A farmer wakes up one morning to be greeted by a stranger in the yard. An inspector identifies himself. A woman cleaning her little café one evening gets a knock on the window. It’s the HSE on behalf of the Food Safety Authority. Now, can you imagine the gunk in their stomachs as they are introduced to these people? And I feel for them. You are doing your best, working hard to earn an honest living. And then: knock knock. Some “busybody” in a suit carrying a folder invades your home, your privacy, your life, trying to catch you out.
A farmer wakes up one morning to be greeted by a stranger in the yard. An inspector identifies himself. A woman cleaning her little café one evening gets a knock on the window. It’s the HSE on behalf of the Food Safety Authority. Now, can you imagine the gunk in their stomachs as they are introduced to these people?
And I feel for them. You are doing your best, working hard to earn an honest living. And then: knock knock. Some “busybody” in a suit carrying a folder invades your home, your privacy, your life, trying to catch you out.
As I write this, I am far away, outside the EU. And it is only when you travel outside Europe that you appreciate the role of that inspector in the suit carrying the folder, the ID card and wearing the face of an undertaker about to put your loved one overboard.
I have been so lucky to have travelled the world, particularly this year, and it has opened my eyes with regards to what farmers refer to as “red tape and beaurocracy”. I don’t want to be unfair by singling out any particular country. Because we all have our faults and certainly there are countries I have visited that have dubious traditions in many ways – from human rights to crime and so on – but they also outflank Ireland in many other ways.
However, it is only when you visit countries and cities outside of the EU that you understand what those faceless bureaucrats in Brussels who make the rules are all about – including those with jobs that fall under that ugly heading “health and safety”.
But we should be thankful, considering the relative lack of regulation in so many other parts of the world.
You take your life into your own hands crossing the road. You can drive whatever way you wish. It seems that you can build houses and shops wherever you wish.
You can get paid about a euro or two an hour. You can sell food in searing heat along the side of the road. Meat hangs within chewing distance of a passing dog or the local sewer rat. You can buy fish to boil alive. You can trip and break your neck on an unfinished footpath and you can be poisoned by polluted water.
So while we might complain about the busybody inspector ruining our day, it is in our collective interests that these people do their job. We might not like them intruding into our personal lives. But remember: next time you are out for a drink or a bite to eat, you can be relatively assured by the knowledge that a fire officer or health and safety inspector has been in to make sure the premises and the food you are eating are unlikely to do you much harm. It might help us appreciate that knock on the door or unannounced appearance in the farmyard a bit more. CL
All-Ireland Sunday
Is there anyone outside Mayo who gives them a chance? I predict the result will hinge on one man: Stephen Cluxton. His performance on Sunday will determine who will win. He has arguably been the most revolutionary player in Gaelic football over the last 30 years. If he has two or three bad kick-outs, it can be the difference between winning and losing, as we almost saw in the semi final. Back when Mayo could win All Irelands, there would have been a man earmarked to make sure that he did have one of those off days – if you know what I mean!
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