Europe – Page 18 – Slugger O'Toole

“Putting Ireland and the IMF in the same sentence can trigger palpitations in the credit markets”

Pete Baker on November 11, 2010, 4:16 pm

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According to an iol report, Irish Finance Minister Brian Lenihan is blaming German Chancellor Angela Merkel for the rising cost of Ireland’s borrowing. Perhaps he’s been channeling Sarah Carey in today’s Irish Times? Meanwhile RTÉ notes that Elsewhere, the Minister for Finance has said the main reason why Irish bonds yields are rising is because of uncertainty surrounding European Union plans for future debt. However, Brian Lenihan also said it appeared that the markets did not fully believe the bank …

The Atlantic Celts: Ancient People or Modern Invention?

Pete Baker on November 11, 2010, 3:33 pm

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That’s the title of University of Leicester archaeologist Simon James’ book [published in 1999] in which he attempts to separate history from the myth – available on Amazon. There’s also an introduction to his argument here. And as Will Crawley notes, Simon James will deliver a free public lecture tonight at 6pm at W5 in the Odyssey Complex – tea and coffee from 5.30pm. It’s the inaugural lecture in a Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure sponsored ‘Exploring Culture’ series of lectures. Here’s …

Olli Rehn says consensus would be of great benefit to Ireland

Pete Baker on November 8, 2010, 11:05 pm

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The ECB might have “the keys to Ireland’s silver”, but there may be some loose ends to tie up. There’s also a counter-argument to Morgan Kelly’s analysis here. The European Commission’s Internal Markets Commissioner, Michel Barnier, can “see light at the end of the tunnel…” Not excluding the possibility of an oncoming train… And as RTÉ reports European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Olli Rehn has called for political consensus to back the Government’s four-year economic plan and the Budget. Which is …

“I see light at the end of the tunnel…”

Pete Baker on November 5, 2010, 4:09 pm

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That was the optimistic assessment the European Commission’s Internal Markets Commissioner, Michel Barnier, gave to the Oireachtas European Affairs committee today. Of course, it could be an oncoming train… Pete Baker

Karl Whelan: “They have taken far too long to admit the scale of the fiscal problem that we are facing”

Pete Baker on November 4, 2010, 4:48 pm

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Today the Irish Economy blog called for a little escapism, with Irish 10-year bonds at 7.601%… And the Irish Independent noted yesterday that Irish yields had risen for six days in a row. [Make that seven? – Ed] “The amount of selling has been relatively small, but the market is all sellers and no buyers, which drives up the yield. The ECB has come in to prevent this becoming a rout,” said Padhraic Garvey, Head of Developed Markets Debt at …

Fact-checking Sinn Féin’s economic proposals for Northern Ireland

Pete Baker on October 14, 2010, 3:03 pm

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While John wants alternatives, let’s have a closer look at what Sinn Féin’s ‘blue-sky thinking’ has actually resulted in. And how the figures, where given, stack up against the ‘can save £1.9bn’ headline. Here is the list of SF’s economic proposals Introduce tax varying and borrowing powers to enable the Executive to generate income and stimulate development. That’s top of the list. It’s not costed and there’s no indication of what ‘varying’ they propose to do. Implement the Review of Public Administration …

NI Agriculture Minister: “I know that I am not alone in that concern among member states.”

Pete Baker on September 27, 2010, 3:54 pm

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The Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture may have sought £100 million to cover the eventual total disallowance by the EU Commission for the maladministration of EU funds but, as RTÉ reports, the Minister, Sinn Féin’s Michelle Gildernew, has told the Assembly that “the Department is taking the necessary steps today to take a case to the European Court of Justice” challenging that disallowance. From the Minister’s press release The Minister delivered her statement to set out her Department’s position in regard to …

German foreign minister: “German-French relations are absolutely stable.”

Pete Baker on September 18, 2010, 10:33 pm

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While frustration is taking hold in Europe over financial matters, there appears to be a [distracting?] diplomatic row brewing over France’s repatriation of Roma immigrants. The BBC’s Gavin Hewitt noted a “fierce row” between the French President Nicolas Sarkozy and European Commission President, Jose Manuel Barroso, following condemnation of France’s actions by the EU Commission. The French President, Nicolas Sarkosy, then invoked the support of German Chancellor, Angela Merkel – only for that alleged support to be denied. But, as a BBC report noted The BBC’s …

EU: “And frustration is taking hold.”

Pete Baker on September 17, 2010, 11:39 am

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The Irish Times‘ Arthur Beesley with an update on the situation in Europe. From the Irish Times article One way or another, most of Cowen’s senior counterparts in Europe are on the hind foot politically. Merkel’s room for manoeuvre has been circumscribed ever since she lost her majority in the upper house of parliament; Sarkozy’s popularity has collapsed; Silvio Berlusconi administration in Italy is teetering; and José Zapatero is haunted by fear that his reprieve from the markets may prove …

“The weakest link? Maybe it’s best not to ask that too loudly.”

