Corruption in Ireland preview
Coming up tomorrow, the first part of a Q&A with Gavin Sheridan, whose new blog is devoted to corruption in Ireland. In March this year, Ireland appeared for the first time in The Global Corruption Report, an annual survey of sleaze around the world , which is published by Transparency International, and this provides a timely backdrop for our discussion about the misuse of entrusted power for private gain in Ireland today. Here's a sample:
Rainy Day: Not having the deep pockets of the major media, which makes investigative journalism possible, and not having a legal department to deal with the draconian libel laws, which many a corrupt person tries to hind behind, a blog is extremely limited when it comes to doing much about corruption, no?
Gavin Sheridan: I think that depends on what the blog is trying to do. I am not under any illusions; I do not think a sole crusade will end all venality and corruption in Ireland. I look on it more as a tool for interested citizens to look at and reflect — to generate debate and interest, to prompt people to think twice about the country they are living in. In a small way it might help to stop the apathy that has beset the nation. I do not have deep pockets by any means, I will try and stick to staying legal, and not making libellous remarks to the best of my ability — a blog is only limited by the person who runs it — the power of blogs is that I will never run out of paper, and I have the power to publish everything and anything almost completely without cost.
Come back tomorrow for more on nursing home negligence, tax evasion, Garda misdeeds in Donegal, the second Morris Tribunal report and others variants of Irish malfeasance.
