinely sick.
Not for our ministers the drudge of standing in front of teenagers who would prefer to be "anywhere but here", trying to engage them in education for the good of their futures.
Of course, we know how this Government feels about our children, so cherished in our constitution.
Get rid of our special needs assistants and force the most vulnerable of our children out of mainstream education or sink in a world which moves too fast for them.
Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe surely leaves a legacy that ensures he will never be forgotten.
Let's talk about the greed of our politicians who willingly accept inflated pensions while being paid a very generous salary, supposedly to work on our behalf. This is greed in the extreme. A pension should be something you receive after you retire.
Catherine Duggan
Springmarquis
Dungarvan
Co Waterford
