State Funeral for Haughey

C

Chamar

Guest
Anyone else disagree that corrupt politicians should be honoured in this way?
 
A slight majority, going by the poll running over on Boards.ie. (not entirely representative, I'll grant you).

No problem discussing the question raised here, but please let's maintain a little decorum — whatever people's feelings about the man?
 
I don't see how this can be discussed without a certain loss of decorum.
Maybe one for a few weeks from now?
 
What are the rules for who gets a state funeral? Former Taoisígh and Presidents I presume? Without exception? Anybody else?
 
Initially I thought it was a joke that he's been given a State funeral but after reading the papers he did a lot of good for the country in fairness to him. Asking the people of Ireland to tighten their belts while he was living the high life was a bit rich.
Did he ever apologise for his wrongdoings or admit them?
 
I suppose he deserves a state funeral being a former leader of the country.But most people will hold a certain resentment towards him.

I myself remember both my parents working day and night to make ends meet and eventually my father having to go to England for a few years to work,would this situation have been any better if Charles had not been wearing his £1000 shirts ??? probably not .....
 
Did anyone else hear Comrade Fintan O'Toole live from the People's Republic of China this morning on Dunphy talking about what a rubbish country we are for giving a crook a state funeral? He said Germany, France etc. would never do such a thing. Erm, Charlie's good pal M. Mitterand anyone? The pity is that Haughey's brand of corruption is not dying with him.
 
ZEGAR said:
would this situation have been any better if Charles had not been wearing his £1000 shirts ??? probably not .....
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Probably not. Wasn't it FF party funds, personal donations from wealthy benefactors and Brian Lenihan's liver transplant fund rather than state money that was spent on such luxuries? Basically money that was never going to do the average punter much good anyway.
 
I believe that he deserves a state funeral. He was a visionary and did so much for this country. Yes, I know there's a downside associated with him, but at the end of the day I believe Ireland is a better country now than it would have been without Charlie ever having been here.
 
He served this country as a TD, Minister and Taoiseach for over 30 years. Ireland would not be half as good a place without his service, yes he did some wrong and his personal life was funded by friends but then again he wasn't the first or last world leader that this could be said of, churchell was looked after by Aristotle Onassis, Mitterand etc etc. he didn't take anything from "The masses ", Remember Garrett the good had a large debt written off by aib, remember the free travel , the ifsc,the sucesssion act, the reduction in the national debt etc etc.
I for one will be proud to sit and watch the Funeral and will be sending a mass card to his family.
 
Am I mistaken in assuming that you have a particular political allegiance that might be worth declaraing here jem?
 
I've no problem with him getting a state funeral, but it's my supposition that this country is not a better country for Charlie ever having been here. Himself and a generation of politcians like him created a new establishment in this country. They got power from the British and proceeded to make themselves rich at the expense of the country, whilst we may say that the IFSC and subsequent Celtic Tiger were Charlie's legacies (something many don't believe anyway - but his supporters frequently pedal this as fact), Haughey and other polticians before and after him have to take responsibility for leeching this country of it's resources and people for their own benefit and thus creating the conditions whereby the Celtic Tiger was needed to bring this country up to average european standards of living (albeit without an infrastructure).
 
I do not believe CH deserves a state funeral. He served the country as a politician for many years, but he was well paid for doing so. IMHO he got off lightly and should be sent off lightly.
 
ClubMan said:
Am I mistaken in assuming that you have a particular political allegiance that might be worth declaraing here jem?
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I think I have stated my political allegiance on more than one occation.
 
Jem, you're entitled to your opinion, but in all honesty to suggest that he did'nt take anything from the masses and that there's nothing wrong with having his personal life funded by his friends are not accurate statements. The questions you have to ask are "why did his friends fund his lifestyle" (George Colley seemed to know the answer to that), and "were there situations where he looked after the welfare of his friends' above the welfare of the people in taking decisions".
He may have started off well, and his best work was undoubtedly done in the 60's, but as they say, power corrupts, and it did a particularly fine job on this occasion.
 
I think, from reading other boards and peoples views and comments elsewhere, that there is a lot of cruelty being submitted into public forums at the moment. The man is dead and hasn't even been buried yet and I just think that it's a nasty trait being displayed by a lot of Irish at the moment and everyone seems to be nit-picking at his bones already. Surely it's a debate which should be left for future days.

I just wish this outrage was channelled where it would have far better results. Why don't we insist that planes in Shannon are searched for torture victims, what don't we insist that there are enough beds in A&E, why don't we insist that no children in this society go to school hungry anymore? Whether CJ gets a state funeral or not pales in significance IMHO.
 
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