6.24.2005
I see that IC has started looking at the case of Brian Rossiter which made headlines in Village last week, i thoroughly agree that in a country which claims to be a democracy the case is a travesty. unfortunaltely the village magazine holds no archive online so a link is difficult. Simply put we see the Mad Mike move to the Dial and say that hte Garda is a great and good organisation that requires only a nominal and ineffective ombudsman to ensure its virtue is unsullied by the few "bad apples" who may act indpendently in the wrong.
Nonsense from as far back as Plato the question has always been who guards the guards? how can we ensure that as power corrupts absolute power cannot corrupt absolutely. While the facts of the Rossiter case are a travesty and another great black stain on Irish history, it points the way to a far deeper institutional malaise rampaging through the heart of hte Cetic Tiger. It is the wnaton disregard for power and the unceasing abuse ofo it to further narrow self interest.
I am going to get tired of saying this but so long as Mcdowell refuse to listen we must keep speaking louder and louder. The present system is failing the people of the irish state. no one can guarantee the sanctity of public life and noone can make clear and transparent hte workings of state institutions. We are again back to the enlightenment and the struggle to break the yolk of feudalism. We cannot allow such corrupt and blakc institutions to run our public lives. the power of the state is reenforced by public confidence. Democracy is a two way street.
Reform is needed, not small and piecemeal, large and strategic. I want an obudsman, less powers to do more work for Gardai and a strong committe and oversight system. And thats the least of it. If we cannot trust the Gardai to care for a 14-year old boy in their custody without beating the head off him then we are in a bad state.
RR
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