McCarthy back in the fray

Picking up a copy of The Farmers' Journal last week I was truly astonished to observe that Colm McCarthy, the UCD economist fresh from his Bord Snip attack on rural Ireland, had devoted his column to yet another assault on rail travel, gaily ignoring the truly horrendous examples of squandermania being daily highlighted in the national media. He seems to be fixated on the notion that if only we could be rid of the last remnants of our rail system all would be well. Of no concern to McCarthy is the situation surrounding Mike Aynsley and the bankrupt Anglo Irish Bank, the government, apparently unable to identify anyone in Ireland, Europe or America capable of shutting down this toxic bank, despite having several years to do so, had to send to Australia for Mr Aynsley. Nothing the matter with the man himself but what of the senior civil servants in the Department of Finance - and of course the minister for ditto - who, swanning around in a broken bank, agreed a salary for him of over €900,000 per annum or, based on a 50-week year, €18,000 per week or €3,600 per day. For more, see this week's Anglo-Celt...