A President's Greed!

When the economy on it's knees and an unemployment rate of 14% - why is the head of one of Ireland's renowned universities complaining that he is finding it hard to live on a salary of €232,000/pa.

Some people have only €188/week to live on, and yet you Dr. Michael Murphy are complaining about not being able to afford a mortgage payment and a luxury car. Now granted you got to where you are now because you are a smart person - but really how can you be so naive and expect anyone to be sympathetic to your situation. The average man and woman are having to make sacrifices, and you should too.

You need to decide which is worth more to you - a mortgage payment or a luxury car. This is what it comes down to if you are complaining about not being able to afford your lifestyle as it is now. You need to prioritize and think, how much am I willing to sacrifice to live within your means. It would just be selfish to live beyond your means when the country is on its knees!

So I urge you to think about your comments and realize that giving your money away is not the answer to feeling better about your wealth. You reap what you sow and if you want a quick fifteen minutes of looking good then go ahead, but just realize people will see through your fake charity.

If you really meant it then you would not boast about your donations.

Keep chuckin them deuces

Happy New Year

I haven't been posting here much since the summer. Since then I stepped my job search and focused on getting past the application stage. This is the hardest stage to overcome because your fate is in the hands of a hiring manger, and if your resume does not catch their eye, then you are out. First impressions are everything and in most cases the 1 or 2 page resume is that impression. I also met with a skilled executive recruiter who recognized the struggle graduates are facing to gain employment. The opportunity to talk through my experience and hopes for future help me put my thoughts in perspective and motivate myself to continue in my persuit of employment.

For me my hard work paid off when I successfully made it though to the interview stage of Ernst and Young graduate scheme at the start of November. The interview consisted of 25 set questions. This took 90 minutes, so you do the math on how many minutes for each question. The psychometric test that followed was 6 logical, numerical, and diagrammatical questions in 8 minutes. There is a strong correlation between the pass rate of the psychometric tests and the success rate of those people obtaining their exams.

The interview was on the Friday and on the following Monday I had a call inviting me for a second interview on the Friday (just four days later!!). I did my homework and expected an interview with the partner from the division I applied for, and it would take up to 90 minutes again. I needed to know my division inside out. Oh and it would take 2 weeks for a decision to be made.

Well I got the partner at the interview. It took 30 minutes. And I was asked what my hobbies are, why did I want the job, and what was going to be the most difficult challenge. Less than 2 HOURS later I had the job!

So that was my later part of 2011 and I am looking forward to 2012 and sharing my experiences. I start work on Tuesday!

Keep chukkin them deuces

Brits Out

I read on the BBC News website this morning that the Northern Ireland Executive are shall we saying trying to table a motion to make it law that students from Britain will have to pay £9,000 to go to college at eith Queen's or University of Ulster.

Part of me agrees with fees - university isn't for everyone, but most people go because irts convenient and they dn't have a back up plan?!

If you are putting it up for one, then put it up for all. Last week I called the Prime Minister hypritical - well Northern Ireland Executive you are no different!

Are you discriminating against Britain because they are British? What about all this Unionist talk about being part of the United Kingdom and so on ........

The Republic have it the right way around. Don't impose fees on a first degree - get them in the door and then when they have graduated, then you charge the fees for the 2nd and 3rd degrees!

The world and their granny has a degree these days so its a given that people are going to get 2nd and 3rd degrees ......................... so publicise Northern Ireland by offering FREE undergraduate education, and the people coming will hopefully like it so much that they want to stay on and do further study in Northern Ireland!

Yeah yeah yeah there will be opposition to that because this will mean a drop in money and it will have to be found from elsewhere..

And that is the way it should be.

There is inefficencys in every departments budgets and this will help curb these! And this is exactly what we need to become a stronger economy.

So say NO to keeping the Brits Out!

Hypocrites?

The looting that happened in England at the beginning of August showed what people are calling a broken Britain. Some people might not agree because it is just a small faction of society and mainly ethnic cultures.

Well I would say it is a broken Britain....

The looters broke in to every sort of store possible from stealing water, to high-end TVs. I am not denying it is stealing and it should be punished. But is a certain British Prime Minister not being a tiny bit hypocritical saying the looters will feel the full force of the law.

Yes Mr Cameron you may not have been brought up in a deprived area of Britain but just think back a few months to the expenses scandal....

This was not just a one party issue ... it was all parties. And tell me this... what is so different from what the looters did and the expenses scandal. Members of the British Parliament stole, yes, stole in the same way that the looters did only they did it in a very sneaky way.

