The Great Banking Inquiry of 2015 was not so great and not so much of an inquiry. But it did throw some very laughable moments. Mostly at the expense of Sligo/Leitrim/a small bit of Donegal TD Marc MacSharry. Marc’s father is Ray Macsharry.
Ray MacSharry held various significant positions during his political career, including Tánaiste from March 1982 to December 1982, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development from 1989 to 1993, Minister for Finance from March 1982 to December 1982 and again from 1987 to 1988, Minister for Agriculture from 1979 to 1981, and Minister of State at the Department of the Public Service from 1978 to 1979. He represented the Sligo–Leitrim constituency as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1969 to 1988 and also served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Connacht–Ulster constituency. The only job he never had in Irish politics was as Taoiseach.
In 1983, MacSharry stepped down from the Fianna Fáil front bench following a phone-tapping scandal. It was disclosed that during his tenure as Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, he had borrowed police tape recorders to secretly record discussions with a cabinet colleague. Which will tell you how vicious Fianna Fail was under Haughey.
It was his second stint and comeback Minister for Finance that earned him the nickname Mac the Knife for the unprecedented cuts he made to public services. Ray was a big beast in Irish politics, talent sometimes does indeed skip a generation.
Pat Rabbitte told Macsharry he had travelled to matches with a pal of his, a small builder, so far so good, and then hammer blow.
"To be truthful, I don't know how good he is at it, his father was the small builder, and I notice sometimes, senator, that talent skips a generation."
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