North South – Page 10 – Slugger O'Toole

The NAMA figures

Pete Baker on September 16, 2009, 10:46 pm | Readers 3

From the RTÉ report, NAMA will pay €54billion for €77billion worth of loans from the banks. According to the Minister, the market value of the properties underpinned by the loans is approximately €47billion. [Adds should have linked Mick’s post]. From the detail * The breakdown among the five institutions is: Anglo Irish €28bn, AIB €24bn, Bank of Ireland €16bn, EBS €1bn, Irish Nationwide €8bn. * The average loan to value (LTV) rate for these loans is approximately 77%. * Around …

“One of the ‘four freedoms’ of the Single Market is the free movement of goods.”

Mick Fealty on September 16, 2009, 2:57 am | Readers 2

Nice follow up from Gerard on Pete’s post on the National Dairy Council initiative… in which he notes that “someone should tell them we’re in a Single European Market – and have been for some time now.” Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

Zoe gets yet another bite at the cherry

Pete Baker on September 15, 2009, 8:15 pm | Readers 0

RTÉ has the latest news on the long running saga of Liam Carroll’s Zoe group. And from the Irish Times report Two companies in troubled property group Zoe are to be wound up, a High Court judge has ruled, but a stay has been granted pending a Supreme Court appeal of the court’s rejection of the group’s bid for examinership. Dutch-owned ACCBank, which is owed €136 million, yesterday asked Mr Justice Clarke to appoint a liquidator to group’s two holding …

[Irish] National Dairy Council to mark milk and cream “sourced and packaged in the Republic”

Pete Baker on September 15, 2009, 5:05 pm | Readers 0

I noted the launch of the Love Irish Food campaign previously. Now RTÉ reports that the Irish National Dairy Council is introducing a new mark on milk and cream packaging “to show consumers it has been sourced and processed in the Republic.” From the RTÉ report NDC Chief Executive Helen Broffey said the mark allows consumers to select products that contribute to the tax returns of the Republic. Ms Broffey denied suggestions the move is part of a cross-boarder economic …

“That is where the danger lies.”

Pete Baker on September 11, 2009, 1:39 am | Readers 5

A NI Bill of Rights is still lost in the long grass, but in the Irish Times David Adams returns to the subject. It’s in response to the riposte from still Chief Commissioner Monica McWilliams, noted by Brian previously, who was partly responsible for the NI Human Rights Commission’s statutory advice. This time David Adams is quoting former Chief Commissioner Brice Dickson’s evidence to the UK Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights. [Can we declare this a fiasco now? – …

“There are economic advantages to buying Irish.”

Pete Baker on September 6, 2009, 6:47 pm | Readers 0

The Sunday Times looks at the economic patriotism behind the Love Irish Food campaign. From the ST article Jim Power, the economist fronting the campaign, admits it is a commercial tactic by a food industry under pressure. “We are seeing moves from certain retailers about sourcing less product in Ireland. Exchange-rate movements, particularly against sterling, have been adverse for the last two years,” he says. “Disposable income is under pressure and consumer spending is down. “There are economic advantages to …

Unanswered, and unasked, questions

Pete Baker on September 5, 2009, 3:03 am | Readers 8

According to Cherie Blair, speaking on RTÉ’s The Late Late Show, the four children of the former UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair, have Irish passports – due to their paternal grandmother’s nationality. Cherie Blair wasn’t asked, and didn’t offer an answer to, the question of whether they also hold UK passports.. There were also no enquiries into the supernatural situation.. Despite the Faith Foundation. Nor were there any enquiries into any of those helpful international interventions.. nor of the examples …

Love Irish Food?

Pete Baker on August 31, 2009, 11:22 pm | Readers 17

As reported here, the new “Love Irish Food” campaign could not have been launched at a better time. At least those Irish British chickens will no longer be, erm, confused. As for Máirtín’s turkey.. It’s the economy, stupid! To clarify, from the Notes to Editors in the press release [pdf file]. Love Irish Food is a privately funded independent organisation established to promote Irish food and drink brand to consumers. Membership of the organisation is based on strict criteria stating …

Less Irish unity, more Irish cooperation, please

Andy Pollak on August 26, 2009, 12:35 pm | Readers 6

[This is taken from A Note from the Next Door Neighbours, the monthly e-bulletin of Andy Pollak, Director of the Centre for Cross Border Studies in Armagh and Dublin] I think it would be fair to say that something like 90% of people in the Republic of Ireland never think about Northern Ireland these days, other than, very occasionally, as a place to go to do some cut-price shopping. The North doesn’t even enter their consciousness. A striking example of …

“You couldn’t make it up.”

Pete Baker on August 25, 2009, 6:11 pm | Readers 4

Looks like [Irish] chicken could be back on the menu.. or, perhaps, [British] turkey.. The deal may not be signed yet, but with a Northern Ireland company, McCann’s of Omagh, reported to have “submitted an estimate for the job at about €40,000 lower than any tenderer in the Republic”, the Mayor of Ballyshannon, Fine Gael Cllr. Eugene Dolan, is already criticising the Irish Department of Defence for planning “to go across the Border and sign up a Northern Ireland construction …

“If the whole viaduct is going to have to be rebuilt, it could be massive undertaking”

Pete Baker on August 24, 2009, 11:38 pm | Readers 8

While Iarnród Éireann are still predicting it will be “at least three months” before the line across the Broadmeadow viaduct near Malahide reopens, following its collapse on Friday, Translink are already talking of the line closure lasting “6 months or more”. That seabed erosion, possibly in recent weeks, is being suggested as the cause of the collapse, might point to a problem with the location itself. As the Irish Times Environment Editor, Frank McDonald, details, the viaduct has been rebuilt …

“Perhaps, therein also lays the reason why our opponents seek to demonize us..”