Did they feel the full force of the law? I think not. They got off scott free. And the worst thing about this whole thing is that they got the opportunity to give the money back and no further action would be taken. So why can't this be offered to the looters. If they are prepared to give back what they stole, then they should have no further action taken against them.

People have been sent to jail for stealing water. MPs did a lot worse than that and didn't even have to appear before a court!

Incredible.

Mr Cameron, you need to rethink your strategy, and instead of setting a bad example you need to treat the MPs like you are treating the general public and jail them to for their petty theft. MPs are public representatives, representing the people, so they are no different than the people they are representing!
Start by underwriting all the damage that was caused.

Cut the police budget. People will learn to live and work on a budget and maybe the quality of their work might improve.

Broken Britain... Cameron I think you just shattered Britain because you are a hypocrite!

Keep chukkin them deuces! 

Why I want to work abroad .........

I have firmly focused my job search outside of Northern Ireland. Some people agree this is a good thing, but others will protest that I am somehow abandoning my country!

Well this is what I have to say....

1. Northern Ireland will never forget the Troubles, but it is now in the past and we need to move forward! 
2. The MLAs are a perfect example of how Northern Ireland is and always will be stuck in the past! 

You might remember in late December 2010, there was a water crisis, and Northern Ireland Water were hauled over the coals, and the minister was criticized! If this was any other country the minister involved would be punished at the polls, but not in Northern Ireland, who still vote either green or orange depending on their grievances  - so the criticized minister got back into the Assembly on his first count! 

Northern Ireland has the top 25% of students in the whole of the UK. What an achievement. So why would the Northern Ireland Assembly through the Sinn Fein minister in education want to damage that reputation by essentially streamlining the top performing schools, so no one can excel ! 

The 11+ WAS fair. The 11+ is a 2 test process measuring a child's academic ability, assisting pupils with their choice of secondary level education, based on their academic ability.

This is not discrimination, it is FAIR. The pupil will be going to a school that will meet their academic ability, that won't be teaching them beyond their capabilities, so they will have more of an opportunity to excel.

Instead, there is now a 5 test system and at the end of it, instead of getting an A, B1, B2, C1, C2 or D - each test has their own grading scale. And nobody knows how to decipher the information. So who knows what schools are best suited to them.

The minister is trying to streamline the secondary education system and have all schools teach the same curriculum, and every one learn at the same level. How are pupils to excel, and what about those pupils who struggle to learn at that level. This IS discrimination! 

Lastly my frustration with education is university and college degrees! There are so many people going to college now that it is slowly but surely devaluing the worth of a degree. Most students have to obtain a 2:1 or above to be remotely considered for graduate positions! What about the hundreds of students who get 2:2, and who worked just as hard, but couldn't quite get there! This goes back to the academic ability! 

Raising the fees is the most straight forward way of reducing the number going to university. But I would be hypocritical of saying this is the way to go. 

There should be better advice and guidance given in schools to help pupils discern if university is the best way in terms of their career path. After speaking with professionals in several industries I have come to the conclusion that esp. in Arts degrees, that the volume of work covered in a 3 year degree, can also be taught on the job in 6 months! 

This is something that needs to be looked at !

This is why I want to get out of Northern Ireland - people need to wake up and look beyond this small island and see how they are very narrow minded.

It is easier to have gone away and come back, rather than stay at home and try to go away! 

Follow me on twitter: @DickyJJr

Keep chukkin them dueces! 

National Champions

Yes.... we did it!

4 years in a row. Killester Special Olympics Men's team have won the league and cup for the 4th consecutive year!

We played Ulster, Munster, and Connaught - and beat them all!

We are now looking for international competition, so if you are that person/team....

Bring it on ............................. 

Update on my life....... exciting as it is!

Hi there, yes it's me, that guy who said on January 1st he would devote time to this blog... but like every human being I have waned, but I vow to come back, because i aint just your regular guy. I will succeed.

So, where am I right now.. well maybe this can some it up better.... 

JDicky 0 - 1 The  Economic Recession

I am now starting to keep a count. 

I sent in a letter with my creds to a company - and I actually got a human response. They thanked me for my interest but sadly there are no openings on this occasion - yes a template - but it was signed by a person a partner, and acknowledged that I had sent a letter with my CV... Hmm maybe I'm reading too much into this! 

Something that is bothering me though, is the lack of customer satisfaction at a local convenience store that I use, or did use, because I avoid them like the HN51 swine flu.....

