Deep Concentration July 23, 2012
Posted by doctorfive in Society.Tags: bank
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Twenty boxes seized and over 350 interviews later. Today sees the first banker charged since 2008. No doubting some parts of the saga are extremely complex but what little progress we glean from the drip drip has been unsatisfactory to put it mildly. There are several explanations ranging from all out conspiracy to a simple familiarity with how this country has always worked, though the two may not be exclusive of course. The Maple10 was only one of the wider golden circles surrounding finance and politics and the troubles of Irish banking have tentacles all over the state, public and private.
Back in January Al Jazeera did a program on the collapse and in it, as well as phonecalls and warnings about talking down the economy, Margaret E Ward talks about a subtle “control of thought” she found in Ireland. That is “rather then six, we have two degrees of separation”. For example you’re not just talking about the head of AIB but the Uncle of someone you work with and so on. As it stands there is currently only one degree between the former Anglo CEO, the main government party and a very large part of the press. The er, debate on media ownership should be part of a wider one bringing in various appointments, dynasty seats, legal and consultancy firms working for both sides and that revolving door that throws up conflict of interest so often.
When uncomfortable connections are questioned the reply comes that “Ireland is very small” rather then this is part and parcel of the inequality that prevails. There are some interesting examples of once all powerful boardrooms turning on each other when it hits the fan and individual self-preservation becomes priority. We cannot be sure of the validity of some Sean Quinn’s comments over the weekend but an already extraordinary situation looks like it is heading down unpredictable road. Quite possibly a dangerous one for those one or two degrees from Anglo Irish Bank.
Which is quite a few.
Re Quinn …. Saw this today
A Statement in support of The Quinn Family from “Members of Teemore Shamrocks GAA Club”
http://teemore.fermanagh.gaa.ie/statement-23-07-2012
There were also a few pro Quinn banners at the GAA over the weekend… and indeed a “Release Louise Minihan” one at Croke Park on Sunday too.
Quinn is in big trouble and from reports in the papers at the weekend there may be some form of family split. The fact that the Daily Mail got a video of the two Quinn boys in Russia with the nephew mocking the courts etc and then yesterday Sean Quinn gives an interview to the Mail ….. you’d have to wonder at the source of the video.
It also looks like they got into bed with some very dodgy characters when making the deals to move the assets.
Very good point about the mail actually. Perhaps there is a hierarchy of Dublin meeja demonising him that DM hasn’t quite reached yet.
But yet they seek to join?
If it sells.
I see Sean Fitzpatrick was arrested this morning at Dublin Airport.
http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/sean-fitzpatrick-arrested-at-dawn-in-dublin-airport-3179074.html
Just twenty boxes of records?! This is piddlin. (I’m an archivist/records manager – in recent times this is an informational nothing to analyse -why so long to come to this?). Any electronic records in the seizure? Don’t have time right now to focus on the ramifications, but this sentence stands out: ‘As it stands there is currently only one degree between the former Anglo CEO, the main government party and a very large part of the press.’ It is doubtful such connections will be examined and nothing more than a fine and minimal incarceration will be handed down to the erstwhile scapegoats. Nothing more to see here, move along!