Degradation of Irish Society–a Return to Feudalism?

US Census Data - image from www.amendmentgazette.com

The Celtic Tiger era has long since passed, however its impact and the consequences of that time live on, and families are still struggling financially, mentally and emotionally.

There have been many stories in the media concerning the amount of threatened evictions, and repossessions all around the country.  It is like going back to the dark ages, a time which none of us ever thought that we would experience again.

There have been moves of late within our government to revisit the insolvency laws so that the Banks have less power, it amazes me how it was set up in the first place with the Banks being left with the power to veto whether or not a person could take this route.  After all was it not the Banks that were some of the leading organisations that led us all to this demise in the first place, the consequences of which were that the country could have gone bankrupt!  In order to stop this from happening, the Banks were bailed out.  It would seem that no such reprieve has been granted to the many families that are left to struggle with the continued demands of extra charges been forced their way from a government that seems to have lost all connection with its people.   In fact with the structure that has been set up with this country and the power that has been left with the Banks seems more like a return to feudalism, with the Banks taking the position that the Lords once held! 

What brings me to write this blog is that I have witnessed over the last week the various reports on the O’Donnells in Killiney who are in the process of being evicted from their mansion in Killiney.  From all the different reports and views of people it is plain to see that we have become a society who is completely divided on these issues.  On the one hand we have families like the O’Donnell’s who borrowed and lived a very opulent life it would seem during the Celtic Tiger years.  On the other hand, there are families who have never really benefited in anyway it would seem from the Celtic Tiger Years, and evictions going ahead with no media coverage whatsoever.  Although the economy seemed like it was thriving during the boom there were many things like services for disabilities and our health care system for instance that never really improved in fact many would even say they dis-improved.

So where are we at now?  The problem with the reactions to the O’Donnell situation is that they could easily become the scapegoats of our society; the reaction from many people is that this family have had it good for so long they should just get on with it now, leave their home and give in to the Banks.  Is that really the way to do it? – I don’t know in all honesty I think that we should watch this space with interest and curiosity.   I can understand people’s need for justice and that people should be responsible for their debts, however let’s look back on how this country operated.   The country rode on the crest of a wave indulging in an over elaborately priced property market, driven by developers and the banks if my understanding is correct.  Many people were it would seem (or allegedly) manipulated into taking loans out and investing in properties that were exorbitantly priced!  One side drove the other and neither had the foresight to see the ultimate chaos that would ensue, when the bottom would fall out of this market.   The only problem with this is that the Banks got the Bailout, the developers well who knows.  By all accounts it would seem that the man is the middle is the one that has been criminalised!  We have all at some level paid the price for this utter recklessness and it has spread across all parts of our society – no one it would seem has been immune to this.  Just for one moment think about all the properties and the houses that have been repossessed and are being handed back to the Bank; homes that people worked hard to buy with their well-earned money.  The Banks will sell these properties on to someone else for a profit or they will hold on to them until prices are driven up again and then sell them for a profit, they are the only ones it would appear that really haven’t lost out.  The Banks have become the new Lords, allowing people or not as the case may be to live in their houses providing they pay what the Banks  demand irrespective of that individual’s needs and they will continue to have that hold over you for the next 12/15 years if that is what they desire.  Pure and utter madness!

The mental health of the people of Ireland has suffered dreadfully during this recession, the relentless pressure of financial demands coming through letterboxes, job losses, emigration,  family conflict and difficulties brought on by the stresses and pressures of this situation,  and ultimately the increase in suicide because people cannot take anymore, the whole sense of who we are as individuals has been totally eroded.  I believe the work ethic in this country has also suffered, people working long hours and working for less pay because they are so glad to have their job and other people left without pay, being abused by companies who pay them less than the average wage or in fact in some cases no wages at all!

I would ask this question - what is it about the Irish Psyche that allows itself to be continually abused by institutions, we had the church and the state covering up the child abuse that was being carried out for years.  Are we going to look back again in 10 years and ask why we allowed another institution to wreak havoc on the very quality of Irish families and their lives – things need to change and need to change fast.  How is there a banking enquiry when an awful lot of the people who have been damaged by this recklessness have never been asked about their experience! It’s time to ask the right questions so this absurdity can be brought to an end and that the people of our country are treated with the respect and dignity that they deserve, we will achieve this not by turning on each other as a divided society but by pulling together and demanding the right services and with fair and just insolvency and bankruptcy laws being finally put in place!