You think a small shop in a small town would have nice friendly people. Nope. This shop in this small town have people who make it seem like a chore to serve people. They would rather gossip about their colleagues than attend to their customers. I ask for a sub roll.... you can see they don't have any behind the counter and the woman is thinking I'll say no, but I hold the eye contact and make sure she damn well goes the 10m or so to open a new pack of sub rolls.

On one occasion I didn't get the satisfaction - I was looking for a southern fried chicken roll. They had no southern fried chicken breasts, so I said oh can I get the legs and can out take the meat off the bone and put it in a SUB roll.............. the response was no - they could only sell the chicken on the bone! Bullshit.

That was just lazy! So that is why I no longer go... because I am not gonna put up with a half assed attempt at serving a customer and being rude!  I did get revenge though... before I stopped I got a full sandwich for 20p.. The woman rung the wrong price in to the register.... was I going to tell her... hell naw! I thinking ... stick it up ye!!!!!

Right before I go to bed..... the Irish Election... looks like Fine Gael will get an overall majority, but if not the Labour Party and the "Shinners" might be in line for a few jobs... Lets hop Gerry doesn't get the minister for finance!!! 

But really what difference is Fine Geal going to make???? There was a change in British government after 13 years......... are the Tory's doing making a positive impact??? We are still sinking into a recession... one year on..... and no further on.... okay, it will take time, but you need to do something quick because so far you aint done shit!  

Don't get me started on NI..... ballocks ! 

Isn't it ironic

Isn't it ironic....... Gerry Adams resigns as an MP and he is awarded a baron ship.

But what I find bizarre about this politician is that he says he wants to enter the Dail because he is concerned about the Irish economy. According to the Belfast Telegraph Adams faltered when he gave a public interview regarding the recession. He's not interested in the economy! He has no knowledge of it.....

Games up big man, so drop the charade and admit what your real agenda is???

He emigrated from London to Dublin... either way hope he stays out of Northern Ireland! 

Maybe I didn't make myself clear.. but POLITICS IN NORTHERN IRELAND SUCKSI!!!!!

Why is it that politicians or public bodies always want to take the responsibility when something goes right, but what about when it goes wrong, everyone wants to get out of the spotlight quick enough.

The Minister for Culture, Arts & Leisure, the mouthpiece for Sport Northern Ireland on Thursday evening said the business plans linked to the olympic facilities were not up to scratch and that is why the funding was withdrawn.

How ignorant and grossly misleading for a publicly elected minister to say this? This just goes to show how unprofessional Sport Northern Ireland is as a body. How could they let 5 facilities progress to stage two of the process and say that the business plans were not up to scratch? Does this not expose Sport Northern Ireland as being incapable of directing this sort of operation. If the business plans were not up to scratch why did Sport Northern Ireland not go back and question the strength of the business plans? Oh they went back to them alright, but only to get information that they were already supplied with by the governing bodies.

And how convenient this was in holding up the process, ensuring the facilities wouldn't go ahead. Was it ever intended for these facilities to not go ahead. As soon as there was talk of budget cuts, this was a sure indication that the facilities would not go across. And now today the excuse was finally made up - not up to scratch.

None of the politicians or people in these public bodies look at the longer term benefits such facilities would bring. If the process had met the timescale originally set, the facilities would be ready and teams might actually want to come here and train before the 2012 games. Instead there are no facilities for teams to train in and this was not helped by the comments of the CEO of Sport Northern Ireland who came out publicly and said why would people want to come to a place that is still under threat from dissidents.

The Troubles was 30 years ago.... when is this country and the public figures going to move on. Seriously?

Duces     

Politics sucks....

OK so I still only have two followers, but hey, two is better than zero. Show a guy a lil luv....

I wasn't quite sure what to name this blog today ..

First I would like to correct myself on my budget rant... The health budget was left untouched, but this does not solve the problems health professionals face on a daily basis... this is not because the budget is not enough.... its the people within the health sector, who decide where this money goes..... why did they buy 12 ventilators at a grand each. Come on guys... think about it. Mouth to mouth... by a cute woman in a nurses outfit.. how do you think they got the air flowing in those days :) and how many marriages came a result!!

But on a serious note... that money could go 88% of the way to paying a Band 1 nurse... and as I like to say.. 1 is better than 0. So Mr Health Minister... get it together and think how you can really make a difference in the health service.... Ventilators will break, need servicing. A ventilator can only do one job. A nurse can do many!!! A nurse will not break, will not need servicing, apart from being shown the appreciation and admiration they deserve. A nurse will do her job to the highest standard, and all she cares for is the patient. Money can't buy those qualities!


