Madam, – I have read with interest the extensive coverage of Seán FitzPatrick’s road to bankruptcy. While not a supporter of Mr FitzPatrick, I would like to make the following points. He made great efforts to come to an agreement with his creditors, including providing very detailed listing of his assets and liabilities, which has been widely reported in the media. He did not run away from his problems or this country, unlike others. Despite media coverage which seems to pinpoint him as the cause of the Irish taxpayer having to pay huge sums to support Anglo Irish Bank, it was the Irish Government’s decision to waste the taxpayer’s money in this manner.
I admire Mr FitzPatrick for facing his problems and do not appreciate the Government, Anglo Irish Bank and the media “kicking a man when he’s down on his luck” by forcing him to declare bankruptcy when it’s crystal clear an agreement with creditors was the best agreement. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I find the general tone of much of the media coverage of Seán FitzPatrick’s bankruptcy to be distasteful. The mob’s unbridled joy at his bankruptcy and its palpable disappointment that he won’t be left utterly destitute leave me very uncomfortable.
It achieves nothing, other than to stoke resentment and hatred and it also personalises everyone’s current problems as the fault of one man.
I agree he bears a great deal of responsibility for his current predicament and, indeed, for the state of the economy. However, what hasn’t been acknowledged is that he’s a big loser in all this too – he personally got no bail-out and stands to lose all he owns. Mr Fitzpatrick’s bankruptcy may satisfy the baying mob for now, but it’ll be a fleeting satisfaction. Not one business re-opened nor was one job created as a result. Nobody’s house increased in value; nobody’s debts reduced. The weather didn’t even improve.
In other words, bankrupting Mr FitzPatrick and hounding him in the press doesn’t solve anyone’s problems or lift anyone’s burden. Surely it’s time for us all to expend our energy figuring out how we get Ireland out of this mess, instead of indulging in eternal finger-pointing, vengeance-seeking and obsessing about those whom we believe got us into it? – Yours, etc,