Electorate has heard straight talking; Eurozone colleagues must hear same

When Dundalk Institute of Technology conferred honorary fellowships on four distinguished citizens earlier this week, among the attendance was 'the father of the nation' himself, Dr TK Whitaker. It was a pleasant occasion because the college was celebrating its 40th anniversary by honouring people who, in their own unique ways, made great contributions to Irish society. It was made all the more pleasurable when the college produced a birthday cake for Dr Whitaker, who celebrates his 95th birthday on Thursday this week. One of the speakers referred to our current economic woes and wondered, rather wistfully I thought, whether Dr Whitaker might be tempted to get back into action and help us sort it all out. There were wry smiles all round which seemed to say "We wish". It might be unfair to put words into the man's mouth (we do so at our peril), but it is hard to escape the opinion that Whitaker might say that we all have to live within our means. Indeed, in our present state, that might be too little too late. Another senior citizen came out of the woodwork this week when the former German chancellor, Helmut Schmidt, at 92 a mere boy to our own Dr Whitaker, delivered a sharp rebuke to his country's government's proposal for treaty change to introduce budgetary regulation to stabilise the eurozone. Rather, he says, Europe needs German solidarity and empathy to tackle the crisis and not a "damaging, nationalistic show-off". Even those of us unfamiliar with the internal politics of eurozone countries might say "three cheers for Schmidt". In fact, he got a standing ovation for his speech. Would that some of our own more recent national leaders had the same ethical and moral standing to deliver some straight talk like this. In Ireland, where we have already lost our sovereignty, are we really happy at German-Franco grandstanding and pushing around now weaker European countries? Still worse, would we be expected to vote again (and perhaps again) to get the desired treaty changes? I don't think so. In his 'State of the Nation' speech this week, Taoiseach Enda Kenny appeared to attempt to create some sense of solidarity with the electorate. He was rather obvious in his declaration that none of us was to blame for the present calamitous state of the country yet, at the same time, pointing out that we're all in this together - come hell or high water - and we must face up to the consequences. It is difficult at this stage to judge the overall impact of the budget (we have heard Monday's measures delivered by Brendan Howlin but will be gone to press before Michael Noonan stands up in the Dail to give us part two). But this week's budget is only the beginning. There are at least two more difficult budgets to come in 2012 and 2013. At this stage, Enda Kenny is trying to get us to see the big picture and how, if we are willing to take hardship for a year or two, we might stagger back to some semblance of national independence. It's a delicate balance and we need to think carefully about the way we react to this week's measures. Will the budget be fair? Will it give us hope? Certainly, Kenny and his government will not be helped by the kind of shennanigans over the pay of a newly-appointed special adviser to the Taoiseach who says he was promised a salary of €127,000, thus breaking the government's own pay guidelines. As we face into an uncertain future, some familiar words from President Obama earlier this year might give us some reason for optimism. "This little country that inspires the biggest things - your best days are still ahead. Our great triumphs - in America and Ireland alike - are still to come. And, Ireland, if anyone ever says otherwise, if anybody ever tells you that your problems are too big, or your challenges are too great, that we can't do something, that we shouldn't even try - think about all that we've done together. "Remember that whatever hardships the winter may bring, springtime is always just around the corner. And if they keep arguing with you, just respond with a simple creed: Is feidir linn. Yes, we can."