In the next 6 months there are going to be 2 important elections. The first will be the election in Ireland. The second will be the Assembly elections in Northern Ireland. But let me talk about these in reverse.

If current trends are to be true, Sinn Fein will have the majority at the next election. A nationalist First Minister! Will the Unionist want to play second fiddle to them? This will cause the vote for Sinn Fein to go up in the south.

Didn't the Good Friday Agreement say when the majority of the electorate was nationalists that they would offer a united Ireland?

Now hold on one cotton picking second. Who says the Irish want Northern Ireland back? They have said they don't. But why at this moment in time would Northern Ireland be returned to a nation who are on their knees with increasingly crippling debt?

Yes, they have the 12.5% Corporation Tax. But this is not the biggest deciding factor for firms to locate in Ireland as a whole. They are more concerned with the quality of the workforce, and through education we can see that Northern Ireland graduates are some of the best potential employees. The currency would switch to euro. The exact currency that was under threat of failing. The government of Ireland have failed the Irish citizens! (just like England do at winning the World Cup, or bidding to host it for that matter... ). And to go on another tangent ... no boys there was no tactical voting. Nobody voted for you. get over it.

Anyway, I am not so sure a united Ireland will work.

So I do not agree with Gerry Adams politics, but to give the man some credit. He is a hella good strategist. He abdicated his seat in West Belfast, to make himself eligible to run in the Louth constituency as a TD. While no one seems to doubt that he will get in, is there is a longer term goal in there? Does Gerry still fancy himself as President of Ireland? Whilst he can't run for President as a sitting TD, he will be able to at the 2018 election? The next presidential election is this year. So if Mr Adams has a full term in office as TD, he would only have to sit about for 2 years until the 2018 elections..... watch this space!


 The head man in NI Water should not have been made a scape goat.. It should be the minister. 3 different heads of NI Water since the current minister took over?! You were all over the media like a rash when it came to firing the exec directors... Where were you now!! Come on Northern Ireland, do you really want to reflect these sorts of ministers? And as for the inquiry - what a farce? Independent, yeah independent, I don't think. Some one from outside Northern Ireland SHOULD HAVE BEEN APPOINTED. We all know what is going to happen. These so called independent parties are not going to be thorough enough. And the findings will not come out until AFTER the Assembly elections, so it doesn't discredit the campaigning politicians. Just admit it now... these so called ministers will not get any negative repercussions as a result of this inquiry. So whatever the findings, just know the exact opposite is really the truth. Yes, the politicians messed up, but are they going to admit it, NO.

Have you ever heard the saying ... take the plank out of your own eye before the spec out of another? Clearly our public representatives have not!



Keep chuckin them deuces!

The Minimum Wage

Why abolish the minimum wage?

The number of people being paid in the labor market are being paid well and above the minimum wage. In 2005, according to the Heritage Fund, the amount of people earning the minimum wage was 1.5%.  But what about that 1.5%? While they are not getting raises in their pay packet, they are getting money in other ways through tips. These people on paper remain at minimum wage but they are earning far and above that!

The other section of society who earn the minimum wage are students and people under the age of 25. But their mindset is not this is a job for me for life. This is a low paying job, and if I put in the hard hours then there will be many benefits and opportunities that come from this - so this is only a short term situation which will lead to a long term opportunity.

What about those people that are actually earning the minimum wage. These people are mostly like in government housing, earning food stamps and on welfare. This is their way of earning more than the minimum wage.


The minimum wage should be abolished because it is hurting our economy, and the wider international economy. The minimum wage on the one hand ensures a potential worker earns a certain amount of money. But what it also does is push people out of the labor market.

There are many menial jobs that must be paid minimum wage for companies to employ someone to work them. But are a company going to pay minimum wage for such menial tasks. This is why there is such a problem with illegal because they are working these menial jobs and are being paid most times cash in hand well below the minimum wage. They have no case to fight for the minimum wage because they have no legal working status.

If the minimum wage was abolished this would open up many jobs in the labor market for a country's citizens. If the job is worth $2 for the menial job then this is what the company could pay, whereas before they could not because they had to pay the minimum wage.

And how would this put more people (who were previously eliminated from the labor market) back into employment? Before, when they were out of work they were earning $0. Now they have the possibility of earning $2. Common sense would say earning 2 is better than earning 0. The incentive for the company is efficiency. They are getting their monies worth for the wages they are paying.

