TO ALL RECIPIENTS:
"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.
Despite the contents of the above report, which was sent
all around the world early last month by some of the
world's leading news agencies (including Reuters and
the BBC), the crucially important matter of "systemic"
State corruption is not (as far as I know)
being discussed or reported on by the media here in the Republic of
Ireland in any significant or meaningful way in the run-up to
the General Election on May 17th 2002.
Consequently, and assuming things remain as they are at
present throughout this general election campaign (in regard to
this HEADS-IN-THE-SAND approach by Republic of
Ireland politicians), it now seems to me that the situation
regarding State corruption here is likely to become even WORSE
after the May 17th 2002 General Election than it is at
present.
Further information on the Joseph Rowntree Report, and on the
earlier European Union GRECO report on State corruption
in the Republic of Ireland can be found at the
following www page address:
http://homepage.eircom.net/~williamfinnerty/New_Zealand_Herald/Ap-6-2002.htm
An effort was made (by me) last year to draw attention to SOME
of the difficulties connected with State corruption here in
the Republic of Ireland (as they appear down at grass-root
community level) in the form of Petition 809/2001 to the
European Parliament.
It would be much appreciated if someone in authority at
one of the European Union bodies or institutions could
give me a status report (by e-mail to wfinnerty@eircom.net)
on the present situation regarding Petition 809/2001. I have
not heard anything for a long time now regarding progress on
Petition 809/2001; and, ideally I would like to be fully updated
regarding the present progress situation before midnight on
Monday May 13th 2002: so that I can (if it seems
appropriate to me) pass on all relevant information to the media
organisations here in good time for them to get it to voters (should
they choose to do so)
before polling day on May 17th 2002.
Information on Petition 809/2001 can be found at both of the
following two www page addresses:
Page 1 (September 19th 2001 letter to European
Parliament):
http://homepage.eircom.net/~williamfinnerty/petition.htm
Page 2 (December 21st 2001 letter to European
Parliament):
http://homepage.eircom.net/~williamfinnerty/SATURNALIA/Dec_21st_2001.htm
A further example of what I see as State corruption here in the
Republic of Ireland (not mentioned so far in my
Petition 809/2001 correspondence) concerns the matter of a letter
sent to the Galway Rural Development Company
on November 20th 2001 - which I have never received ANY reply
to (from any of the people it was sent to, or copied to). For
details, please see www page address:
http://homepage.eircom.net/~williamfinnerty/Galway_Rural_Development.htm
Finally, and with reference to all of the above matters, I
would like to point out that - from the very outset of my seeking
help from the European Union through Petition 809/2001 - I have been
particularly conscious of the following two
sections under Article 41 ("Right to good
administration") of the CHARTER
OF HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION:
Item 1: "Every person has the right to
have his or her affairs handled impartially, fairly and within a
reasonable time by the institutions and bodies of the Union."
Item 3: "Every person has the right to
have the Community make good any damage caused by the institutions
or by its servants in the performance of their duties, in accordance
with the general principles common to the laws of Member
States."
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