Republic – Page 31 – Slugger O'Toole

“On both sides of the Atlantic we are seeing stabilisation of the economy…”

Pete Baker on March 18, 2010, 5:34 pm

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As the Irish Times report points out, and RTÉ also notes, US President Barack Obama made particular mention of the Shannon airport stop-over provided to the US military, and the odd US politician, when pledging to “continue to co-ordinate in international fora as well as bilaterally to see how we can spur investment and private sector growth on both sides of the Atlantic.” He also received another “lovely” bowl. And the pre-clearance facilities at Shannon Airport are now available for …

“I was only doing my duty”

Pete Baker on March 17, 2010, 5:06 pm

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According to an Irish Times report, the Irish Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern, “will propose to the Cabinet a constitutional amendment deleting the constitutional prohibition on blasphemy when the children’s rights amendment comes up”. Game over, then? [Hopefully… – Ed] Although there’s still the other jurisdiction to worry about… ANYhoo… Atheist Ireland welcomes the commitment and notes an earlier Sunday Times report. Ahern, who was criticised for increasing the fine for blasphemy to €25,000 last year, said he never regarded …

“It was very nice to get the call.”

Pete Baker on March 16, 2010, 4:32 pm

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To celebrate the week we’re in, I think, the Irish Times have commissioned those delightful Duckworth Lewis chaps to compose a new national anthem… You can listen to it here [mp3 file] Walsh doesn’t yet know whether Ireland, Ireland! will be embraced as an alternative anthem, but he’s hopeful. “We’re completely at the whim of The Irish Times and the nation. We’re not getting ahead of ourselves, but we’d like them to sing it before the Scottish game this weekend.” …

“the Northern Ireland economy has operated under wartime conditions for nearly four decades”

Pete Baker on March 16, 2010, 3:35 am

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Via Newshound, the Sunday Business Post’s Pat Leahy with a timely intervention on a national discussion. From the SBP article So, like the economic benefits of ending partition, it’s not clear that the party’s tax-and borrow plans would actually provide the resources for the stimulus it talks about. Adams suffered a bit of a monstering in a RTE radio interview with Richard Crowley about all this last Sunday, exposing once again his frailty on economic issues. When this happens to …

“I will only resign if asked by the Holy Father.”

Pete Baker on March 16, 2010, 3:23 am

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Cardinal Séan Brady is resisting calls for his resignation over his involvement in a 1975 canonical inquiry into allegations of sex abuse by Fr Brendan Smyth, during which the complainants, aged 10 and 14, “signed undertakings, on oath, to respect the confidentiality of the information-gathering process.” Brendan Smyth was convicted of 17 counts of sexual abuse 20 years later – and brought down an Irish government in the process. From an iol report Asked why he did not see it …

“this failure to communicate the seriousness of the situation…”

Pete Baker on March 15, 2010, 9:56 pm

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At the time of the recall of Irish pork over a dioxin contamination Sinn Féin’s Pat Doherty sought to blame the UK’s Food Standards Agency for the delay in a Ministerial response in Northern Ireland. And, as RTÉ reported in January, the Irish government’s Inter-Agency Review Group [pdf file] concluded that “Communications between agencies, industry and consumers were both timely and informative.” But the NI Assembly’s Agriculture Committee has just published their own Dioxin Inquiry report. And they have concluded …

“My God, who thought that up?”

Pete Baker on March 14, 2010, 10:19 pm

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The Sunday Times reports on a new decommissioning process in Dublin. The council said that, before the decommissioning policy, there were no formal procedures for the removal of works in Dublin. Ruairí Ó Cuív, the council’s public-art manager, said he had proposed the policy last year to stop the “willy-nilly” removal of art. Eamonn O’Doherty, the sculptor of the Anna Livia fountain (the “Floozie in the Jacuzzi”), which was on O’Connell Street from 1988 to 2000 and is arguably the …

“the first time that the judge could direct that such hearings be heard ‘otherwise than in public”‘”

Pete Baker on March 13, 2010, 4:19 am

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Although the seven people arrested in Ireland in connection with an alleged plot to kill Swedish cartoonist, Lars Vilks, had their detention in custody extended earlier this week, RTÉ reports that two of them have now been released from custody. Meanwhile, an American woman, Colleen R. LaRose, whose possible movements in Ireland in September last year are being investigated, has been “indicted in plot to recruit violent jihadist fighters and to commit murder overseas”. The Irish Times notes that the …

“It was no longer appreciated that the structure as a whole comprised two separate components”

Pete Baker on March 12, 2010, 7:43 pm

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Yesterday RTÉ reported the publication of the independent report [pdf file] into the collapse of the Broadmeadow rail viaduct near Malahide last August. As the Irish Times reports today, following work carried out in the period 1966-1968, “It was no longer appreciated that the structure as a whole comprised two separate components: a causeway/weir and a viaduct”. From the Irish Times The report said the structure of the viaduct was unusual because the piers holding it up did not extend …

Tohill kidnapper remanded in custody at Belfast Crown Court

Pete Baker on March 12, 2010, 1:31 am

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Presumably when the BBC report that Henry Joseph [Harry] Fitzsimmons has been remanded in custody at the Belfast Crown Court after being “arrested in Aughnacloy on Thursday”, what they mean is that he’s been transferred from the custody of the Irish authorities. Right? He was being held on remand on a European Arrest Warrant. And, before going on the run in May 2006, he had already pleaded guilty to attempting to kidnap dissenting republican Bobby Tohill on 20th February 2004. …

“Perhaps for the citizens of the Republic too, the Belfast Agreement is in fact a settlement.”

