In the News

Scofflaw

I appreciate we've been closing a number of threads recently because their OPs are little more than "here's an interesting article, what do people think?".

We don't want to have the forum full of such threads, but at the same time, commenting in what's on the news obviously is part of politics.

Hence this thread:

1. You can post here any news articles which you've just read and want to talk about, but where you haven't yet really got your own thoughts together sufficient to write a proper post, or just want to hear other people's thoughts. You can also respond to any such articles here.

2. Posting a news article in here doesn't prevent you (or someone else) from starting a thread on the same article with a decent OP, and we're prepared to move posts around to facilitate that (to a sane degree), as well as to facilitate discussions which kick off here.

3. In addition, if you do post an inadequate OP about an article, it will in future be swept in here rather than just closed.

4. Please observe all the usual rules on copyright - post part of the article and a link, not the whole thing.

Stickied for the moment, but will go free-floating if there's enough interest (or bad OPs). Or it can die the death if not, obviously.

cordially,
Scofflaw

Wolfe Tone

This is a terrific idea!

Great idea and worthy of a sticky

Sir Oxman

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/nama-cant-touch-developers-wives-2371941.html?from=dailynews

"The National Asset Management Agency only has the power to pursue assets transferred to relatives since December 2009 as part of its efforts to recover billions of euro owed by indebted developers.

It cannot seize properties and other assets transferred before that date, the Irish Independent can reveal.

The revelation is in contrast with the strong statements being made by Finance Minister Brian Lenihan. He has said that while the Government couldn't prevent developers from moving abroad they would not be able to escape their debts. "

Now this brings to mind the question why can't/hasn't the Govt brought in legislation to deal with these shenanigans- as in the above - could they not anticipate that a hell of a lot of these gamblers would transfer as much as possible to next of kin in an attempt to mitigate their losses?

I feel this could also apply to the many situations where 'top' people resign from public positions because they have made an almighty balls up of their respective jobs and duties and are entitled to massive pensions/payoffs.
How many times have the Govt trotted out the line 'legally, we cannot interfere with xxx's renumeration package'

Surely, as we are all in a National Emergency, retrospective legislation could be enacted that freezes all golden handshakes/obscene pension pots where there is any doubt that the recipient may have monumentally not performed to any recognisable standard of competence.

If after exhaustive investigations it is found that someone did their job and wasn't implicit in the National Cock-Up, they get their 'entitlements'

nesf

gambiaman wrote: »

Surely, as we are all in a National Emergency, retrospective legislation could be enacted that freezes all golden handshakes/obscene pension pots where there is any doubt that the recipient may have monumentally not performed to any recognisable standard of competence.'

As much as I'd like to see developers made pay for their loans, I'm extremely hesitant about supporting any kind of retrospective legislation created to help achieve this. It's a very dodgy road to tread to start introducing such legal changes and in many ways opens a Pandora's Box of potential issues down the road (i.e. you changed the law retrospectively to go after developers, why can't you do it now with this new problem, etc.).

DJP

Guth na Gaeltachta ("Voice of the Gaeltacht") and Conradh na Gaeilge organisted an Information Day in Buswells Hotel last Wednesday 6th October. They also organisted one last year. The events gave TD's and Senators the opportunity to come over to the hotel to support the Guth na Gaeltachta campaign and to stay abreast with developments nationally in relation to the Irish language and the Gaeltacht. They are lobbying TD's and Senators to show their support for 1) the opposition to the proposal that Udarás na Gaeltachta will end and be merged with Enterprise Ireland and 2) that Pat Carey implements all the 33 recommendations of the Joint-Oireachtas Committee on the first ever 20 Year National Strategy for the Irish Language.

82 politicians went over to the hotel to show their support for the campaign. Presumably many others support the campaign but were unable to attend. I know Rónan Mullen for example was in Brussels. Here is the list of TD's and Senators who attended.