Pete Baker on September 14, 2010, 2:13 pm

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The Irish Times‘ Arthur Beesley has been asking some ‘stupid’ questions in Brussels about the Irish Government’s plan for the Anglo-Irish Bank and its dependence on Europe. From the Irish Times Investor types who lend billions to Ireland want final figures for the Anglo wind-down; the Government can’t provide same yet, its credibility over the bank is in some doubt anyway and Europe anxiously wants the brouhaha to quickly go away. But will it? Can it? When people do talk …

“While the conduct of the applicant had contributed somewhat to the delay…”

Pete Baker on September 10, 2010, 1:24 pm

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The BBC reports the European Court of Human Rights ruling against the Irish government in the case taken by Maze escapee Brendan ‘Bik’ McFarlane following the collapse of his trial on charges relating to the kidnap of Don Tidey in 1983. The iol report notes part of the ruling The Court ruled in favour of the former IRA commander in the Maze and found the 10-and-a-half-year wait from his arrest in 1998 until he walked free was excessive. The ECHR ordered the …

“Ireland’s dependence on Europe is a one-way street.”

Pete Baker on September 7, 2010, 9:27 pm

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As the Irish Times reported, the Irish Finance Minister, Brian Lenihan has been in Brussels this week in meetings about the troubled Anglo-Irish Bank. He’s announced a three-month extension of the Government guarantee for short-term bank liabilities until the end of 2010. The bank’s longer term future remains uncertain. Meanwhile, the cost of the Irish State’s borrowing continues to rise Irish bond spreads widened today and yields inched above 6 per cent, rising above the peaks reached at the height of …

“it is not the first time Spain has been here”

Pete Baker on September 6, 2010, 9:29 pm

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The International Representative for west Belfast has been offering his unsolicited advice to the Spanish government on how they should respond to the latest statement by ETA. And an Irish Times report adds According to a Sinn Féin spokesman yesterday, Mr Adams and other senior party figures have been involved in long-running contacts with senior Basque separatist representatives in the past year or more for the purpose of helping end the conflict. He said that significant talks took place at …

A memoir of Polish Solidarity thirty years ago

Brian Walker on August 30, 2010, 1:03 pm

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Thirty years ago, I had the great good luck to witness the signing of the Gdansk Agreement that tolled the first death knells for Communism in Europe. Here it is authoritatively recalled by the doyen of commentators on the subject, Neal Ascherson. Standing in front of the gates of the Lenin shipyard in the port of Gdansk a few weeks previously, I was rash enough to make that very prediction on camera. The editors back home cut it out – …

Ireland’s credit rating now lowest since 1995

Pete Baker on August 25, 2010, 9:33 pm

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The Irish Times has some of the political reaction to the increasing cost of the Irish state’s borrowing following Standard & Poors decision to downgrade Ireland’s credit rating to AA-. And a BBC report notes S&P cut the rating one step to from AA to AA-, its lowest since 1995. This follows clearance earlier this month for an additional injection of 10bn euros into Anglo Irish Bank. The agency now forecasts that net government debt – the sum of all …

“His position remains that the evidence of efficacy and the scientific basis of homeopathy is highly questionable”

Pete Baker on July 28, 2010, 2:17 pm

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‘His position’ in the title would be that of the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser. But, as we know, the scientific illiteracy that prevails in the House of Commons is legendary. And, regardless of their Chief Scientific Adviser’s position, the UK Government have published their response [pdf file] to the Commons Science and Technology Committee’s Report, Evidence Check on Homeopathy. Here are the main paragraphs 4. The Department sets out policy guidance and recommendations, and asks that the local NHS implements that policy in the way that is most …

“But that money can only be delivered if we deliver…”

Pete Baker on July 9, 2010, 11:21 pm

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Via Newshound. The Impartial Reporter has some interesting quotes relating to what’s been happening on the ground in Newtownbutler. A source close to the residents of Newtownbutler revealed that when [Sinn Fein Councillor and Chairman of the Newtownbutler Residents Association Thomas] O’Reilly brought the proposal back to the residents, he told them that cross-community money was available through the Peace 3 Programme if they “delivered”. According to our source, Mr. O’Reilly said: “Over the past couple of years there has been some talks …

PSNI stop-and-searches to stop?

Pete Baker on July 7, 2010, 11:05 pm

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A BBC report is predicting that The PSNI is to suspend the use of the powers which allowed them to search people suspected of being involved in terrorist activity. It follows the recent European Court rejection of the UK government’s appeal against a January 2010 ruling that section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 violated the right to respect for private life. I’ve already noted the massive increase here in the numbers of stop-and-searches taking place between 2005 to 2009. But would such a change …

Two convicted in Real IRA arms plot trial

Pete Baker on June 30, 2010, 5:08 pm

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As reported here. 35 security service agents applied for anonymity before the start of the trial. Previously, the judge ruled that a third defendant had been entrapped by MI5. From the BBC report The judge described the Security Services’ operation as an “elaborate and successful” hoax. The trial was the first for 20 years in which MI5 agents gave evidence in a Belfast court. McCaugherty showed no emotion and occasionally yawned as Mr Justice Hart, sitting in a Diplock, no-jury court, …

ETA suspect refused bail

Pete Baker on June 28, 2010, 7:39 pm

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The BBC reports today’s court appearance of suspected ETA terrorist Fermin Vila Michelena, who was arrested in Belfast on Thursday. According to his barrister, Michelena has been living in Belfast under an assumed name since 2007. From the BBC report The barrister accepted his client, who lived alone at a flat in north Belfast, was using an assumed name. But he claimed this was to avoid detection from the Spanish authorities and persecution for his beliefs. “He has long admired the ongoing …