What’s an executive and how many does it take to run a bank? If it’s the AIB the answer is 2,400 out of a workforce of 23, 725. In other words one in ten workers is an “executive.”
The dictionary definition is “someone in a high position, especially in business, who makes decisions and puts them into action” or “a group of people who run a business or an organisation.” 2,400 seems like a very large group to me. Put it this way it’s the population of Cahir, Castleisland or Templemore, all driving the AIB juggernaut into bankruptcy and landing us with the bill. Yes, a bonus is definitely due to that lot.
One of these executives, a Mr John Foy, sued over failure to pay a €161,000 bonus for his performance during the year 2008. The bank was losing billions in 2008, so why they were due a bonus beats me. He claimed that failure to pay the 2008 bonus was causing him and his family “unjustified hardship” as it formed most of his pay, as his basic salary was only €75,190 a year. He won the case and now 2,400 other executives have come out of the woodwork, claiming the same thing. Now, in fairness, you’re not going to meet any of the 2,400 working AIB executives behind the counter in your local branch, but there must be a few, at least, working behind those closed doors. They all were due to receive their average payment of €16,700 yesterday, compliments of us, the taxpayer. Let us know who you are, ladies and gents. The least you could do is buy us a drink over the Christmas.
Parade or Plaza?
They’re all at it, including the Mayor, changing the name of ‘The Parade to ‘The Plaza.’ Back again to the dictionary, which defines Plaza as “an open area or square in a town, especially in Spanish-speaking countries.”
I had a look around at the weekend and didn’t hear much Spanish being spoken, so let’s call a spade a spade, or in this case, The Parade The Parade. The mysterious big black shed still sits empty up beside the castle and it now looks as if it has spawned 25 baby garden sheds all down the Parade, filled with a range of Christmas food and gifts. The Chamber of Commerce claim it will attract extra people to Kilkenny to shop. I’m not so sure and I’ll be spending my money with the traders who pay their rates, provide employment and struggle to survive throughout the 12 months of the year.
Coronation Street has the X Factor
The snow had finally receded by Sunday, so I ventured out to sample a few pints and, hopefully, watch a bit of Spanish football on TV. No football, but the final of ‘X Factor’ instead in Cleeres. Surprisingly there was little or no notice being taken in the ‘X Factor’ goings on. RTE had tried to drum up the interest in some boy band, featuring a chap from Mullingar, but between Mary Byrne being returned to the Tesco checkout, the arrival of the IMF and the savage budget, I don’t think our heart was in it anymore.
Let’s face it, Fianna Fail has a better chance of winning 20 seats in the upcoming election than Ireland has of winning ‘The X Factor’,’ The Eurovision Song Contest’ or ‘Come Dine With Me’.
Despite my lack of interest in what goes on in the flat screen in the corner I did tune in to Coronation Street last Monday. Boy, is that one dangerous street to live on! What are the chances of a bar blowing up just as half the population (mostly male, I think ) have arrived for a stag party? It wasn’t a very adventurous stag, as far as I could see they had only moved about 100 yards down the street from the Rover’s Return. The Rovers wasn’t an option, obviously, as the hen party was being held there.
They had barely got in a round of shots before the place blew up. Then, just as some of them were wondering what exactly was in the drink, a train came through the roof!
I tuned back in again on Friday, that’s four days later, to find they’re still digging people out from the wreckage. Come on, this is just one pub at the end of a narrow street in Weatherfield. It’s just as well they weren’t sent to dig out the Chilean miners, they definitely wouldn’t be out before Christmas.
