We do all our criticising behind closed doors

This column appears in today's regional Irish newspapers of IN&M


By Michael Commane
Are we Irish hardwired to sit down and take it all on the chin without ever objecting – at least never in public and where it matters?

In one of my first columns in this space I wrote about a problem with so-called tamper-proof milk bottle seals. The problem still exists and in the last few weeks I have managed to open a number of bottles without breaking the seal.

Some months back I brought the matter to the attention of Lidl and they followed it up and told me the manufacturer was going to improve the seal. I telephoned them last week and told them it was still possible to open the bottle without breaking the seal. In the course of our conversation they told me that I was the only person who had brought this matter to their attention. That flabbergasted me. It is really incredible to think that there is milk and cream out there on shelves which is in bottles that are not tamper proof. I am also amazed and flabbergasted that I am the only person in Ireland who has contacted Lidl on this issue. I also seem to be the only person in Ireland who has contacted Tesco and Dunnes as well. Is that really possible? But we Irish seem to take it all on the chin and say or do nothing.

Is it this sort of mentality, this sort of frame of mind that has us in hock? I’m beginning to think so.

When I showed the bottle to a manager in a Dunnes Stores shop, he curtly dismissed me and told me more or less, so what. He pointed out I had used the cream so how in heavens could I be looking for a replacement.

The bottles are simply not tamper proof, which means they are not safe. There is nothing stopping some sort of deranged person from tampering with one of the bottles. And then what would be the outcry?

Last week a journalist colleague visited me in Dublin. We were waiting for the Luas in Milltown at morning rush hour. The first tram arrived. It was crowded, indeed, so crowded that there was no space to get on. Though it did seem to me that if people moved down the central aisle more passengers could get on. Within minutes the next tram arrived and again it was crowded, especially around the doors. And again there was potential for people to pack in better down the aisle. We managed to get on but no-one was willing to ask the people in the aisle to move in closer. I passed a comment to my colleague and she was mortified that I would say anything and worse still if anyone overheard me complaining. There we go again. The Irish don’t complain in public.

But I have since noticed while travelling on the Luas there are not enough rails and supports onto which passengers can hold. The tram operator, Veolia need to be informed that there is need for more hand grips on the Luas. Who will tell them?

Two weeks ago when I went to buy two rollsin a shop in Dublin. I was surprised to see that they had jumped in price from 39 to 45 cent. I was slow to mention the increase but did ask the assistant why there had been an increase, especially in these times when we are all earning less. I was not happy with the reply so I went off to speak to the manager who was most reasonable and helpful. The following week I was back buying two breakfast rolls. They were selling at their old price of 39 cent each.

See how we can change things.

I’m no economist but anyone with eyes in their head has to be aware of how so many things are wrong in this little island of ours. But somehow or other we are afraid to speak out. We are afraid someone might laugh at us or say something nasty to us.

I remember when benchmarking was introduced saying to myself that it had to be crazy. Where were we going to get the money to pay all those wild increases? Naturally, I had no say. But gosh, I know now where we got the money. We borrowed like mad and now we are in hock.

The mantra said close the sugar factories. We did, all four of them over the years. And now we are being told, oops, that might have been a bad thing.

When last did Ireland have a leader, a prophetic and wise person who truly deserved the title of taoiseach.

And whose fault is that? Your fault and my fault. We are all too timid. No point complaining and criticising in whispers and in secret. We’re experts at that.

And it’s that that has helped destroy the State and the church.