Put on the green jersey

'Put on the green jersey' is a phrase to represent putting the Irish national interest first. The phrase can be used in a positive sense, for example evoking feelings of national unity during times of crisis. The phrase can also be used in a negative sense - e.g. the Irish national interest as an excuse for immoral conduct or corruption. The phrase reflects the wearing of green sports jerseys by most of Ireland's sporting teams.

This article is about the Irish idiom. For road bicycle racing, see Green jersey.

Main use

Political intrigue
See also: Irish political scandals

While the term is used in a range of contexts, it is most common to see it used in a pejorative sense, and to describe taking face saving actions, over unveiling the facts.[1][2][3] In this context, it is often used in relation to political situations and the choice between protecting Ireland's international reputation versus the need for public disclosure.[4][5] The term is invoked frequently in such a manner during debates in the Irish Dáil Éireann (a search of Dáil Éireann debates lists over 400 instances),[6] where opposition members sometimes claim face saving measures are for an incumbent Government's reputation, and not the national interest.

The term can be invoked by an incumbent Government looking for support from opposition parties for a particular course of action on which there is no consensus. In November 2018, the Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was criticised by opposition parties for invoking the Green Jersey in relation to Brexit negotiations,[7] and other matters.[8]

Irish financial crisis

During State prosecutions of the Irish banking crisis (2014–2018), the derived term green jersey agenda was used to imply that Irish bank CEOs and the Irish State (Department of Finance, Financial Regulator, and the Central Bank), colluded to advocate the build up of credit during the Celtic Tiger period, and then covered up the scale of financial leverage when the banking system began to collapse in 2008.[9][10][11][12][13] In one particular State prosecution, the Irish Times reported how the State unsuccessfully sought to have the jury prevented from hearing evidence regarding a "green jersey agenda".[14]

Ireland Inc.

"Green jersey" can appear with the term Ireland Inc., which refers to Ireland behaving like a single company (and taking commercial decisions ahead of other decisions such as social, ethical, or risk).[15][16] In this context, the term is most often invoked when refuting criticism of Ireland Inc.[11] This was considered to be a factor in the lack of challenge and debate around the extreme build-up of leverage in the Celtic Tiger era (and for which the independent Irish Fiscal Advisory Council was created).[17][18]

An example was when Irish businessman Denis O'Brien, said in 2018 that the Dublin office market was in a “bubble”,[19] which the Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, publicly refuted that day, from the world economic forum in Davos.[20]

General use

The term (and its derived terms), are also invoked as a call to put different interests aside in favour of taking a positive course of action for the Irish national interest. During the 2019 FAI controversies regarding CEO John Delaney, the term was invoked to overhaul the FAI's governance.[21] In the 2019 European elections, it was invoked to show Ireland's commitment to Europe and rejection of a Brexit agenda.[22] In April 2019, Irish European Commissioner, Phil Hogan, was quoted as describing Europe's support for Ireland's agenda in the Brexit negotiations as "wearing a green jersey".[23]