This brings us back to the simple concept of supply and demand! If there are people available to do the work then there are companies that can supply the jobs.  And if there is no minimum wage, the company can supply far more jobs at a price that is determined to be suitable for that job. With the minimum wage the demand would be far greater than the supply because the companies must pay a certain wage and the consequence being employing far fewer people. This leads to inefficiency. The incentives for employers employing people suddenly decreases. Can they afford it?

So this is why the minimum wage should be abolished, and if you are not convinced with all of the above, then just think the minimum wage is another way the government can control and run our lives. If someone said they would pay you one dollar an hour to wash dishes, 99.9% of us would say "Hell NO".  But unconsciously this is government saying that we need a law to say businesses can't pay us less than a certain amount. Excuse me, what happened to personal choice? Why encourage something that limits our freedom????

Keep chuckin them deuces!

Little faith in Northern Ireland Politics

Northern Ireland politics can be best described in one word... JOKE!

I honestly think Northern Ireland is better off with direct rule from London - and please all those who are offended by this, sit back, and consider this:

The biggest mistake was giving Sinn Fein the responsibility for education.

They have well and truly made a complete mess of it. Doing away with the 11+ was a wrong move. The integrity of the education in this country has been mutilated. Academic selection indicates a pupils ability, and how to match them to the level of secondary education they are best suited. Northern Ireland has the top 25 percent and bottom 25 percent of students in the whole of the United Kingdom when it comes down to results at GCSE and A Level grade. This is endangered of being lost! We need students who can excel in their studies, and this will not happen unless they are grouped according to their ability.

The one thing that the collation government are doing right, which the NI Assembly are not, is raising tuition fees. The Labour government made the mistake of making university available to everyone. People are not being considered for graduate jobs unless they have a minimum of a 2:1 degree classification. What about the people who get a 2:2 or a 3rd? They still do the same amount of hours and pay the same amount in tuition fees .... and for what - to graduate with a degree that doesn't seem to be worth much. Raising tuition fees will make a 2:2 and 3rd degree actually mean something.

Why do you think the fees have to be raised - it is because of the earnings threshold. The money that is lent by the Student Loans Company is not secured because if a student does not earn above a certain amount then they do not have to pay it back. This means the students coming through are having to pay for this non payment. If it was made that every student paid back what they borrowed in installments according to their earnings then this would also fill a hole in the government deficit.

How is this linked back to academic selection?

Not everyone is university material. Apprentices and internships should be actively promoted for school leavers who do not wish to continue in education. Students who want to go to university can be taught at a certain level, and those wishing not to continue with education can be taught at another level. This is not discriminating because the schools are simply tailoring the learning process to the level that the student needs to attain for their future endeavors

The Northern Ireland Planning Service, supposedly independent from the local government, but is overseen by the Department of Environment cannot even make decisions such as extending the runway at Belfast City Airport, or building the John Lewis store at Sprucefield.

In the case of the City Airport, the issue is only concerning a few hundred feet of concrete, not a completely new runway. Even though Michael O'Leary can get up peoples nose, he was right to pull Ryanair from the airport. He is a businessman, and if he is losing business because a local government cannot make up its mind, then he has every right to go elsewhere to make his money!

The John Lewis saga, has also gone on for a ridiculous period of time because of all the objections and judicial reviews. The courts should be overruling any protests at this stage because they are just petty! Let the Minister for the Environment, make a ruling, and this ruling should be final.

Its people who don't want to compete with the big stores that are protesting. Get over it. We are in changing times, people want the best bargain they can get so if you can't offer it they will go elsewhere. If you want to stay in business you will have to work a bit harder! A hard work ethic is few and far between in some parts of Northern Ireland!

In the past month there has been two major failures of the Northern Ireland Assembly. They did not take an active role in clearing the snow. Instead they put the burden onto the Road Service. This is ironic because even though the Roads Service is supposed to be independent, they are overseen by the Department of the Environment.

The second which as happened in the last week is the water service. Where was the Northern Ireland Assembly - blaming Northern Ireland Water, and Northern Ireland Water, blamed the fact that the pipes were not buried deep enough, which is why in other countries do not face this issue where the temperature falls into the minus figures. But how come it was Northern Ireland that was only affected? Why was the rest of the UK not suffering the same? That might be because of the actual network. There have been news reports in the past indicating how behind the times, the pipes that transports the water throughout Northern Ireland.

