Pulling out a tooth

One can hide a rotten tooth with claiming everything is okay. Sooner or later it will hurt and the tooth has to be pulled out. Ireland has waited almost to the last day.

Admitting Ireland’s bailout by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund was inevitable and almost like pulling out a tooth.

The bailout is an extreme embarrassment to Ireland and its people who have been extremely protective of their independence and sovereignty since the formation of the state.

“We serve neither King nor Kaiser but Ireland” was once written on a banner that hung from Dublin’s Liberty Hall in World War I.

There is an irony that now Britain, while not a member of the European monetary Union, is prepared to provide help as well. “Ireland is a friend in need and we’re here to help”, said George Osborne.

General election in January

The tooth is pulled out but the Irish people aren’t happy at all. The junior partner in the Irish Republic’s governing coalition, the Green Party called for a general election in January to provide “political certainty”.

John Gormley, the leader of the Greens, said on Monday the Irish people felt “misled and betrayed” after Brian Cowen, the prime minister, finally bowed to foreign pressure and agreed to the bailout from the IMF and EU.

Cowen’s coalition of his Fianna Fail and the Greens has a majority in the lower parliament of only three and the withdrawal of the support of the six Green politicians means it cannot survive.

The Irish government has accepted up to $124bn in loans and will publish a four-year budget plan on Wednesday to show how it will balance its books ahead of a budget for 2011 expected on December 7.

Protests expected

According to the Telegraph, Irish ministers are concerned over protests. Police already had to intervene after about 50 protesters forced their way into a security hut at Government Buildings in Dublin.

The news of the bailout has sparked anger within Ireland, where many people feel “humiliated” by the move.

The government has been saying for weeks that it didn’t need any aid and now it has turned around and said yes it does need it.

Ireland could be compared to a little child afraid of pain and exposure. It waited almost until the last day. It was time to pull out the tooth and to expose.