The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust

Further indications of political and legal
CORRUPTION
in the Republic of Ireland

(April 2002)

Link to New Zealand Herald Newspaper page dated April 6th 2002:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=1293354&msg=emaillink
The information regarding the April 6th 2002 New Zealand Herald newspaper report was sent to those shown in the two e-mails below which were sent on:

Friday, April 05, 2002 2:01 PM (to local and central government politicians plus others);
and,
Monday, April 08, 2002 12:45 PM (to main opposition parties).

Allowing for the possibility that some of the recipients might not have easy access to Internet www pages, the main newspaper text on corruption was included (as indicated below) in the body of the e-mail.

To: Chairman of Galway County Council (Mr Michael Regan) ; Minister Noel Dempsey ; Deputy Prime Minister Mary Harney ; Health Minister Micheal Martin ; Heritage Minister Sile de Valera ; Justice Minister John O'Donohue ; Minister Brian Cowen ; Minister Charlie McCreevy ; Minister Dermot Ahern ; Minister Frank Fahey ; Minister James McDaid ; Minister Joe Walsh ; Minister Mary O'Rourke ; Minister Michael Smith ; Minister Michael Woods ; Prime Minister Bertie Ahern ; Assistant Police Commissioner (Galway area) ; Police Commissioner Pat Byrne (Chief Officer, Garda Siochana) ; Police Commissioners Office ; ulick.burke@oireachtas.ie ; paul.connaughton@oireachtas.ie ; michael.kitt@oireachtas.ie ; Junior Minister Noel Treacy ; R Fritsch (European Parliament) ; Mr. Jacques Raybaut (European Parliament) ; Mr Helmut Betz (Directorate-general for the European Parliament Presidency) ; Margot Wallstrom (European Union Environment Commissioner) ; European Union Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom ; European Parliament Ombudsman ; Catherine Fenech (European Commission - Environment) ; Irish Government Ombudsman ; TV3 (Republic of Ireland) ; Tuam Herald ; The Irish Times ; TG4 (Irish Language Station, Republic of Ireland) ; Sunday Business Post ; RTE (Irish National TV Station) ; Irish Independent Newspapers (Unison Group) ; Irish Examiner Newspaper ; Irish Emigrant Newspaper ; Ireland On Sunday ; Keith Finnegan at Galway Bay FM (local radio) ; Galway Advertiser Editor (Mr. Declan Varley) ; Connacht Tribune Editor (Mr. John Cunningham) ; President Mary McAleese ; Attorney General (Mr Michael McDowell) ; Tuam ; Athenry ; Ballinasloe ; Loughrea ; Portumna ; Newbridge Anti-Superdump Committee) ; Mr. Vincent Costello (Bullaun/New Inn Anti-Superdump Committee) ; Mr. David McGann (New Inn Community Council Representative) ; Galway Safe Environment Group ; Dunkellen Group (Woodlawn) ; Dunkellen Group (New Inn) ; Dunkellen Group (Bullaun)

Sent: Friday, April 05, 2002 2:01 PM

Subject: Reuters report on corruption in the Republic of Ireland (via The New Zealand Herald Newspaper)

Main text from New Zealand Herald Text:

Report lashes Ireland over corruption, human rights

DUBLIN - A report issued today condemns Ireland as one of the most corrupt and unequal countries in Europe, and says its respect for human rights falls far short of international norms.

"Ireland is now regarded as one of the more corrupt European states (and) is believed to have lost substantial foreign investment because of its bad international reputation," said the report published by the British-based Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust.

A string of state-led probes into allegations of corruption in high places had resulted in only minimal punishment of offenders and had failed to put mechanisms in place to prevent future corruption, it said.

The survey's author, Brian Harvey, said the problem was "systemic" and called for the establishment of an independent body to monitor corruption and cronyism in public life.

He described his report as "a wake-up call". "It's a reminder that Ireland has indeed made phenomenal economic progress in the past five to ten years, but there's still a huge backlog of social issues, issues around poverty, human rights, civil rights, accountability, corruption and so on that have yet to be effectively addressed," he told state radio.

"Many of these problems -- for example in the area of corruption -- go to the very root of the way our political system is organised," he said.

The report said that while Ireland had become one of the richest states in Europe on the back of a seven-year boom, it had also become one of the most unequal, with standards of human rights falling "far below international norms".

It highlighted the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers -- who began flocking to the country in the late 1990s -- the lack of safeguards for people in detention, the high imprisonment rate, and a lack of police accountability.

It said Ireland had some of the highest rates of poverty -- particularly child poverty -- in the European Union.

The government came under further fire for what the report said was a policy of cutting taxes and redistributing in favour of higher earners, while at the same time reducing social spending.

"As a result, Ireland is now one of the most unequal societies in Europe," it said.

Above text followed by link to New Zealand Herald page
(added space)

Sent: Monday, April 08, 2002 12:45 PM

Subject: Fw: Reuters report on corruption in the Republic of Ireland (via The New Zealand Herald Newspaper)


----- Original Message -----

As above ...

BBC report mentions (towards the end) problems requiring "urgent action":
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/northern_ireland/newsid_1911000/1911347.stm
RTE TV interview with Mr. Brian Harvey:
http://www.rte.ie/news/2002/0404/report.html
The full text of The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust Report (Year 2002) on the Republic of Ireland by Brian Harvey can now be viewed through the following web site address:
http://www.feargalquinn.ie/NB-REPORT.pdf
Please note: PDF software is required to read the information at the above address. Those who do not have PDF software installed on their PCs may wish to know that free copies can be downloaded from the following site:
Adobe Acrobat Reader - Download
The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust
 
European Union GRECO REPORT on CORRUPTION in the Republic of Ireland:
E-mail dated March 25th 2002 to GRECO (Group of States against corruption)

PAGE HISTORY:
First placed on Internet:
April 6th 2002
Most recent update: May 17th 2002

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