'Foreigners' may yet end up running Ireland

Posted on Monday, May 03, 2010 at 08:33 AM

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I want to finish my thoughts about foreigners 'telling us what to do' from the other day.

You might recall that elected representative Ned O'Keefe (TD) said we don't need "foreigners running our business." What makes O'Keefe's argument almost amusing is that whether we have any choice regarding "foreigners running our business" hangs by a thread.

Look at Greece. The Greeks probably don't want foreigners running their business, but they no longer have the option to keep the foreigners out. The Germans are now Greece's masters. And while it's true that Ireland is not Greece, let's just say that financially and economically we're in the same neighborhood. Irish independence is on a knife edge.

Our new 'foreign' Financial Regulator, Englishman Matthew Elderfield, is actually doing a bang up job of trying to save us from the Greeks' fate. Unfortunately his efforts (and those of the head of the Central Bank and others) may be in vain.

We're in a very bad situation, trying to row back up stream against a strong current pushing us towards a waterfall. For that we owe thanks to some of those who O'Keefe {photo} calls "our Irish people who are well educated" and who O'Keefe would like to see remain in charge of "running our business."

O'Keefe's demand sounds like a sure-fire way to ensure that the foreigners really do start "running our business." I prefer the 'foreigner' working for us any day.

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IrishAndProud | May 04, 2010, 03:21 PM EDT

mikemeboy, the Irish leaders you mentioned were/are accomodators of the current system -- which (among other things) allowed for heavy foreign investment in Ireland, at the expense of a home-rooted economy. Of course, as with any political leaders they're merely reflections of the populace who put them there; what's needed is a sea change of attitude and approach by the Irish people, themselves. After all, that's where everything starts.

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mikemeboy | May 04, 2010, 02:05 PM EDT

Well let's see if I understand the problem? Foreigners running Ireland's business, hmmm. As naive as I may be it seems the "local talent" has pretty much failed in their administration of the economic/political affairs of the state. The two Brians, Bertie before them has things pretty much in fine mess. Sure the "foreigners couldn't do much worse could they?

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IrishAndProud | May 03, 2010, 05:24 PM EDT

And I should add...re-learning to become much more self-reliant -- with industry and agriculture that are actually 'home-grown' and rooted on the ground in Eire, and not merely present with a foreign power base -- would be a good start. That way, they can't just pull out when the economic winds are awry, and leave Ireland hung out to dry.

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IrishAndProud | May 03, 2010, 05:21 PM EDT

International trade and commerce between nations is one thing; one nation all but running a second nation is quite another. If Ireland would assert its national sovereignty in a reasonable way (and make it clear that its economy -- let alone its language and culture) are not up for grabs to the highest bidder and/or every tom dick and harry who wants to settle there (many of whom don't even WANT to assimilate), then there would be some very noteable light at the end of this tunnel. Common sense.

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jacersisityourself | May 03, 2010, 02:43 PM EDT

Ah jacers John, shure the bluddy foreigners DO run our country an' look what a haymes they made of it. Time for us to take our own power and do it Eireway.

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Portia777 | May 03, 2010, 09:00 AM EDT

We are ALL free sovereign human beings with no masters. That was all an illusion, until we woke up. Tara still stands proud and the Goddess has arisen. The soul of Eiru is ot for sale.

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