Pete Baker on August 22, 2009, 7:35 pm | Readers 8

The Irish Central website makes room for an interesting right of reply from Breandán Mac Cionnaith, general secretary of éirígí, in response to a previous article by Niall O’Dowd. In the response, Breandán Mac Cionnaith confirms the party’s intention to contest future elections and he states Let me make clear, in terms which I and other senior members of éirígí have been publicly consistent and unequivocal – éirígí is not aligned to or supportive of any armed groups, Irish or …

Railway viaduct collapse disrupts Dublin-Belfast Enterprise service

Pete Baker on August 22, 2009, 2:35 am | Readers 16

The collapse of the viaduct carrying the railway line across the estuary at Mallahide, Dublin, looks likely to disrupt the Belfast-Dublin service for “a significant period of time.” But it could have been worse.. [updated quote] Iarnród Éireann has said the collapse had the potential to be a serious tragedy. A 20 metre section of viaduct on the Broadmeadow estuary, between Malahide and Donabate gave way at around 6.20pm. The damaged line was noticed by the driver of the 6.07pm …

“The same arrangement would also operate in reverse..”

Pete Baker on August 21, 2009, 1:55 am | Readers 0

At the Cedar Lounge Revolution, WorldbyStorm spotted this suggestion in a recent report of the Fianna Fáil Senate reform proposals. The Fianna Fáil submission says consideration should also be given to a reciprocal arrangement with the Northern Ireland Assembly, “whereby the Assembly and Seanad Éireann would exchange a right of audience for up to 10 members of each at sittings of each body”. Mr Cassidy said it was envisaged that, on one or two occasions each year, members of the …

“Sport has tremendous potential to bring communities together..”

Pete Baker on August 20, 2009, 7:04 pm | Readers 14

What had previously been a personal opinion would now appear to be the ministerial view as the Northern Ireland Sports Minister, officially, “encourage[s] the GAA to carry out a full investigation into the activities of 16 August at Galbally and to make a full statement as soon as possible.” That would be the activities noted here and not necessarily the activities noted here.. ANYhoo.. [Adds BBC report]. The Irish Times report adds When contacted GAA headquarters referred the matter of …

“Greencore declined to comment and Ulster Bank declined to comment.”

Pete Baker on August 18, 2009, 4:24 pm | Readers 4

The Irish Times reports that the “Ulster Bank has moved to block any sale by property developer Liam Carroll of over half his 29.5 per cent stake in food group Greencore.” The Irish High Court had been told that Ulster Bank had adopted a “neutral” stance in relation to the second attempt by the Carroll-controlled Zoe Group, with debts of €1.2 billion, to seek court protection for its survival plan. From the IT report Solicitors Matheson Ormsby Prentice said in …

Sinn Fein’s ticking timebombs

Conall on August 11, 2009, 12:32 pm | Readers 6

I’ll be blogging occasionally here and cross posting, mainly on politics, from O’Conall Street. Yesterday I wrote about Sinn Fein’s ticking time-bombs which will undermine its chances of significantly growing support across the island. Having listened to Gerry Adams on the radio this morning the party’s challenges are obvious. He excels at peace process politics but stumbles clumsily through the issues and appears to ignore the opportunity for regional government in the North. Yet it is the party’s performance in …

“But he can’t skipper the republican ship forever.”

Pete Baker on August 10, 2009, 4:42 pm | Readers 4

The Sinn Féin “significant activist meeting” today has been presaged by a series of media interviews with the still party President Gerry Adams, MP, MLA – even the Sunday Tribune got a quote. Whilst denying a North/South split within the party elsewhere, in that interview Adams acknowleged his Northern [Ireland] problem. “I think there is an issue that I do not stand for election in the south and I have a constituency in another jurisdiction. That is why we have …

“I have no intention of not being the party president.”

Pete Baker on August 7, 2009, 6:20 pm | Readers 1

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has confirmed the previously noted reports that the party is to hold a “significant activist meeting” on Monday 10th August to “review the current situation, assess our strategic, political and oranisational progress and then set out a programme of work for the coming months.” Although one item, in particular, would appear to be off the agenda. The veteran republican yesterday insisted he welcomed debate and suggestions on the direction of the party but said there …

PMS auditors to be investigated

Pete Baker on August 6, 2009, 7:18 pm | Readers 22

The Accountancy & Actuarial Discipline Board (AADB) is to investigate the auditors of the illegally operating Presbyterian Mutual Society (PMS) – whose assets may well be affected by what happens with Nama. According to the BBC report, the accountancy firm Moore Stephens “has welcomed the inquiry and said they consider the move ‘routine’.” From the AADB statement The scope of the investigation is as follows: “The conduct of Members and a Member Firm in relation to the alleged failure by …