Whatever can happen next?
Grassroots has been looking back over some of his previous articles and one stood out. Entitled What will happen next? it appeared in March 2008 while Bertie Ahern was still Taoiseach reassuring us of his honesty and of the strength of our economy. It bears further reading as we consider our uncertain futures.
What will happen next.?
Some of our councillors have been to the USA as part of the St. Patrick’s Day festivities. As they may have heard our Taoiseach has abandoned our Irish illegals in the USA to their fate. While there they glimpsed a possible future for Ireland in which our economy might be sold away by irresponsible bankers and an intellectually lazy and incompetent government - just as well Brian Cowan is minding the state finances isn’t it? ..............Brian Cowan only thinks tactically, when he bothers thinking at all. Grassroots is beginning to think that Cowan has an unearned reputation as an intellectual giant, he may have great potential but he shows little fresh thinking in dealing with Ireland’s exposure to the coming chill winds of international economic downturn and recession.
Less than a year later only the chairman of the county council is travelling to the USA. Here in Kilkenny ordinary people are wondering what sort of a country this will be in a few more years.
Have Brian Cowan, Brian Lenihan, or any of the opposition parties got a master plan to help our country out of this mess?
Are we going to see this lousy right-wing government sell off the ESB, An Post, anything of value, continue to punish the vulnerable and weak while turning a blind eye to the waste of public money by FAS ?
Are our unemployed going to be treated with respect and not subject to delays in getting their entitlements ?
Are our public sector really going to go on long term strikes, or will they be convinced that all will share the pain on an equitable basis ?
Will we see our local hospital reduced in status like others have already been ?
Will we see our soldiers march out of our local barracks and find the barracks will be sold off to a pal of the party? (sorry a person who wants to help our community ).
Never mind, our Taoiseach is in charge and will fix everything to his satisfaction.
We face an uncertain future, particularly in tourism. The decision to refocus the Kilkenny City 400 celebrations to bring much needed cheer for Kilkenny people and to shore up our hugely important tourist business is a sensible decision. With more than 1,100 hotel beds to be filled and about another 400 bed and breakfast beds in Kilkenny, you can see why we need our tourists. Grassroots sends best wishes to all employed in this sector, and notes the strength of character of the Flynn family who have just reopened the Newpark Hotel - long may it prosper.
The decision to abandon the St. Patrick’s Day in Kilkenny is down to money and the lack of volunteers. Don’t despair - go to Graiguenamanagh in the morning or to McDonagh Junction in the afternoon. They could all do with the business.
On the question of the local elections Grassroots has met many members of the public who are waiting for candidates to come calling- the Fianna Fail and Green Party candidates will need to sound very convincing. Telling voters that they share their pain isn’t going to work very well. Grassroots might advise them to plant potatoes before they go canvassing as they might well have plenty of time to harvest them over the summer as Grassroots thinks that it won’t just be some voters who might lose their jobs before the year is out.
Never mind boys and girls, the government ministers will tell us they share our pain. Our Taoiseach is in charge and will fix everything to his satisfaction. That’s okay then, I’m off to plant the spuds.
