Dermot Ahern

Minister for Justice, supposedly one of the most important gigs in the cabinet manned by an absolute cretin of the highest order.

His response to the latest tiger kidnapping yesterday was another in the long line of how out of touch with the "common man"

Higher fees for ATM transactions should reduce the amount of cash in the system, which will affect personal banking, when the reality that the majority of cash in banks is commercial.

What next from this absolute idiot?

Too many bank robberies? Let's put less money in banks.
Too many car thefts? Get a bike.
House been burgled? Give your remaining stuff away before they come back


He's clearly in tune with how the majority of people feel. You can hardly have a conversation these days without someone complaining about the amount of cash "swilling about the place".

Agreed that this is an idiotic and bizarre suggestion in connection with reducing tiger kidnappings. The idea is that ATM charges will reduce cash needed in banks.

I like Pat Rabbitte's response:

Quote:

---

Labour's Justice Spokesman Pat Rabbitte was also critical of the idea. He said the Government had already succeeded in reducing the cash in the banks.

---

I'd imagine this is something the government have wanted to do for a while (ATM charges) as a way for them to get a bit of extra cash, but now they can try to dress it up as a solution to something.

When I lived in Japan it was commonplace. You didn't pay charges if you took money out of a cash machine which was installed by the bank with which you had an account, but you did otherwise, either about 90 or 180 cents, depending on the time of the day and the cash machine itself (machines in convenience stores were always 180 cents).

What else would you expect from a nazi-like nutcase that makes blasphemy a criminal offence?