LO= Lucht Oibre/Labour
NS= Neamhspleách/Independent
CG= Comhaontás Glas/Green Party


TD’s


Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin SF), Dr. Rory O'Hanlon (FF), Margaret Conlon (FF), Seymour Crawford (FG), Joseph Carey (FG), Patrick Breen (FG), Timothy Dooley (FF), Tony Killeen (FF), James Bannon (FG), Mary O'Rourke (FF), Peter Kelly (FF), William Penrose LO), Johnny Brady (FF), Thomas Byrne (FF), Cyprian Brady (FF), Maureen O'Sullivan NS), Olivia Mitchell (FG), Tom Kitt (FF), Aengus Ó Snodaigh SF), Joanna Tuffy LO), Charlie O'Connor (FF), Michael Woods (FF), Terence Flanagan (FG), Darragh O'Brien (FF), James Reilly (FG), Trevor Sargent CG), Bobby Aylward (FF), John McGuinness (FF), Matthew J. Nolan (FF), Áine Brady (FF), Bernard Durkan (FG), Michael Fitzpatrick (FF), Joe Behan NS), Jim O'Keeffe (FG), P.J. Sheehan (FG), Michael Creed (FG), Michael Moynihan (FF), David Stanton (FG), Seán Sherlock LO), Seán Barrett (FG), Dinny McGinley (FG), Joe McHugh (FG), Niall Blaney (FF), Éamon Ó Cuív (FF), Michael D Higgins LO), Pádraic McCormack (FG), Michael P. Kitt (FF), Ulick Burke (FG), Paul Kehoe (FG), Fergus O'Dowd (FG), Dan Neville (FG), Jan O'Sullivan LO), Kieran O'Donnell (FG), Michael Noonan (FG), Beverley Flynn (FF), Dara Calleary (FF), Enda Kenny (FG), John O'Mahony (FG), Michael Ring (FG), Brendan Kenneally (FF), Brian O'Shea LO), Frank Feighan (FG), Mattie McGrath (FF), Máire Hoctor (FF), Noel J. Coonan (FG),

Seanadóirí/Senators

Brian Ó Domhnaill (FF), Eugene Regan (FG), Feargal Quinn NS), Fidelma Healy Eames (FG), Ivana Bacik LO), Jerry Buttimer (FG), Joe O'Toole NS), John Paul Phelan (FG), Labhrás Ó Murchú (FF Larry Butler (FF), Mark Daly (FF), Mary White (FF), Maurice Cummins (FG), Niall Ó Brolacháin CO), Paschal Canice Mooney (FF), Paul Coghlan (FG), Piaras Ó Dochartaigh (SF)

Sir Oxman

nesf wrote: »

As much as I'd like to see developers made pay for their loans, I'm extremely hesitant about supporting any kind of retrospective legislation created to help achieve this. It's a very dodgy road to tread to start introducing such legal changes and in many ways opens a Pandora's Box of potential issues down the road (i.e. you changed the law retrospectively to go after developers, why can't you do it now with this new problem, etc.).

Good points.

However, I can't find anything that tells me this govt has legislated on 'golden handshakes', passing assets to spouses/siblings etc at all in the wake of this disaster.
Unless I've missed it.

PS I see there is now a thread on the forum discussing this.

nesf

gambiaman wrote: »

Good points.

However, I can't find anything that tells me this govt has legislated on 'golden handshakes', passing assets to spouses/siblings etc at all in the wake of this disaster.
Unless I've missed it.

PS I see there is now a thread on the forum discussing this.

One issue is, and it's a very important one, that the Government really can't stand in the way of someone transferring property into their wife's name. Free movement of capital from one individual to another is a core right within this country and the EU. The problem is that the banks secured loans on individual developer's assets leaving open this loophole rather than securing it on the family's assets.

Nehaxak

Wasn't that something that the CAB cracked down on in relation to some leading criminal figures doing their best to avoid the CAB taking their assets ? John Gilligan was one that tried it, transferring a lot over to his wife but the CAB were having none of it and one way or the other found a way around it to impose the rule of law.
Maybe I have that all wrong or part of it wrong but surely something similar can be done in regards developers et all doing the same now with transferring assets to their wife or whatever no ?

nesf

Nehaxak wrote: »

Wasn't that something that the CAB cracked down on in relation to some leading criminal figures doing their best to avoid the CAB taking their assets ? John Gilligan was one that tried it, transferring a lot over to his wife but the CAB were having none of it and one way or the other found a way around it to impose the rule of law.
Maybe I have that all wrong or part of it wrong but surely something similar can be done in regards developers et all doing the same now with transferring assets to their wife or whatever no ?

