Romantic Ireland's dead and gone

Romantic Ireland is dead and gone and Bertie Aherne, our 'man of the people' leader finds a way to nail the coffin shut with such a display of greed and casual disregard for the people of Ireland unrivalled even by Charlie boy at his peak

WHAT need you, being come to sense,
But fumble in a greasy till
And add the halfpence to the pence
And prayer to shivering prayer, until
You have dried the marrow from the bone;
For men were born to pray and save:
Romantic Ireland's dead and gone,
It's with O'Leary in the grave.
- William Butler Yeats

Bertie's accepted a €38 000 increase in salary. It's more than Gordon Brown; more than Bush Junior; and than more European leaders. Certainly over double what I earn. As Ciaran Byrne from the Indo puts it

Blair and Brown knew in their hearts it was wrong. Our lads have no much moral qualms. Ahern will now take home a hefty €310,000 -- €43,000 more than Gordon Brown, who leads a country of 60 million people, and €20,000 more than US president George W Bush.

The Dutch prime minister somehow gets by on an annual wage of €123,000 while in Poland the new PM Donald Tusk will have to make do with looking after 38.5 million people on a salary of €49,500.

After 24 hours of silence from the Government, Mr Ahern was cornered yesterday and trotted out his usual world-weary patter. "I don't tend to worry about these things...the Government will implement the pay scales..that's it."

How nice and privileged Bertie must feel by not having to worry about such things. Quite the lap of luxury when the health system is falling apart; the roads are a disgrace; government offices have a hiring freeze; people being evicted in the middle of the night unable to pay their mortgages because the ridiculous house prices; and violations of our constitution, allowing military aircraft en route to a war of aggression to land in our country just to stay in bed with American business. And you, little man, don't worry about these things! How nice that we have such inspired leadership. Let them eat cake comes to mind.

Mr Ahern said he didn't have a publicly-funded palace to live in -- apparently explaining why, at €310,000 a year, he should earn more President Sarkozy of France, British Premier Gordon Brown, and even President George Bush.

"I'm glad I don't own Chequers and I don't have No 10," Mr Ahern said, when asked why he should earn more than world leaders of more powerful nations. "I don't have the Elysee Palace -- if you want to build those in, then you know what the figures would be."

He went on: "I certainly don't want the White House. There is no comparison, and I think people know that."

Yes, there is no comparison either in the surface area or in the population size. However I think we can compare political fuckups and Bertie, you've fucked up, just like Bush junior. It might interest you to know Bertie, that the Irish Republic has an official residence for the president. You may remember her - lives in a des res near Castleknock, the Áras, I believe it's called. So why on Earth should you think that you deserve to get paid more than Prez Bush or Sarkozy when you're not president. You are a minister and your job is to run the country so do your job. Get the health, transport, and education systems back on their feet for a start. Earn some of that increase you are so determined to take.