Irish business mogul Ben Dunne is calling for a total clean-out of current Oireachtas members and the replacement of existing TDs with a new batch of young people versed in business.
“Ireland is on the doorstep of going bust and we’ve got to reduce the cost of running this country. We need new expertise, advice, and new ways to approach things. It’s going to take a bit of time, common sense, and the help of good, young, people who know how to deal with problems. The people in Dáil Éireann have got to be people who understand business,” stated Mr Dunne on RTE radio this week.
Mr Dunne said it must be questioned whether the country needs the Senate, the quangos, the civil servants, and advisers.
“These are the people who recommended the banks give out their property loans and they are now the same people advising on NAMA today while the ordinary person on the street, the middle income earner, is going to have debts sunk on them in the morning and told there is no alternative. The whole system is wrong.”
Mr Dunne suggested that it is only a short matter of time before the debt for every man, woman, and child in the country rises from the current €40,000 estimation up to €100,000.
“The main political parties have let us down hopelessly. I honestly believe that a switch from the present government to a coalition will not change much. Until we work from the top down in this country and start stripping back the layers for running Ireland we are going to be in serious trouble for the next 15 years.”
Mr Dunne appealed for new leadership, alternatives and new parties to step forward, noting that “a lot of highly intelligent people are already leaving the country”.
“These are different times. Nobody thought we could get in to this mess in 18 months where we are now on the brink of one bank pulling down the whole country.”
In the face of criticisms regarding his own ups and downs in business over the years, Mr Dunne, who did not rule himself out of playing a role in any new government, added: “I take responsibility for what I’ve done. I wouldn’t stand for a new party but I would be happy to help out.”
In the meantime, he issued a rallying cry, “Let’s get up and vote and start a new party.”
