Saturday 8 March 2014  John Drennan: Unrealistic promises but
minimal change  This Government runs the risk of being seen as
an administration of Quislings, writes John Drennan  One can
only hope that Bill Clinton is not sensitive. Last week as the
establishment cooed at his presence, the last American President
to be associated with prosperity told the economic forum that
"the last big decision" Ireland had to take was on the mortgage
debt crisis.  As the former US president prophesied, "the
quicker you flush that out, the quicker you're going to generate
small business and domestic demand and growth"; in a scenario
where 10 per cent of Irish mortgages are in effective default,
the logic was unassailable.  Indeed, when it comes to this
Government, the economic, and more important still, the social
consequences of long-term mortgage distress have been recognised
by fiscally literate ministers such as Michael Noonan and Joan
Burton.  This meant the excitement displayed by Enda Kenny over
the mouse of a Keane r