Notable use
  • "This was a cosy culture of common purpose in which the imperative was to keep the boom going, with the government chivvying businessmen to “pull on the green jersey”. Politics was a catalyst of the crisis, not a restraint.” The Financial Times, commenting in 2010 on the origins of the Irish financial crisis under the former Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's administration.[17]
  • "The two phrases that summed up the fatuity of Fianna Fáil–led governments under Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen were (a) “pull on the green jersey” and (b) “talking down the economy”. Acclaimed Irish journalist, Fintan O'Toole, commenting in 2012 on why Ireland failed to anticipate the severe property crash of 2009–2012[18]
  • "Tánaiste Gilmore has been accused of “hypocrisy” and “amnesia” following his comments to the opposition parties that they should “put on the green jersey” and support the government in its negotiations with the Troika." Irish Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore, asking Irish opposition parties in 2012 to accept proposals of the Troika.[24]
  • "He said he was motivated to do this because of his understanding of a request from Pat Neary, the Chief Executive of the Financial Regulator, and the Central Bank governor John Hurley, for the Irish banks to support each other, a so-called "green jersey" agenda". The 2016 trial of ex. Permanent TSB CEO Denis Casey on his authorisation of €7 billion in loans to support Anglo Irish Bank.[25]
  • "I think I pulled on the green jersey in order to compromise in relation to, and agreeing to, an appeal for different reasons, but so that we could move into an era of tax justice." Irish Minister, Katherine Zappone, on RTÉ news as to why she voted to appeal the €13 billion fine against Apple, despite being a supporter of tax justice.[26]
  • "But before we all pull on the green Apple jersey, let’s stop and think about what we’re doing and what we’re saying about ourselves to the world." Acclaimed Irish journalist, Fintan O'Toole, commenting on Ireland's decision in 2016 on whether to appeal the EU's €13 billion fine against Apple, which would be paid to Ireland.[27]
  • Mr Grehan [Senior Counsel for David Drumm] said Mr Drumm answered Ireland's call when it came, donned the green jersey, and did not desert his post at Anglo Irish Bank." The 2018 trial of Anglo Irish Bank CEO David Drumm on his actions as the Irish banking crisis began to unfurl.[28]
  • “System failures, administrative errors, endless reviews and prevarications, lost records, putting on the green jersey, alleged lack of resources – all these things have been used to justify wrongdoing. No longer.” Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, in 2017 defending a no-confidence motion regarding the Garda whistleblower scandal.[1]
  • "When [MEP] Matt Carthy put that to the Minister's predecessor, (Michael Noonan), his response was that this was very unpatriotic and he should wear the green jersey." TD Pearse Doherty, Sinn Féin Deputy Leader, noting in 2017, Finance Minister Michael Noonan's response to being told the "single malt" had replaced "double Irish", in a Dáil Éireann debate.

