おこの沙汰だ - how should we translate it?


How should the phrase おこの[沙汰]{さた}だ be translated in the following sentence?

> [太陽光発電]{たいようこうはつでん}に[馬鹿高]{ばかだか}い[補助金]{ほじょきん}を[出]{だ}すのは **おこの[沙汰]{さた}だ**
> というのが[正直]{しょうじき}なところだ。




It means "absurd thing," "absurdity."

  * おこ came from an Old Japanese adjective をこ-なり which means "stupid, absurd." It only survives in set phrases such this one.

をこなり: [Weblio古語辞典:
をこなり](http://kobun.weblio.jp/content/%E3%82%92%E3%81%93%E3%81%AA%E3%82%8A)

  * 沙汰 is a Modern Japanese word, and in this case simply means "thing."

狂気の沙汰 crazy thing (crazy situation, deed and so on)