There's a big difference between assets that are the product of criminal proceeds and legally obtained assets though.

Nehaxak

nesf wrote: »

There's a big difference between assets that are the product of criminal proceeds and legally obtained assets though.

Indeed, however it could be argued that the transfer of assets to their wife or whomever, was premeditated if the person knew they were financially unviable and their remaining personal assets might become liable come bankruptcy or similar proceedings - especially if they transferred assets around the time of the bank guarantee and then the subsequent introduction of NAMA.

That I suppose is where the crux of the matter is, it is currently not illegal to do such a thing, to transfer assets to your partner and only afterwards you then declare yourself bankrupt - with of course little or nothing to declare then yourself.

All well and good for a person who is just attempting to save their family home, car or whatever (it's understandable at least) but it's another matter when such carry-on is being done by the huge developers in order to save their own huge amount of assets.

There's also the matter of undeclared offshore bank accounts with these people, have the possibility of same existing been investigated by the CAB at all to determine where the monies in said accounts came from, when and how ?

These people declaring bankruptcy, previously multi millionaires, it would be idiotic to even think they don't have assets hidden away overseas undeclared - considering most of them were tightly strung into the loop with bankers who know the game well.

I just don't think the full weight and ability of the law has been applied and I think that is intentional.

imme

here's an article from the IT which reports a retired Central Bank is on a pension of 205K a year (I guess a former governor for that money).

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/1014/1224281064994.html

It's pretty unbelieveable.

azzie

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00bgtqd/Assignment_Irish_Anger/

curlzy

It's from 7 to 9pm (7/12/10) starting at the Garden of Remembrence, it's not during the day so there's no good reason not to go. I'm defo going, I'm bloody sick of everyone blaming all the wrong people, the list is now; immigrants, social welfare recipients and civil servants, well I'm bloody sick of blaming the wrong people and I'm going to march to the Dail to blame the right ones in person. So if you're bloody sick of watching our country go down the tubes, spread the word and go to the march!!!!

p.s copied from After Hours, I don't usually post in this forum but I thought you guys would be interested in this.

Ren2k7

Saw this article on the Indo's website discussing the enormous level of influence and indirect power European Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn has over the government of Ireland.

While I personally am a big supporter of the EU I find the thoughts of an unelected foreigner outside of Ireland exercising huge control over Ireland to be highly disturbing.

THIS week's shock announcement that the Government is now going to take €15bn out of the economy through a combination of higher taxes and public spending cuts over the next four years, and the agreement to enforce tighter budgetary controls on EU member states is likely to transform European Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn into the most powerful, and unpopular, man in Ireland.

Just when it seemed as if things couldn't get any worse, they got an awful lot worse. The Government had spent most of the past year assuring us that the December 2009 budget, which took €4bn out of the economy, was as bad as it got. Finance Minister Brian Lenihan's Budget Day remark that we had "turned the corner" is now infamous. Oh no, we hadn't.

On Monday night the Government made the shock announcement that, instead of cutting €7bn from the next four budgets in order to meet the EU's demand that Ireland's budget deficit be cut to 3pc of GDP by 2014, we would now have to cut spending and raise taxes by a total of €15bn instead.

It was hardly a coincidence that the shock announcement came after Brian Lenihan's visit to Brussels on Monday, a working day everywhere in Europe except Ireland, to attend a meeting with Rehn, which lasted for one-and-a-half hours.

After the meeting Lenihan returned to Ireland in time for the emergency bank holiday Cabinet meeting at Farmleigh on Monday night. At the meeting Lenihan briefed his shocked colleagues on the need for spending cuts and tax increases twice as large as most of them had been dreading.

