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An unpatriotic shopper confesses
I'm one of those unpatriotic people who cross the border to shop.
Hello, my name’s Marie and I’m unpatriotic.
There, I’ve said it. I’m one of those so-called ‘unpatriotic’ people who cross the border to shop (It’s less than an hour away from me). According to our politicians, I should hang my head in shame and blame myself for the dwindling economy.
So do I feel guilty? Nope, I’m afraid not. Not even one tiny bit.
Why? Because for too long we’ve been getting ripped off and it’s about time we showed the government enough is enough.
It’s not me who should be ashamed, but our so-called representatives who have sat idly by while our Celtic Tiger economy goes bust. While the rest of us try to survive on whatever little money we have, they sit back in the Dáil and scratch their heads at the economic crisis. Of course, that’s if they even turn up to the Dáil in the first place. They tell us to tighten our belts, while they talk about taking a voluntary pay cut. Have you ever heard of such a thing? Oh, how noble they are... not. It would be interesting to see how many have taken the voluntary pay cut.
We have our Minister for Health flying half way across the world at our expense and getting her hair and nails done. We have the Head of FÁS jet setting around the world with his wife, and of course I couldn’t forget to mention the electronic voting machinery, which is estimated to have cost us €62 Million and counting. Not only are the machines so useless we can’t use them, but we have to pay for their storage. In 2007 this storage cost €489,000, and in 2006 €706,000. I have some room in my garage and I’ll gladly store a few machines for a couple of quid or - here’s a good idea - let’s get rid of them.
Ha! Remember when Bertie told us that we would be the laughing stock of Europe if we used the old fashioned method of pencil and paper in our elections? Oh Bertie, you were so right, we are the laughing stock of Europe, but perhaps not for the reasons you thought.
Back to this unpatriotic rubbish. Did we all not learn at school that Ireland is made up of 32 counties? So how are we being unpatriotic? If I remember correctly, not that long ago, Fianna Fail were talking about the “Island of Ireland”. However, now it seems we add a recession to the equation and the six counties are once again on British soil, and WE are suddenly unpatriotic if we cross over to Northern Ireland.
But those same politicians did not seem to mind the traffic when it was the other way, with people from the North buying petrol and diesel in the Republic or buying holiday homes. Obviously some politicians have a really short memory span.
I think that the politicians are seriously missing the point. People are crossing the border out of economic survival - they simply cannot afford to pay the increased prices we have here in the Republic. Just two examples - I bought the latest Patricia Cornwell book in Eason in Derry for £8.99 - while Eason in Letterkenny was selling the same book for €19.99. I bought a dress in Debenhams for £33; the same dress in the Republic was €70.
So until a politician can tell me why we are being ripped off in the Republic and actually do something about it, I’m afraid I will continue to shop in Northern Ireland. Not because I want to - but because I can’t afford not to.
By: Marie Duffy