References
  1. "Government wins confidence motion by five votes". The Irish Times. 15 February 2017. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2018. Leo Varadkar. System failures, administrative errors, endless reviews and prevarications, lost records, putting on the green jersey, alleged lack of resources – all these things have been used to justify wrongdoing. No longer.
  2. "Michael Lowry 'involved in elaborate charade to conceal financial transaction', court hears". Irish Independent. 10 November 2014. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2018. Michael Lowry's complaints in respect of an alleged abuse of process could be interpreted as "an attempt to give a nod and wink to the court to 'put on the green jersey'" by not allowing the prosecution to proceed.
  3. "Free speech and the Green Jersey agenda". Karl Whelan, Professor of Economics, University College Dublin. 19 October 2009. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2018. [The Ulster Bank economist Pat McArdle said that] Freedom of speech is fine and we're all in favour of it. But there are sometimes when you have to temper things in the greater interest.
  4. "We need a banks tribunal — not another FF smoke-and-mirrors job". The Irish Examiner. 21 January 2010. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2018. I also suspect this "support the green jersey" approach will be put forward as part of an argument that public exposure of their shortcomings, especially if illegality was involved, would be counterproductive to the national interest as it could make our borrowing more difficult to conduct, and impact on the performance of the International Financial Services Centre.
  5. "Irish Minister's green jersey deserves to unravel". The Times U.K. 18 November 2017. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  6. "Dail Eireann Oireachtas Debates: Search". Archived from the original on 2018-08-26. Retrieved 2018-06-02.
  7. Philip Ryan (7 November 2018). "Taoiseach under fire for 'green jersey' demands in Brexit talks". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 9 November 2018. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
  8. Daniel McConnell (2 February 2019). "Who will put a stop to Leo's hard-line tactics?". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 19 May 2019. The 'green jersey' agenda is alive again and in full swing. Ten years ago, it was called upon in a bid to salvage our bust banks.
  9. "Irish banks were "pulling on the green jersey" during financial crisis, trial told". Courts News Ireland. 10 February 2016. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018. A former Anglo Irish Bank director has told the trial of four senior bankers accused of conspiring to mislead investors that there was a "green jersey agenda" which involved banks working together to help each other out during the financial turmoil of 2008.
  10. "Ireland jails three top bankers over 2008 banking meltdown". Reuters. 29 July 2016. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018. Lawyers for the accused argued during the trial that their motivation in authorizing the deal was the "green jersey" agenda, the financial regulator's request for Irish banks to support one another as the financial crisis worsened.
  11. Cliff Taylor (11 July 2016). "The green jersey merchants haven't gone away". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018. The Ireland Inc. creed continues to frown upon straight discussion of anything that might be seen to not be in the 'national interest'. We heard a lot about the "green jersey" agenda during the Anglo trial, which finished during the week. It is the name given to the drive to protect the financial system as the crisis hit, taking in the government, Civil Service, regulators, banks and beyond.
  12. "Put on the green jersey: Ireland's bank bust broke all the records". The Irish Independent. 1 July 2012. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  13. Pearlstein, Steven (2013-08-16). "Can Ireland's Celtic Tiger roar again?". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2018-06-08. In a new book, "The Fall of the Celtic Tiger," economists Donal Donovan and Antoin Murphy look beyond the property bubble and the bank meltdown and argue that the root cause of the crisis was "the absence of sufficient questioning and internal debate" within a political, economic and media establishment too easily prone to "wearing of the green jersey."
  14. "Anglo verdict: Prosecution wanted 'green jersey' agenda removed". The Irish Times. 9 June 2016. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018. Judge ruled that it would not be right or practical to try to stop the Jury hearing about the "green jersey agenda".
  15. Cliff Taylor (10 February 2016). "Anglo case hears of 'green jersey agenda' at the banks". Irish Times. Archived from the original on 11 February 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2018. Matt Cullen, the former director of treasury at Anglo, agreed that the genesis of the email was about how banks could help each other out and that this was a case of "pulling on the green jersey". "This was Ireland Inc.," Mr Cullen said, adding that Mr Drumm was talking to CEOs of the other banks.
  16. Mark Paul (22 February 2019). "Are 'digital gangsters' damaging Ireland Inc's reputation?". Irish Times. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  17. "How bankers brought Ireland to its knees". The Financial Times. 15 May 2010. Archived from the original on 8 June 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  18. "Flash the red card to 'green jersey' politics". The Irish Times. 24 January 2012. Archived from the original on 9 November 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  19. "'Irish commercial property is a bubble. I actually think we're overbuilding offices' – O'Brien". Irish Independent. 25 January 2018. Archived from the original on 25 January 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  20. "Davos: Varadkar disagrees with O'Brien over Dublin office bubble". Irish Times. 25 January 2018.
  21. Mark Paul (29 March 2019). "Better corporate governance would be worthy green jersey agenda". Irish Times. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  22. Christina Finn (4 May 2019). "Fine Gael European election candidate says May vote can send 'green jersey' message to Brexiteers". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  23. Fiachra Ó Cionnaith (6 April 2019). "EU agriculture commissioner: No border 'under any circumstances'". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 19 May 2019. Mr Hogan, in Kerry yesterday, said Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Angela Merkel show the EU is "wearing the green jersey" and that will not change.
  24. "Gilmore accused of hypocrisy over 'green jersey' remarks". journal.ie. 20 January 2012. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  25. "Bank chief authorised Anglo loan because of 'green jersey agenda'". The Irish Times. 3 May 2016. Archived from the original on 9 November 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  26. "KATHERINE ZAPPONE "I pulled on the green jersey in order to compromise in relation to an appeal."". RTÉ News. 5 September 2016. Archived from the original on 27 May 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  27. "Fintan O'Toole: We will hurt only ourselves by appealing Apple ruling". The Irish Times. 6 September 2016. Archived from the original on 2 May 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  28. "David Drumm 'donned the green jersey' during financial crash". The Irish Times. 25 May 2018. Archived from the original on 1 June 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
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