Further fuelling suspicions that it was Rehn who was setting the budgetary agenda was Lenihan's insistence that the cuts be "front-loaded", ie that, instead of spreading the pain evenly over the next four years, somewhere between €5bn and €7bn of spending cuts and tax increases would have to be implemented in 2011. This put paid to the hopes of some government ministers that a yet-to-materialise economic recovery would somehow ease the pain of the budgetary adjustment process in the later years.

No such luck. When Lenihan gets up to speak on December 7 he is likely to unveil the harshest budget in the history of the independent Irish State. By the time he finishes his speech Lenihan will probably have replaced Ernest Blythe, who cut pensions by a shilling a week in 1924, in the popular memory as Ireland's most infamous finance minister.

Then on Thursday Brussels flexed its muscles yet again when EU heads of government agreed on much tougher rules for enforcing the eurozone's rules on budget deficits. For the first time, these new rules are likely to come with credible enforcement measures.

While this involves tinkering with the Lisbon Treaty and the nightmare prospect of a possible Irish referendum, the brutal truth is that, with the ECB propping up the Irish banks and acting as buyer of last resort for Irish government bonds, we in this country will have no choice but to quickly ratify any amendment or exit the eurozone.

Although Brian Lenihan has said that Ireland will resume holding monthly bond auctions in January, it now seems increasingly likely that Ireland will first have to seek assistance from the EU's stabilisation fund. Following Monday's announcement, far from falling, yields on Irish government bonds actually rose, climbing over 7pc for the first time since we joined the euro at the start of 1999.

This reflects the view of investors that, even with the larger-than-expected spending cuts and tax increases announced on Monday, Ireland will not be able to hit the 3pc deficit target without a rescheduling and possible write-down of both the official national debt and government-guaranteed bank liabilities.

Such assistance is likely to come with a hefty price tag attached. The draconian spending cuts and tax increases implicit in Monday's announcement will be only part of that price.

While it could be argued that Rehn was merely stating the blindingly obvious on October 1 when he was quoted as saying that it was "a fact of life" that Ireland would no longer be a low-tax economy for the next 10 years, conspiracy theorists and other assorted anti-Europeans were quick to put another more sinister interpretation on his seemingly innocuous remarks: that this was part of a masterplan by the EU Commission to finally abolish Ireland's 12.5pc corporate profits tax rate.

To which one can only reply that, even if this pessimistic interpretation of Rehn's remarks turns out to be correct, beggars can't be choosers.

Whatever the truth of the matter, Rehn quickly realised that he, not Ireland's pressing need for spending cuts and tax increases, was in danger of becoming the story.

On Thursday his spokesman explicitly denied that it was the commissioner who had imposed the cuts:

"There is no imposition whatsoever, at least from the European institutions. There is an agreement. Ireland has agreed to certain budgetary targets under the excessive deficit procedure with its European partners, not only with the commission".

It was an astute move on Rehn's part to seek to deflect blame for the Irish Budget deficit cuts. Ever since we first joined the EU in 1973 ministers of all parties have grown used to blaming the commission and the other European institutions when introducing necessary, but unpopular, measures. If they are allowed to do so it will be no different this time around.

So just who is Olli Rehn, the man who now exercises such power and influence over Ireland's internal budgetary affairs? Contrary to the notion peddled by some Irish Eurosceptics, he is not some country-bumpkin county councillor who was appointed by the Finnish government to the EU Commission for narrow party-political reasons.

Formidably well-educated, he graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics, journalism and international relations from Macalester College in Minnesota before going on to do a master's degree in international relations at Helsinki and a PhD from Oxford.

He is fluent in Swedish, English and French, as well as his native Finnish.

Rehn began his career in politics with the youth wing of the Finnish Centre Party, one of the three parties that dominates that country's politics. He was elected as a Centre Party candidate to Helsinki city council in 1988 and to the Finnish Parliament in 1991.

When Finland joined the EU in 1995 Rehn was one of the first batch of Finnish MEPs. From 1998 to 2002 he was chef de cabinet for the then Finnish EU Commissioner Erkki Liikanen.

He then returned to Finland for two years, serving successively as head of the Centre for European Studies at the University of Helsinki and adviser to the Finnish prime minister.

In 2004 he returned to Brussels as the EU's Enlargement Commissioner before being promoted to his current job in 2010.

