Ironically, as the only Irish person actively involved in this discussion, I have defended IM's views as representative of many in Ireland - (Particularly conservatives who see the crisis has a heaven sent opportunity to cut back public expenditure dramatically).

However no one in Ireland has any sympathy with the banksters and regulators who are the most immediate causes of the crisis and whom many would wish to jail.  What is more difficult to track down is those who benefited from the property boom - farmers who sold land etc.- partly because the beneficiaries are much more small scale and diffuse, partly because much of the money would have been invested in banks or property at home or abroad and so much was subsequently lost.

There is also a huge generational problem.  Virtually all the beneficiaries (except a few banking whizzkids) are older, and most of those suffering are younger - the unemployed, emigrants, and those in negative equity because they bought their house (with a huge mortgage) since c. 2003.

Index of Frank's Diaries