Pete Baker on March 11, 2010, 5:38 pm

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It is, perhaps, symbolic that, rather than attending Sinn Féin’s Irish Unity Conference in London, David Adams, Martin McGuinness, et al, found themselves stranded on a Belfast runway in an ice-bound Aer Lingus jet. It meant they missed Paul Bew’s contribution to the debate. And in the Irish Times today David Adams, belatedly, has his say It is often forgotten that unionists are not the only ones who need to be attracted to the idea of a united Ireland. The …

Seven arrested in Ireland in investigation into a conspiracy to murder cartoonist Lars Viks

Pete Baker on March 9, 2010, 10:27 pm

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The BBC pick up on an RTÉ report that “Gardaí have arrested five people in Waterford and two others in Cork in connection with an investigation into a conspiracy to murder a Swedish cartoonist”, Lars Vilks. According to the BBC report all seven arrested are Muslims, while RTÉ adds – “Those in custody are originally from Morocco and Yemen, but it is understood they all have refugee status and are legally in the country.” From the RTÉ report A garda …

“When I say I aspire for Timor-Leste to be like Singapore or Dubai…”

Pete Baker on March 9, 2010, 8:14 pm

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The President of East Timor Timor-Leste, José Ramos-Horta, has been forthright in his views of his own country’s justice truth and reconciliation process – and revelatory about past attempts at international collaboration between paramilitary groups. In Dublin on an official state visit to Ireland, he’s been offering some lessons for those keen to export The Process™ abroad. From the Irish Times report “It is not like academics or some western donors or the UN who think that if you finance …

“directing British policy and directing the occupation of Ireland”.

Pete Baker on March 8, 2010, 10:28 pm

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Ahead of tomorrow’s vote in the Northern Ireland Assembly on devolving policing and justice powers, The Guardian’s Henry McDonald has been speaking to the vice-president of Republican Sinn Féin, Geraldine Taylor, at the party’s Falls Road headquarters. From The Guardian report But Geraldine Taylor, the veteran west Belfast republican and vice-president of RSF, said whoever got elected to the post would be “directing British policy and directing the occupation of Ireland”. At the party’s Falls Road headquarters, flanked by a …

“There is no doubt in my mind that the DUP and Sinn Fein have the numbers to pass this resolution”

Pete Baker on March 7, 2010, 5:20 am

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According to the BBC’s report, and the UTV one, Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness has said that the UUP have “three days to sort themselves out” over the issue of policing and justice [and OFMDFM’s less than transparent approach on other issues? – Ed]. An “ultimatum”, no less. Or else what, Martin? Who, exactly, is “threatening the political institutions” over this issue? And what would your collapsing of your best only evidence of Sinn Fein’s “ability to deliver” tell the electorate …

“Any electoral damage that might ensue would affect only southerners.”

Pete Baker on March 6, 2010, 7:33 pm

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Having just voted against a motion rejecting a possible coalition with either Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael, it’s a bit odd for Martin McGuinness to be ruling out a coalition with one of those parties. Probably wiser to wait until you’re asked… and in a numerical position to join a coalition. And isn’t it up to “the membership of Sinn Féin”, “alone”, to decide? Still, it matches the contradictory statements made ahead of the vote. Interestingly, those speaking in favour …

“Yes, I read about them in the papers”.

Pete Baker on March 5, 2010, 1:26 am

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As an iol report noted this morning, the European Arrest Warrant for Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams’ brother Liam was endorsed by Dublin’s High Court yesterday. RTÉ reports that at 2.10 this afternoon Liam Adams arrived at Bridewell Garda Station by appointment with his solicitor. He was arrested and escorted to the High Court where he “told the court that he did not want to go back to Northern Ireland because he believed he would not get a fair trial …

“only a complete recall of the affected models will restore market confidence…”

Pete Baker on March 4, 2010, 8:20 pm

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Irish University presidents have defended the standard of education in their colleges as the Dáil awaits details from the Irish Minister of Education, Batt O’Keeffe, of his department’s report on ‘grade inflation’ – as mentioned here. Interestingly the review was announced following a meeting between the Minister and representatives of a number of US multinational companies, including Google and Intel. Until the report is unveiled I’ll leave you with Frank McNally’s Irishman’s Diary It is understood the problem involves both …

McFarlane takes Ireland to European Court of Human Rights

Pete Baker on March 3, 2010, 6:41 pm

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The Irish Times informs us that “Ireland makes a rare appearance before the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg today to face allegations of violating the rights of Maze escapee Brendan McFarlane.” The complaint followed the collapse of the trial of the prominent Provisional IRA member on charges relating to the kidnapping of businessman Don Tidey in 1983. From the Irish Times report In this case, Mr McFarlane is asking the court for a ruling …

“Sure, he’d always be buying tickets to draws and stuff like that…”

Pete Baker on March 3, 2010, 5:52 pm

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Notorious gambler, and former Taoiseach, Bertie ‘Lucky’ Ahern, has apparently scooped the rollover jackpot of €10,000 in a draw for a soccer club at the Beaumont House pub in his northside constituency – the scene of two of his previous “whip-rounds”. Over to the Irish Times’ Miriam Lord All those millions of raffle tickets he purchased down through the bubble years are worthless now. If it wasn’t for his pension and TD’s salary and various other bits and bobs rolling …