Diplomacy in Dublin
Relations between Ireland and Germany took a turn for the worse last week as the German Ambassador to Dublin aired unflattering opinions of Ireland before a group of 80 German industrialists, many of whom were potential investors in the Celtic Tiger economy. The Times reports that Christian Pauls poured scorn on Ireland's recent affluence and its Government, telling his audience at Clontarf Castle in Dublin that "junior ministers earn more than the German Chancellor" and that "20 per cent of the population are public servants" - neither of which is true.He described the country's health service as chaotic with hospital waiting lists which would not be tolerated elsewhere, and he revealed his amazement that Irish doctors who were offered annual salaries of 200,000 euro to work in the public sector turned their noses up at what they called "Mickey Mouse money".
His comments, made in German and translated into English for the small gathering of Irish present, produced guffaws from the Ambassador's countrymen but infuriated Gay Mitchell, a European Parliament member for Dublin. He was so alarmed by Mr Pauls' remarks that at one point he interjected: "Mr Ambassador, I am the next speaker!" as a warning to him to moderate his comments.
But Mr Pauls ploughed on regardless, describing Irish history as "even sadder than Poland" and relating an amusing anecdote - one that he clearly regarded as a telling observation on contemporary Ireland.
He said that he was at the National Concert Hall when an announcer appealed for the owner of a 1993-registered car to move the vehicle because it was blocking an entrance. "Of course no one moved," said Mr Pauls. "All the Irish are driving 2006 and 2007 cars. For all I know the car is still there." He also said that tourists from the United States had stopped visiting Ireland because they were sick of the incessant traffic jams.
Mr Mitchell said that the Ambassador's performance had been appalling. "In my view he did a number on Ireland and the Irish." Responding to Mr Pauls' comments at the event he told him tartly that his view of Ireland might have been different if he had been in the country during the years when it was having to manage poverty rather than its current wealth and success.