Mayo Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Ruane calls for an end to cronyism

Published: 2 March, 2009


Sinn Féin Councillor, Thérèse Ruane, calls for an end to corruption and cronyism and the cosy relationships between governments and big business interests. It is obvious, the 'golden circle' of the 1980s is alive and well in Irish politics and our reputation as a country is being damaged internationally.
Thérèse Ruane said:
"Today we can see how the nod and wink relationship between politics and business is unfolding with stories of mismanagement that in the past, masqueraded as good practice. We have to ask ourselves the question: whose interest does the government have at heart? Is it the ordinary people of this country or is it their cronies - the wealthy, the bankers, the property developers?

We can no longer afford or tolerate this and people are beginning to wake up to this. The economic and social costs of cronyism are immense and have led to reduced business opportunities for the majority - where golden circles and old boys clubs rule the roost and where conglomerates and multinationals replace individual and small indigenous businesses that just can't compete.

"I am tired of listening to the dominant political parties as they defend this by saying that that's the way the market has developed and there is nothing we can do. This is what Fianna Fáil said when confronted over the Corrib Gas debacle and the fact that Ireland gains little or nothing in real terms from our own natural resources. So governments are helpless it seems in the face of big business."

It's time for change and an end to cronyism and corruption. It's time for a new way of doing things where the government serves the people, the majority and not just the favoured few, their cronies, they now represent."