Ethics Ireland

Ethics Ireland ?,the idea interested me. In my short research to write this blog I came across a very good piece called “The idea of pluralism in the united States” by Richard Norman PhD. the subject matter are related to the same problems in Ireland as it is in America.Since the foundation of the Irish nation in 1923 the Catholic church have been the beacon light of the Irish ethical and moral standers. The moral guidance was supplied by the Catholic church.This guidance began with baptism and finished at the grave.
In between all the main events in life had to be “blessed by the priest on behalf off church. The way we lived and behaved were influenced by the “the commandants” the sacraments and the sermon at the Sunday mass.Life was tightly controlled simple and restricted and controlled. The churches all over the country were filled at mass on Sunday ,ninety five percent of the Catholic people attended mass on Sunday,this was the situation for hundreds of years and up to the sixty’s and seventy’s .

The collapse was comparatively sudden,delayed by denies and coverup,not only by the church as they rushed to minimize and damage limitation,but also by the stunned unbelieving people. The explosion of scandals were covered by TV and newspapers all over Europe and the world .A foot statement to this ‘state of affairs’ are that the church still hold a lot power in the state and thanks to a very professional handling of the disaster ,the church is beginning to recover.However the church has not got as much power and wealth as they have beforehand and the reality in the country is that today the people have lost the only guide lines for a ‘way to be’ or live.

Since the fall of the church ,or perhaps because of church ?,all or most of the primary national institutions in Ireland have fallen into disrepute. The national police force have been rocked with corruption and accusation. Government ministers have been imprisoned for corruption . Only yesterday the universality of Ireland have come under the attention of the ethics watch dog,for unethical behavior.There are many more areas in which I could mention ,perhaps this is for another day.This is not my main question and really only a symptom of the lack of something better to replace the church.

We need, as an nation,to examine our conscious and ask how can do address the situation.Over and over the powers that be have made grand statements regrading the national good and over and over it comes to nothing .We (the state) are very good at serving the law with each specific outrage ,in otherwise we deal with the system and mot the disease.Perhaps for a start an approach could be made with getting the pollination across the party differences to agree that the country is morally bankrupt.I hear you say,”aha its not that bad” well do a small bit of research and then see what you think.I can foresee in the next twenty years the state will have done past the point of redemption.In this country we have at our disposal some of the finest brains in Europe ,if not the world to assist in problem solving. People qualified in sociology. anthropology,theology this and the population engage in a prime time debate with the findings handed over
to the government of Ireland who are after all answer to the people.

This national conversation is long overdue.The public need to revolt in moral indignant at the way that the minority are treated ,the old the sick the homeless the people sleeping on the streets ,something is rotten at the center of any country that allows happen that is happening in every city and town and village of Ireland to night. Our moral code is gone and we need to replace it.It starts with us at the bottom up as the policy of top down has not worked .Good luck Ireland.