Why hasn't this been addressed? Oh, because it would cost to much to replace, and we are in a recession... blah blah blah !!! It's a little thing called water charges. Why will the Northern Ireland Assembly not enforce water charging. I am sick of people saying, oh, but we do pay it through our rates. The amount of rates that we pay do not reflect this!

My last point is that the Northern Ireland Assembly were the last region in the UK to publish a budget. The spin doctors claim this was because the ministers were setting a four year budget and not just a one year budget. This was just political point scoring! They were just concerned that if they only did a one year budget that this would affect their prospects of being re-elected in the Assembly elections next year.

My issue with the budget is that departmental spending is being slashed in favor of free prescriptions and art within hospitals. The amount of money generated from paying for prescriptions would go a considerable way to lowering the deficit. It might also decrease the amount of chancers, who are working the system! The health spending was the only one not to be touched. But why not invest some money in sport and get more children involved. This would curb the obesity pandemic, decreasing the health complications as a result, and not putting such a strain on our health services, freeing up time and personnel to give help where it is most needed!

So that is why I have little faith in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Keep chuckin them deuces!

The beginning

So I did think about starting this blog a couple months back and started looking at the mess which is the world economy. The biggest casualty has been Ireland and looking at the bailout plan it seems to be the case that this economic depression may well get worse before it gets better.

I'm starting over though.

A wise man told me, "just put up ya guard"  .... there is a lot of shit in this world, so I just block that shit right out. I may come across as grumpy or just plain socially awkward, but don't be fooled because I can get down with y'all when I feel like it, and y'all will be sprintin to keep up, cos nothing can stop me...

On a serious note, I am well rounded individual with a lot to offer. So here goes........ the first next chapter in my book of life.

If you don't like what I say, then tell me! Free speech is a wonderful thing, so you are entitled to disagree with me! But at least tell me why you disagree with me.



Keep chuckin them deuces!

About time too!

So AIB were again part nationalized since the last post, but one positive that came from it was that no bonuses were being paid out - and no one could legally challenge it!

AIB - Allied Irish Burglars!

Todays Irish Independent has reported that AIB will pay out around €40 million in bonuses! 

This is an outrage - regardless of the fact that this was a bonus deferred from 2008, and AIBs hand seem to be tied following legal action, the execs of AIB are robbing the Irish tax payers!!!!

We are constantly being told that we are paying for the benefits cheats! Well, this is just as bad. On average the execs will receive €16,000. There was one exec, (the first to take legal action) forced the bank to pay €161,000 - one hundred and sixty one thousand of our money is being paid to one person. 

The IDA are reported as saying "if the IDA had that sort of money to repair the country's tarnished reputation on the international scene" ... the Irish people's income is being slashed under the budget, whilst these execs are being paid these bonuses. Not even in the private sector does shareholders get paid dividends until a certain amount has been put in reserves. 

AIB has been bailed out by the Irish taxpayer to the tune of €3.5bn and this is expected to be much larger. AIB have been set a target to raise €5.3bn in capital, which is thought to be very unlikely. So I say again, why are these bonuses being paid out. The Government and their budget are a farce if they exempt the very people that are being paid these ridiculous amounts from the €250,000 pay cap.

And NAMA! The National Asset Management Agency - the one that buys all the bad debt, and the money they spend may never be recouped.  

  

John Dick

Where we are so far...

The problem really with the banks was their criteria, or lack there of, of lending money. People were being offered loans regardless of whether they were eligible. Years ago you could only get a mortgage at 2x or 2.5x your salary but now the banks were giving mortgage at 4x and 5x times your salary. AIB and Bank of Ireland, the two biggest banks in the country knew they couldn't or wouldn't be allowed to fail, because the Irish economy would be unable to function.

That is why the Irish Government said they would cover all the bad debt in the country, just to make sure these banks did not fail. But what they were not counting on was the property developers. Millions, even billions of euros was pumped into the market, and with it rose the amount of unsecured debt in this country.

But its not completely the banks fault, is it?

What about the estate agents that were valuing the houses on the market??? Were they irresponsible or careless in their responsibilities of valuing houses in the way they did? Were they being speculative  ??

People are calling for the Government of Ireland to resign - but do they know what the others can offer. It is plain and simple. All parties should be publishing economic stimulus manifestos and outline in it their course of action and set down exactly how they are going to deliver it.

Introduction

I have often thought why do people write blogs. Then I watched a movie about a blogger. So I thought, why don't I try it? I have decided my purpose for this blog will be to look at Ireland's economic recovery.