Even a cursory glance at Rehn's CV reveals that, far from being a past-his-sell-by-date domestic politician who had been foisted on an unwilling commission by the Finnish government, he was a high-flyer. This was someone who had been talent-spotted at an early age and, when Finland joined the EU in 1995, was dispatched to Brussels with the explicit intention of acquiring the expertise and experience that would allow him to advance quickly.

We in this country will next see Rehn when his visits Ireland in early November. With our budgetary situation likely to get worse before it gets better, we will probably be seeing rather a lot of him in the coming weeks and months.

Irish Independent

Source: http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/most-powerful-man-in-ireland-2400674.html

Scofflaw

Ren2k7 wrote: »

Saw this article on the Indo's website discussing the enormous level of influence and indirect power European Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn has over the government of Ireland.

While I personally am a big supporter of the EU I find the thoughts of an unelected foreigner outside of Ireland exercising huge control over Ireland to be highly disturbing.

To be fair, the Indo is trying very hard to ensure the blame doesn't stick to Fianna Fáil. We had agreed in advance - well in advance - to the 3% limit under the Growth and Stability Pact, and if the Irish government had to be told by someone else that the cuts they were proposing were insufficient to get back to that level, that's really only a reflection either of their fiscal competence or of Fianna Fáil's competence at PR management.

cordially,
Scofflaw

ArtSmart

In truth i haven't read the Sindo, or Indo in a long time, but having seen today's paper by accident i posted a thread in this forum and then took a look at the sindo following a post in same.

below is a link to the front page, where amongst much fear raking muck is an article by Brendan O'Connor.

in short
Merkle = regulation
Sindo = raw capitalism, no regulation
O'Connor = ****head

course that's just my opinion.

and this guy is on state owned RTE??

http://irishindependent.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

Mr Velo

Ouch.... it's grim! :eek:

http://www.bloomberg.com/video/64352822/

eh2010

Ren2k7 wrote: »

Saw this article on the Indo's website discussing the enormous level of influence and indirect power European Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn has over the government of Ireland.

While I personally am a big supporter of the EU I find the thoughts of an unelected foreigner outside of Ireland exercising huge control over Ireland to be highly disturbing.

Indeed. After an 89 year absence we now have the new lord lieutenant of Ireland

Duckytech

Just heard David McWiliams on TWVB...

He was commenting on Iceland and ther progression since their financial collapse 2 years ago. Apparently they decided to let the bond holders wait for their money, put them in a queue behind the interests of the Icelandic people. This is obviously against what were doing and in direct opposition to what Europe want.

Since then, Iceland has developed a lower interest rate than us and also have a lower unemployment rate than us. McWilliams point was that what does this say about what were doing and why dont we look at Icelands approach and their results.

Now for a county who was supposed to be as good as buried, this seems impressive. We have been constantly told that Iceland were completely nuked but it appears their green shoots have really started to grow.

Scofflaw

Duckytech wrote: »

Just heard David McWiliams on TWVB...

He was commenting on Iceland and ther progression since their financial collapse 2 years ago. Apparently they decided to let the bond holders wait for their money, put them in a queue behind the interests of the Icelandic people. This is obviously against what were doing and in direct opposition to what Europe want.

Since then, Iceland has developed a lower interest rate than us and also have a lower unemployment rate than us. McWilliams point was that what does this say about what were doing and why dont we look at Icelands approach and their results.

Now for a county who was supposed to be as good as buried, this seems impressive. We have been constantly told that Iceland were completely nuked but it appears their green shoots have really started to grow.

Did he mention that while Iceland does have a lower unemployment rate than ours, ours went up 2.75 times between Jan 2008 and Jan 2010 - 4.8% to 13.2%, but theirs went up from 1% to 9%. If ours had done the same, we'd have hit 43% unemployment in January this year.

This is Iceland:



This is us:



Their figures for July show a falling trend - but you can see from the previous year that they have a strong seasonal dip for summer employment, but the Spring figures for 2010 are above the spring figures for 2009.

