Gerry you may be interested in my blog entry re your interview with Ms Doyle. It,s clear from the interview to me, the reason the taxi industry is in such chaos is that Ms Doyle has no real understanding of what her job is, and whats really annoying is that she went on your programme and tried to convince the taxi operators in Ireland that she has their best interest at heart. At this point she is trying to get us on her side. Well let me tell her and you it,s too late, the Commission for Taxi Regulations days are numbered.
Regards
John Fitzpatrick,
http://dublintaxies.blogspot.com/2008/10/taxi-regulator-from-different.html
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Letter to the Irish Times
Madam
It strikes me as a voluntary unpaid director of a credit union that the financial regulators office can police small financial institutions such as credit unions with great rigour and efficiency, but it can not do the same to large commercial companies such as the banks.
As volunteers we work long and hard unpaid to comply with IFSRA regulations and we welcome the scrutinising that is involved to protect members interests, however as unpaid volunteers we would prefer not to have to do this extra work, but we do it in the interest of our members also our commitment to the ethos and principles the credit union movement in general.
As a director of a regulated company (a credit union) and also as a taxi driver to earn my living, it strikes me that compliance with regulations from the state are only for little people. As usual compliance for big companies is subject to their strength to avoid and manipulate the regulators.
As usual in Ireland, its one law for the rich, and a different one for the poor.
The admission today by the NRA, that their system will always only be 98% accurate, and with no means of independent appeal, is another example of the state protecting itself against the ordinary person.
As a taxi operator it amazes me that non civil / public servants can put taxi drivers out of business for fairly trivial reasons, but the IFSRA staff can’t put banks out of business even for serious breaches of regulations.
What we need now is a regulator of regulators.
Regards
John Fitzpatrick
It strikes me as a voluntary unpaid director of a credit union that the financial regulators office can police small financial institutions such as credit unions with great rigour and efficiency, but it can not do the same to large commercial companies such as the banks.
As volunteers we work long and hard unpaid to comply with IFSRA regulations and we welcome the scrutinising that is involved to protect members interests, however as unpaid volunteers we would prefer not to have to do this extra work, but we do it in the interest of our members also our commitment to the ethos and principles the credit union movement in general.
As a director of a regulated company (a credit union) and also as a taxi driver to earn my living, it strikes me that compliance with regulations from the state are only for little people. As usual compliance for big companies is subject to their strength to avoid and manipulate the regulators.
As usual in Ireland, its one law for the rich, and a different one for the poor.
The admission today by the NRA, that their system will always only be 98% accurate, and with no means of independent appeal, is another example of the state protecting itself against the ordinary person.
As a taxi operator it amazes me that non civil / public servants can put taxi drivers out of business for fairly trivial reasons, but the IFSRA staff can’t put banks out of business even for serious breaches of regulations.
What we need now is a regulator of regulators.
Regards
John Fitzpatrick
Letter to RTEs Pat Kenny show.
Dear Pat
I am amazed that the house of cards fell so quickly in the end. In March / April 1999 I was interviewed live by you regarding my questions about the so called and much hyped CELTIC TIGER. I made the point that only a small number of people were making lots of money and the rest of us were being subjected to higher living costs as a result of the increasing cost of property / homes.
The issue of dodgy P60s being accepted by the banks and personally I won’t call them institutions as I regard them as shysters and crooks as has been proved by the DIRT investigations etc. AS far as I know not one bank official at any level was ever charged with any criminal activity and here we are again with a financial crisis caused by the operation and greed by banks. It’s quite clear to me that we need much stronger regulation of banks. To assume honesty from these businesses is the greatest mistake that will ever be made, regulation should assume dishonesty and regulate and police accordingly.
Ordinary workers in many industries have operated their businesses properly and honestly, and it must sicken honest honourable business people in every industry outside the financial industry, that the banks can manipulate the government in the way they have over the last few days.
Businesses go to the wall every day we know that, however it appears that’s only for little companies outside the world of high finance, everyone else can sing for their supper and whistle Dixie on their way to the dole.
I accept the need maintain the integrity of the banking world however the real world of Irish finance should always have been protected by the regulator, not only for the banks, but more importantly for those companies that genuinely create wealth for this state. Banks should from now on pay for a bond to insure depositors both corporate and personal. This would give absolute guarantees to those companies that have substantial monies to invest and also to individuals.
There is much talk about the banks paying for the future guarantees from the state. Let’s be clear about this. If there is to be payments for this it will come from lower interest rates paid to investors and higher rates charged to borrowers, it will not come out of the share holders pockets. It will come from all of us that have to use the services of these badly managed companies, unless the future regulation of this industry acts in favour of the consumer again both corporate and personal.
Anyway I hate to say I told you so, but I did.
Regards
John Fitzpatrick
I am amazed that the house of cards fell so quickly in the end. In March / April 1999 I was interviewed live by you regarding my questions about the so called and much hyped CELTIC TIGER. I made the point that only a small number of people were making lots of money and the rest of us were being subjected to higher living costs as a result of the increasing cost of property / homes.
The issue of dodgy P60s being accepted by the banks and personally I won’t call them institutions as I regard them as shysters and crooks as has been proved by the DIRT investigations etc. AS far as I know not one bank official at any level was ever charged with any criminal activity and here we are again with a financial crisis caused by the operation and greed by banks. It’s quite clear to me that we need much stronger regulation of banks. To assume honesty from these businesses is the greatest mistake that will ever be made, regulation should assume dishonesty and regulate and police accordingly.
Ordinary workers in many industries have operated their businesses properly and honestly, and it must sicken honest honourable business people in every industry outside the financial industry, that the banks can manipulate the government in the way they have over the last few days.
Businesses go to the wall every day we know that, however it appears that’s only for little companies outside the world of high finance, everyone else can sing for their supper and whistle Dixie on their way to the dole.
I accept the need maintain the integrity of the banking world however the real world of Irish finance should always have been protected by the regulator, not only for the banks, but more importantly for those companies that genuinely create wealth for this state. Banks should from now on pay for a bond to insure depositors both corporate and personal. This would give absolute guarantees to those companies that have substantial monies to invest and also to individuals.
There is much talk about the banks paying for the future guarantees from the state. Let’s be clear about this. If there is to be payments for this it will come from lower interest rates paid to investors and higher rates charged to borrowers, it will not come out of the share holders pockets. It will come from all of us that have to use the services of these badly managed companies, unless the future regulation of this industry acts in favour of the consumer again both corporate and personal.
Anyway I hate to say I told you so, but I did.
Regards
John Fitzpatrick
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