Irish singer. Gearoid McCarthy, has said that Irish politicians are “not qualified for the jobs they are in” and that the government “doesn’t give a shit about the people”.
Speaking after the death of his father last week. McCarthy said that instead of “pointing fingers” at the staff at Regional Hospital, Limerick where he said his father died due to “negligence”, he had done some “research” and came to the conclusion that the root of the problem was the government.
“Our government aren’t good enough,” he said, adding that the Minister for Health between 2016-2020, now Tanaiste Simon Harris, “studied value surveying” before switching to “journalism and French” before he “dropped out of that”.
Speaking of how Harris went on to get the “top level job” in the Irish government, he said, “that isn’t good enough”.
Turning to former Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly – who lost his seat at the recent general election – he said that Donnelly’s experience in mechanical engineering and management consultancy also did not qualify him to lead the country’s health department.
“How can you get a job over the health service in Ireland if you’ve never worked in it?” he said.
Saying that the new Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll McNeill was “obviously” not qualified for the role either, he pointed to her qualifications in economics, social science, public policy, and political science.
“All of the problems in this country come from having people in the top ministerial jobs who are not qualified to be there,” he said.
“We need people who know what they’re talking about in these positions”.
He said that the problem was “across the board” and that he wanted to push for change in memory of his father.
He said that Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, was the only cabinet member he could find that was qualified for the role he is in.
“He’s the only one I can see that has them [qualifications]”, he said.
“Irish people know this government treats us like shit, and they are relying on us just lying down and taking it,” he said, pointing to the government’s handling of the 13 billion euro Apple tax windfall.
He said that the money which was “put in an account” needed to be used to “fix this country” but that he “would not trust” the current administration as far as he “could throw” them.
He described Ireland’s electoral system of proportional representation where the votes of knocked out candidates are transferred as “bullshit” that is “designed to keep them in power”.
“I’m not going to rest and watch all of yee destroy our country,” he said.
“These people are not qualified for the jobs they’re in, and as a result of that I’ve lost my dad,” he said.