I think Rusty may have had this part of the interview with Gerry Adams on Hearts and Minds in mind as Noel Thompson touches on some uncomfortable truths for the still member of the British parliament Sinn Féin leader. [There Is No Alternative – Ed]. One immediately falsifiable statement, given his earlier reference in the interview to Ian Paisley Jnr as “Ian Óg”, is Adams’ declaration that “We should call people what they want to be called themselves.” There’s also …
I can understand the argument that the names of the individuals who helped the Quinn family unwind their 25% share-holding in Anglo Irish Bank to a more modest 15% should remain confidential – although Cian might not agree. Which would mean that they’ll only become known if legal action follows.. Meanwhile, given the Tánaiste’s assertion that neither Taoiseach Brian Cowen nor Finance Minister Brian Lenihan know the names, the Irish Times provides this intriguing background detail. In the Dáil, Minister …
In his Irish Examiner column, Stephen King casts an eye over last week’s poll data and reckons that Sinn Fein is facing nothing less than its own Stalingrad south of the border: The leadership’s response is a rare revamp of the frontbench. Donegal-based West Tyrone MP Pat Doherty, vice-president since John Joe McGirl’s death in 1988 — and just three years Gerry Adams’s senior — has been put out to grass. In his place, in a tacit admission that the …
Mick’s been looking at what the Irish commentators have been saying. Meanwhile, as predicted in today’s Irish Times, the European Commission today named Ireland among six states to be monitored under the “Excessive Deficit Procedure” – as their forecast budget deficits exceed the maximum 3% of GDP permissible under the EU’s Stability and Growth Pact. The BBC report gives the forecasted deficits for 5 of those 6 – Ireland: 9.5%, Spain: 5.8%, Latvia: 5%, France: 4.4%, Greece: 3.7%. The detailed …
Caroline Byrne from Shelf Life has just sent us a report of a decision by a bout a 100 of Dublin’s independent retailers (which includes some of the ubiquitous Spar shops around the centre of town) to take action against the Sunday Independent for a price hike in the wholesale cost of taking the paper. The Sindo and the Sunday World have by far the largest circulation of any Sunday on the island. If you’re in Dublin on Sunday, let …
In the Irish Times, Vincent Browne is in as trenchant a mood as he was on TV 3 last night with Senator Dan Boyle… Browne is unequivocal: the government has failed, but the solution is obvious: Produce a clear plan that requires the rich to bear the burden of the adjustments required and protect the poor, the unemployed, the sick, the vulnerable and children, with the members of the Government leading the way by taking the first and deepest hit. …
Ahead of a Northern Ireland Assembly adjournment debate on funding for the Lough Foyle Ferry, Stormont Live carried a short report and studio discussion with SDLP MLA Mary Bradley – you can view that below the fold. The BBC report that Assembly members called on the Department for Regional Development to help fund the cross-border ferry service when the current contract with Limavady and Donegal Councils ends in June, although Hansard records that the debate was adjourned at 7.32pm last …
Excellent piece in today’s Irish Times on the Irish bank deal from Morgan Kelly, who gives us a quick view of what it might look like when if the Irish state tips towards a state of state bankcrupcy [can that happen? – Ed]. Oh, yes. You don’t go to court, if the country defaults government will have to pay for nearly everthing itself on a dwindling tax take, government bondholders (ie pension funds and ordinary citizens) will all be f*&%ed, …
More details are emerging about Sean Fitzpatrick and the loans he received when chairman of Anglo Irish Bank. RTÉ notes the Irish Times report on the loans from Irish Nationwide while the original report adds this on debt and credit ratings The new details about Mr FitzPatrick’s loans emerged as Irish Nationwide had its debt rating – an indication of its ability to repay its borrowings – downgraded by two notches to one level above speculative or “junk” status yesterday. …
As the UU’s tried (and failed) to get the blood of the Legislative Assembly pumping in the budget debate this morning, in the south the pain continues… “Moody’s has warned there is a more than 50% chance Ireland will lose its triple A rating within 12 to 18 months.” (yes, that Moody’s) Elena Moya notes that this means: The spread between Irish and German debt rose last week to 203 points, meaning Ireland has to pay 2% more interest than …
