Brian Lenihan

Brian Lenihan RIP.

| Readers 9

News is emerging this morning of the death of former FF Finance Minister Brian Lenihan who was known to be suffering from cancer. More later. Update (2.05pm). While his battle with pancreatic cancer had been public knowlegde for a considerable period of time, the death of the former finance minister still seems quite sudden, perhaps due to his continued visibility on the public stage. At a political level, Fianna Fáil will rue his passing on multiple levels. It brings an end to the parliamentary presence of the extended Lenihan-O’Rourke dynasty, …

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Was Brian Lenihan pushed or did he jump because he had nowhere left to go??

| Readers 7

There was a lot of copy written both before and after the BBC documentary, the Bail Out Boys come to Dublin compiled by the Irish Times’ writer, Dan O’Brien. But listening to it there are a few accounts in that programme that seem to conflict with Mr Lenihan’s headline grabbing, not to mention rather simplifying suggestion that the measures were not necessary and the ECB forced him (not to mention the rest of the country) into taking the money. It …

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Is Micheál Martin the kernel of Fianna Fáil nua?

| Readers 7

Cute fox you might say. But Micheal Martin is undoubtedly a shrewd operator. He survived Bertie’s attempt to destroy him by giving him the politically murderous health portfolio earlier in his ministerial career. In this last passage of play, if he did anything at all that was right, it was to serve his resignation as Minster of Foreign Affairs and, crucially, go through with it. It contrasts markedly with the party’s shambling ‘we’ve had tough decisions to make, so don’t …

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McAleese and ECB worried about legality of hastily assembled Bank Bill

| Readers 4

It seems the Credit Institutions (Stabilisation) Bill is in trouble. Not only does the President think it could be constitutionally questionable, the ECB is expressing the same concern. The key clause is in section 53 of the bill: The provisions of this Act, and any order made under this Act, have effect notwithstanding anything in— (a) the Companies Acts, the Building Societies Act 1989, the Credit Union Act 1997 or any other enactment, (b) any other rule of law or …

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As Lenihan lashes the ship’s wheel, the new government must learn to govern…

| Readers 4

Tomorrow is budget day in Dublin. The two independent TDs the government needs to force it through the Dail, Jackie Healy Rae and Michael Lowry are to decide today whether they support the government. Currently the government appears to be lavishing them with the kind of attention Government backbenchers can only dream of… Fianna Fail TD Ned O’Keeffe said it makes party backbenchers “look like doormats”.”I can’t understand how two people are going to decide the future of the country …

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