Brian Cowen and 'those pictures'

gearoidc

I think standards hit an all time low when Mr Cowen pressured the then Aer Rianta to sell Airport land so as a private developer could 'connect and increase the value' of their holdings.

This caught my eye. When did this happen? Who was the developer? And do the quotation marks -'connect and increase the value' - mean that these were Cowen's words???

Barname

gearoidc wrote: »

This caught my eye. When did this happen? Who was the developer? And do the quotation marks -'connect and increase the value' - mean that these were Cowen's words???

Cowen’s association with lobbyist Frank Dunlop and a business consortium called Cargobridge. Cargobridge features on the so-called ‘J2’ list of additional allegations that the tribunal wanted to consider in public.

However, following a Supreme Court decision last year, it has been prevented from investigating the topics further. The full list of J2 topics has never been disclosed, but The Sunday Business Post has learned that Cargobridge is among the topics covered.

This means that Cowen cannot be recalled as witness in relation to his decision to grant a right of way to the business consortium near Dublin airport in the mid-1990s.

Aer Rianta had strongly opposed both the rezoning and the granting of the right of way by Cowen, who was then Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications. Cowen previously confirmed in evidence to the tribunal that he had not recalled the involvement of Dunlop when initially approached by the tribunal. He also accepted that he showed Dunlop a draft letter indicating that he was prepared to grant the right of way.

The finance minister also said that he gave Dunlop copies of a letter on the issue which he had sent to Noel Hanlon, the then Aer Rianta chief executive. Dunlop has said that he was retained by the consortium in February 1993 to assist in securing the rezoning of the 24 acres of land.

Feel free to evaluate the above.

Riddle101

I wonder what was going on behind the scenes when RTE showed the paintings.

RTE producer: Hello you're talking to the producer of RTE news(insert name) how may i help you?
Caller: Hello i' the assistant to My Cowen, you know the Taoiseach of Ireland
RTE: Ok and what is you're problem
Caller: Tell them i'm, angry(Brian cowen in backround). The Taoiseach was very hurt after todays RTE news broadcast. Did you tell them i was angry(Brian Cowen in backround) He thinks it was very unapropriate for you to show those images.
RTE: *giggling in backround* Well eh, it's the news we have to print everything and anything that is news worthy.
Caller: For f**k sake i'm the Taoiseach(Brian Cowen in backround). Well it may be news worthy to you, but it degrades the image of the Taoiseach of this grate nation, Mr Brian Bernard Cowen. *looks into the air with pride*
RTE: Well what's done is done, we can't exactly change anything
Caller: Just you wait, i'll have you're wages cut for this(Brian in backround). The Taoiseach would very much like you to apologise for your actions on live TV. i'll have you living on the streets(Brian again). Or other matters will be taken against you
RTE: *whispers in backround* Very well then, we'll apologise for our actions.
Caller: Good day to you sir, we shall be watching. And Waiting(Cowen again)
RTE: Good day to you too. Bast*rds

ilkhanid

Don't forget he was humiliated as a father, husband and son (not too mention, as was pointed out in the Irish Times today) a brother,son-in-law, uncle and first cousin.
But seriously. "However, the standards I was referring to were in relation to the degrading paintings, which were vulgar and offensive on a personal level. I don’t believe that anyone should be subjected to that, no matter who they are."

Subjected? I was under the impression that they were hung in the national Gallery and the RHA, not on Cowen's bedroom wall, where the eyes of his shocked family were subjected to them when they woke up one fine morning. Did that scoundrely artist subject the poor Taoiseach to a 'clockwork-orange' type ordeal where his eyes were held open and he was forced to look at these offensive paintings?

"Of course the freedom of the press must be protected, but so also must the freedom of the individual to protect themselves from exploitation by sleazy opportunists."

Do you quite understand this "freedom-of-speech" idea? We've had it here for a while now. It protects not only witty,erudite, intelligent and high-minded speech but also vulgar, repulsive offensive,abusive, sleazy and opportunistic speech. Otherwise some of the works of Martyn Turner and Scratch could be banned by that criteria. Not to mention works by Steve Bell. If the minions of the Government don't get that maybe they should fly off to Zimbabwe.

TomRooney

ilkhanid wrote: »

Don't forget he was humiliated as a father, husband and son (not too mention, as was pointed out in the Irish Times today) a brother,son-in-law, uncle and first cousin.

so what he deserves it for being an obese waste of space, who costs the irish tax payer nearly half a million euro a year in salary and expenses for 156 days worked per year.

Denerick

oscarBravo wrote: »

You get a week to read the charter at leisure also.

Thanks for that. I enjoyed that week off.

LostinBlanch

ilkhanid wrote: »

Do you quite understand this "freedom-of-speech" idea? We've had it here for a while now. It protects not only witty,erudite, intelligent and high-minded speech but also vulgar, repulsive offensive,abusive, sleazy and opportunistic speech. Otherwise some of the works of Martyn Turner and Scratch could be banned by that criteria. Not to mention works by Steve Bell. If the minions of the Government don't get that maybe they should fly off to Zimbabwe.

Well not if Dermot Ahern gets his way and gets his privacy bill through the Dail. That will stifle any freedom of speech.

ilkhanid

And now the staff in the Nat Gall are being threatened with the Official Secrets Act. You couldn't make this up.

oscarBravo

Source?

Nodin

oscarBravo wrote: »

Source?

The Metro I'd imagine, bottom of page 4......

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