General Irish politics discussion thread

I find it incredible that there are posters here who are calling for Ministers and TDs to get involved in the day-to-day running of the banks. It seems that some of the recent SF supporters long for a return to the days when you had to know your local TD to get a deal from a bank.

Politicians should not get involved in how a bank is run.

You are absolutely correct that this issue has nothing to do with politicians. We do not want a return to clientist politics where you had to know somebody to get a loan or get appointed to a public position.

It is a matter in the first instance for the bank's Internal Audit Unit to examine the transaction. If they have concerns, it goes to the CEO and on to the Board. Only then, if the matter is of material interest and could affect the share price, would the shareholders enter into it. If it is of minor materiality and not illegal, internal processes would deal with it. If it is criminal, it is for the gardai.

At no stage do politicians have a role. This is the usual grandstanding on here to deflect from other issues.

I am beginning to think that there is some sort of self-sustaining hysteria function in social media where every issue is seen through a lens of being damaging for the government. It seems to be borne of some sort of desperation.

This is a matter for the bank. Who made the decision? Did they follow policy and procedure? If not, was the policy correct? If they didn't follow it, was the decision still reasonable? If not, is it then a matter material enough for disciplinary action? Is it part of a pattern that needs to be referred to Internal Audit? Is it a matter that Internal Audit consider serious enough to bring to the attention of the CEO, the Board, or the external auditors? Does the Regulator need to be involved?

Those are a lot of hoops before we get anywhere near a political consideration. A single one-off decision by a bank employee should not result in such a media feast.

I think the stance that this should not be examined is more dodgy to be honest. I expect it to be, based on the precedents linked to above. Accountability of course I would not be so optimistic about. But that should not insulate them from scrutiny or whosoever was responsible for oversight. The horse has bolted again but we should make sure no more escape at least.

We are now getting to the stage where the public service is becoming paralysed with fear around risk because of the theatre and antics of the Dail, and the Public Accounts Committee in particular.

A senior public servant mentioned to me recently that the most important part of her job was keeping her boss out of the PAC i.e. making sure no decision was taken that had the possibility of rebounding unfairly. It creates a fear of risk, an inability to take a decision, and results in a low-performing public service. And that is something that cannot be laid at the feet of the government, it is something that opposition politicians in particular have to own.

if an oireachtas committee is being told today that they legally cannot ask the bank about one persons account at the hearing , what hope dose some one in the government have ,

this is more of a case of find a good enough solicitor and you can get away with anything , the red tape thats required to investigate such an issue is mind boggling

Next week, the Press Conference where Labour announces that they are absorbing the SD.

SF wont make the same mistakes this time around, they will shove second candidates in anywhere they can.

In that (very likely) scenario, the SDs are in big trouble, they rely heavily on left transfers.

I don't think a new leader for the SDs can magically whip up new votes, they need to run more candidates across the board but it is too late for that now. They are weak in rural areas, with the exception of Cairns. I fear if she becomes leader her seat will be in danger as leader of the party will see her spending more time in Dublin which wont make her constituents happy.

We all know parish pump politics is what gets you elected! and given IIRC that her getting in came down to one single vote, I think she is in serious trouble.