Vitis: Cute hoorism still here
Corporate governance is fast becoming the must-fix piece of the jigsaw in getting Ireland Inc back on track. That is, after regulation, the banks and public finances. But it will become an increasingly important criteria in attracting foreign direct investment.
There are a number of corporate-governance experts quoted in this issue of the magazine who claim that what is needed, more than anything, is a change in behaviour and a move away from the "cute hoor" mentality that has, for so long, bedeviled corporate Ireland. Of course, that cute hoorism is directly transplanted from the political culture.
But what are the prospects of Irish politicians accepting responsibility for their actions and resigning as a matter of principle rather than clinging on by their fingertips, before they are eventually forced out of office? Not good, judging by recent events. The former Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea claimed that he was as much of a victim as anybody else in the false-affidavit saga that eventually saw him walk the plank. The former Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue had broken a number of world records in expenses claiming which subsequently caused a national outcry, before he took the honourable course of action. It took a few bruising and embarrassing encounters at the Mahon Tribunal for the former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to put the country before his self interest.
What are the chances of Michael Fingleton offering an apology some day for the way he ran Irish Nationwide in view of the examples coming out of Leinster House?