It’s always been assumed that the PDs were right of centre. Well it seems that one former PD Senator is swinging straight towards Labour… Gary notes: No doubt part of Cannon’s decision will be based on what will deliver political success for him in the future. His four-seater Galway East constituency already has two Fine Gael TDs and two representing Fianna Fáil, leaving little room for him to capture a seat if he ran for either party. A move to …
It’s no surprise that the thread arising from Thursday’s post on the Irish Times’ poll result quickly resiled to the state of the Republic’s economy and what might be done about it. As Stephen Collins noted on Saturday, Fianna Fail’s support is collapsing at the same rate as the economy.However as Noel Whelan notes, Fianna Fail misfortunes (and the Opposition party’s good fortune don’t all come down to the events of the last week: It’s not the events of recent …
It’s taken a few months to reciprocate, but Slugger hearts The Chancer… Sit back and enjoy in full screen mode… 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
In today’s Observer Henry McDonald notes a recent post by Danny Morrison on his blog where he takes issue with an account by Seamus Heaney of a chance meeting between the two on a train – a meeting which informed part of a poem in his 1996 collection The Spirit Level. The account appears in the recently published collection of interviews with Heaney by Denis O’Driscoll, Stepping Stones. From the Observer article. In the recently published book of interviews with …
Fianna Fail Home is not the latest entry of a political party into the new media world of blogging (though it probably should be)… Nope, Fianna Fail is now selling ‘a specially negotiated package of insurance products‘ to its members… H/T Ciaran!! Gives a whole new twist to the term ‘honest broker’… Adds: Simon picked it up on Twitter… Well worth following… Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on …
At the time Mick noted that Phil Flynn, former Vice President of Sinn Fein and confidante of then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was not included among those charged in connection with the Garda investigation which led to Ted Cunningham’s trial on money-laundering charges and he has publicly denied any involvement. He was, though, a non-executive director of Cunningham’s money-lending company Chesterton Finance. Whether he was on Cunningham’s Christmas card list isn’t clear although Cunningham has met several other high profile figures. …
On Hearts and Minds tonight, Malachi O’Doherty on the real lessons from The Process™ here – “You don’t need to be sane and reasonable to make peace. You don’t even have to be a good politician.” Of course, it also helps to have well-placed friends.. and to keep moving, however slowly, towards the agreed objective. Even if you we end up with an incomplete, or partial, version of that objective. Pete Baker
Bertie’s quip that he was really socialist may have sounded like pistol whipping a Labour party that was struggling in the opinion polls to get out of a core support measure of between 12 and 14%. But it was also his peculiar talent to hoover up a large chunk of the urban working class vote and keep Labour firmly rammed back in the poor place. Tonight, the O’Conaill Street blog reports the rather shocking finding that Labour is now polling …
Former Irish Workers’ Party president, and current national treasurer, Sean Garland has had his bail application adjourned again and has been told that he must “submit a convincing case by tomorrow that he would not abscond again.” It’s also reported that Judge John McMenamin has requested Garland’s “passport, banking statements and the deeds to his home” and also asked to see details of “all assets available to both Garland and his wife”. The adjournment came after the judge was told, …
At Irish Election, P O’Neill tries to make sense of a “bewildering account” by Irish Finance Minister, Brian Lenihan, of what the Irish Government knew about the goings on at Anglo Irish Bank and when. The key point appears to be contained in this Irish Times report Even though Mr Lenihan’s officials knew about massive ILP deposits in late October, and immediately informed the Financial Regulator, the Minister claimed he was not informed until Anglo was bailed out last month. …