And Iceland has a lower interest rate? Domestically, its interest rates are much higher than ours (and have been all along, which just goes to show you can wreck an economy even with high interest rates). They don't have a bond rate, because they've been shut out of the markets for the last couple of years. They still owe the Icesave money, and they owe the money they've borrowed from the IMF and the other Nordic countries.

Honestly, I don't think McWilliams has a clue. He just says whatever he thinks will be popular with the sort of people who like his stuff, and then changes his position later if something turns out to be unpopular. He was very pro the bank guarantee at the time, and now he's against it.

cordially,
Scofflaw

ArtSmart

Inserting article called THe Blame Game in the Sunday Tribune a while back.
seems no one is out of the loop...
http://www.tribune.ie/article/2010/apr/04/the-blame-game/

Yitzhak Rabin

Down to just 17%

17% too hight in my opinion, but I supps have your suppose, you'll always have your die-hards. Hopefully they can be completely obliterated in any forthcoming election.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/ff-slump-to-new-poll-low-482588.html

Fianna Fáil has reached a new low of just 17% in an opinion poll to be published tomorrow.

The RED C survey for the Sunday Business Post sees Labour support remain steady and Fine Gael go up slightly.

Read more: http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/ff-slump-to-new-poll-low-482588.html#ixzz15qn7CpHs

senor incognito

from Phoenix magazine: ( I emboldened the emboldened parts)

Rosemary's Limerick Garden
"The Limerick post got on to an intriguing story recently about leafy Hillcrest Drive,off the Ennis Rd where residents complained that a house built in the back garden of a residence there had not complied with planning permission. But this simple planning story had more than one twist in it.


Angry residents complained that while none of them could get planning permission for minor alterations down the years, the owner of 24 Hillcrest Drive had built a new house in the back garden in a substantial alteration of the planning permission recieved. The residents also complained that their entreaties to local councillors had not resulted in any serious attention. However following complaints to Limerick City Council, the planning control office sent a warning letter to the owners of the property and this prompted an application for retention of the alterations. Which is where it got really interesting.



At a meeting of the council last March, Labour councillor Tom Shortt drew attention to the fact that the applicant was an employee of the council. Shortt also complained that the retention application was not listed on the council meeting agenda he had recieved and that the relevant documentation was missing. The Post described how the relevant pages were also missing from the agenda it supplied to its journalist covering the council meeting.

Then it emerged, as the local Post sleuths discovered, that the application had been made by Mary Fitzgerald, an employee in the rates department and before that the planning department.



More recently the Post returned to the story and reported that despite the dramatic new precedent set for the estate by the back garden edifice, An Bord Pleanala had upheld what the newspaper described as a contentious application. The board stated that the building would not seriously injure the local amentities and was not contrary to popular planning and sustainable development in the area.



This was despite the recommendation of the board's inspector, Conor McGrath, who had stated the opposite, namely that the proposed development would be out of character with the surrounding pattern of development, would result in over-development and was detrimental to the residential amenities of future residents.



Enraged residents complained to such authorities as Environmental Minister John Gormley, who replied that the issue was outside his remit, while there are plans for further protests.

Howeverwhile poor Rosemary was forced to respond to the Post's enquiries - she said that "the proper channels" had been used - the newspaper did not name the other resident of the property. Goldhawk can reveal that this is Pat Dowling, one of the council's three directors of services and deputy to the City manager, Tom Mackey. Dowling is married to Rosemary and lives with her at Hillcrest Drive. However, Ms Fitzgerald/Dowling was the sole applicant. Dowling just lives there with his spouse, Rosemary."

Phoenix Magazine Nov 5 2010 p.16 beyond the pale by 'Goldhawk'

Yitzhak Rabin

http://www.thejournal.ie/hanafin-admits-interest-in-leading-fianna-fail-2010-11/

MARY HANAFIN has said she would be interested in becoming leader of Fianna Fáil if a leadership election was to be held – but has said she would not be taking part in any moves to oust Brian Cowen as the party leader.

Zynks

Just a minute ago to Gilmore: "Try to reign her (Burton) in every once in a while".

