Whenever I hear a radio advert that ends with the phrase "xxx is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland" or "xxx is regulated by the Financial Regulator" I am struck by the fact that the people who work in these two institutions did not have the required level of shame to remove this requirement in relation to advertising.
Every time we hear one of those ads we are reminded that those institutions did NOT regulate the companies that were engaged in lending in the Irish marketplace. Greed, stupidity, self-interest, recklessness and a complete lack of regulation have taken this country to where it is today.
The dogs in the street knew that there was something wrong at Anglo Irish Bank.
Everybody knows that anything that looks to good to be true is too good to be true.
But not the regulator.
I can't believe that the people working in those two institutions are not completely mortified every time they hear one of those ads. I know I would be.
There are societies where people take personal responsibility for their actions or inactions. From what I can see, this is not one of those societies.
I would like to see a list of the people who have apologised for their actions or inactions and resigned in disgrace. And I don't mean people who have resigned and taken a big package. I mean resigned with a genuine regret for their mistakes.
Do us all a favour: remove the requirement to have those stupid statements at the end of adverts. Stop rubbing our nose in it.