Shocking stuff! :eek:

Yitzhak Rabin

Not really news, but don't know where else to post;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THWbrFy5NWM

This is for all the people who say "Nobody told us to stop. We took on the best advice we were given etc."

nesf

yekahs wrote: »

Not really news, but don't know where else to post;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THWbrFy5NWM

This is for all the people who say "Nobody told us to stop. We took on the best advice we were given etc."

Hush now, everyone knows that every economist was urging the Government to continue to boost the house market through the boom!

Nehaxak

Full document of the bailout now available from here on RTÉ -
http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1201/finance.pdf

Wasn't sure where else to put this and didn't warrant a thread on it's own, that and I'm not sure if it's already been posted so there ye go, have a read of it all

caseyann

CATHOLIC bishops have warned that violence could erupt here if current levels of economic inequality are allowed to fester.

The Irish Bishops yesterday made an unprecedented appeal to voters just days before the election in a document entitled 'From Crisis to Hope: Working to Achieve the Common Good'. In it they urged people to vote for a more cohesive and fair society.

And in strong language the bishops criticised those who had lowered the minimum wage and promoted the "bonus culture" which "has let us down badly and has given rise to what can only be described as reckless gambling practices".

It is a time for political change, "against the background of justifiable anger and a breakdown of trust in key societal institutions", including government, the banks and the church, he said

The launch of the document took place in the Capuchin Day Centre for Homeless People, Bow Street, Dublin. Br Kevin Crowley, who runs the centre, is a prominent voice for equality and societal values.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/unfair-society-will-fuel-violence-bishops-warn-2550067.html

The Irish people will become angered and fed up more than they are now.


I think this does warrant a thread,but not sure if already started somewhere here.

Bottle_of_Smoke

Anyone see the independent front page today? Its something along the lines for ''FG the trusted party for economy'' (i jsut noticed it on VB last night)

Thought this could easily give a boost to them tomorrow. Everyone who goes into a shop today is gonna be greeted by that headline

imme

had to laugh and gasp at the audacity and front of the (previously unknown to me) Sinn Fein minister in the NI Assembly.
She hit the headlines by calling Michael McDowell 'a complete gob****e', via twitter.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/fury-of-sf-minister-michael-mcdowellrsquos-a-gobsh-2885409.html

She was right but doesn't have the courage and has since apologised.

former cell mates indeed:D

Dannyboy83

Hadn't seen this elsewhere on the forum, thought it would be of interest to some people:

http://www.rte.ie/radio1/todaywithpatkenny/

Data released to the website www.thestory.ie on expenditure by the Department of an Taoiseach during and after the Troika bailed out the country makes very interesting reading.

The figures show that on November 23rd – two days after the announcement of the bail out 276 Euro was paid for an agency chef and for the ingredients to cook a fresh breakfast for the cabinet led by then Taoiseach Brian Cowen.

Other expenses which might surprise some people – 2000 euro was spent on a humanistic counselling course for staff , 4850 euro was charged for a counselling / psychotherapy course and nearly 400 euro was spent on a one day course in “work / life balance” for a senior civil servant. All this while the country was embracing austerity.

On the line Was Harry McGee of the Irish Times who has been analysing the data.

Actual data is available here:
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/288448-taoiseach-data.html#document/p2

SBWife

http://christopherfountain.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/sht-looks-like-diana-ross-blackballed-the-guy-from-the-belle-haven-club/#comments

Looking for $6.35m, wonder if his Irish creditors will see any of it?

You can see the real estate listing from the MLS and pictures of the place from the blog linked above.

witsend111

In addition to fare dodging on the train claims and court cases, Fidelma Healy Eames seems anxious to continue the spin on her own web site and leaflets.

A recent report from the Irish Independent, in relation to non-payment of costs to a Galway plumber, tells us:

"Ruling in Michael Allen’s favour, the judge said;"The fact that the defendant tried to rewrite the contract and force theplaintiff to accept a new deal at less than the agreed price speaks foritself."

Ms Healy Eames had dismissed claims that she was buildinga boardroom in her garage as "a terrible thing to say".

Mr Eames claimed that he had never requested the work onthe garage to go ahead and had put a halt to it immediately on becoming awareof it.

But the judge said: "The defendant's version ofevents is implausible."

Judge McCabe also dismissed claims from Mr Eames that hehad requested Mr Allen to continue the job, stating that a letter sent to thateffect was simply a "set-up letter", which had been sent to set up acounter-claim."

What spin does Fidelma Healy Eames put on a blacker than black situation?

"Ms Healy Eames said she felt vindicated, adding:"I'm delighted with the outcome. The judge dismissed the case against me.And the judge reduced the claim against my husband Michael by a significantsum, more than €10,000."

This is a mixture of narcissism and aggression gone wrong. Because of her antics, the abolishion of the Seanad is long overdue.

blowtorch

And today, we learn from the RTE website, that Fidelma Healy Eames'car was seized last month for not having a valid tax disk displayed. (It has to be over a month out of date, or not properly displayed). I doubt the Gardai would seize it 'lightly'.

The spin probably will be 'pressures of work', or 'my secretary didn't take care of it' or something like that.

Sure isn't she a great poster girl for our political class.

Sligo Quay

I wanted to start a new thread ''Denis MacShane MP'' but was unable to do in political forum, not enable or something like that, any this is in the news I surpose.Denis MacShane resigned last night as an MP after a damning report that he wrongly claimed thousands of pounds in expenses, the standards and privileges committe recommended that he be suspended without pay and pension for a year.MacShane's own words ''I appreciate the committee's ruling that I made no personal gain and I regret my foolishness in the manner I chose to be reinbursed for work including working as the Prime Minister's personal envoy in Europe.''My point, the politcal culture is so different in the UK, our nearest neighbour, here is so different, Ivor Callely, John O'Donoghue etc etc to name a few, they don't have the dignity or respect to resigned, they put us through painful expensive tribunals of inquiries and then finally go, Michael Lowery TD Mike Wallace TD is still in the Dail, they should be gone, different culture in Ireland.

Voodoo_rasher

Yes folks. If you have over a decade of kicking a football for your county (Sligo) behind you,

and you can lay a few blocks, plaster lots of wall for a living , who else would you run for but

the 'Soldiers of Infamy..

A builder running for these lot - how ...original..


http://www.midwestradio.ie/index.php/news/13352-former-sligo-footballer-paul-taylor-to-run-for-fianna-fail-in-next-local-elections.html

Running for a party which introduced fracking to Ireland and perhaps ultimately your

own backyard , oh the wisdom on his part..

Tragic on the part of that community that he is a likely cert.

Sierra Oscar

'Recall Moriarty for 3 months' – Martin

FIANNA Fail leader Micheal Martin has called for the Moriarty Tribunal to be reopened for three months to examine new material, including the Lowry tapes.

In a statement yesterday, Mr Martin also criticised RTE and praised TV3 "inexplicably alone among Irish broadcasters", which played an audio of one of the tapes last week.

Leaving aside the call for a reopening of the tribunal, how is it that not one single thread has emerged on this forum regarding the Lowry tapes? Their emergence into the public domain is one of the most significant political events to have occurred in recent times.

Le_Dieux

Couple of things first:

a) I was a FF voter in the past, and if only a certain few, most notably from D3 , were in the dock being tried, I would probably be still a FF'er.

b) I am not sure if this is the correct place for this post - if it isn't, Mods, please feel free to do as You wish.

I found the following on the Indo's page today: http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/coalition-under-threat-over-phil-hogan-macho-reckless-actions-29150279.html

I despise FG ( one reason being the dirty tricks they pulled at an AGM we had a few years ago - PLEASE don't ask what tricks, as I got a formal apology from our local TD, AFTER me going looking for one, and of course the destruction they are doing to this country, and the lies they spewed out to get into DE ). I however, would have a leaning towards Labour, but NEVER will I entertain them as long as EG is leading, as I deem what he did to Róisín Shortall something akin to treachery.

So, I'm making a plea to East Meath electorate: PLEASE DON'T vote for the Labour canditate, maybe then Gilmore is history, even though he will still get his damn pension, but that's another story.

Who then to vote for? That's the reason am putting this thread here, as I really don't know, my mind isn't made up one way or the other.