Republic – Page 53 – Slugger O'Toole

Will the Republic ‘get it’ going forward?

Mick Fealty on January 20, 2009, 2:41 pm

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In the Washington Times Kishore Mahbubani, a former Singapore diplomat and author of “The New Asian Hemisphere – The Irresistible Shift of Power to the East”: “…being globalized has its downside – when the world economy stutters, the more open economies feel the pain first.” It also has this to note from Michael Hennigan, founder of the Irish financial Web site Finfacts.com, which echoes some of the conversation in last Friday’s podcast: “Huge inward investment from the U.S. triggered the …

“A little scepticism is undoubtedly a good thing..”

Pete Baker on January 19, 2009, 3:57 pm

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In the Irish Times, out-going US ambassador to Ireland, Thomas Foley, says goodbye with humour, and some sharp observations. MOST THINGS about my two years and three months in Ireland have been fabulous, but I do have a complaint which I have been hesitant to discuss until now. I will get to it in a moment. Before arriving in Ireland, I set a goal for my stay here. I set it low so I would have a good chance of …

“they were the best 20 years in our history..”

Pete Baker on January 19, 2009, 4:22 am

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Irish Minister of State Martin Mansergh was one of the 11 junior ministers reported to be willing to fall on their swords. But according to this iol report he had added a caveat The Minister of State at the Department of Finance said last week that he was willing to put his job “at the disposition of the Taoiseach” but that his constituents would not be happy if he was demoted. Quite. And, whilst Finance Minister Brian Lenihan is reportedly …

“There’s nothing straightforward about it.”

Pete Baker on January 17, 2009, 9:33 pm

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Following on from yesterday’s Emergency General Meeting (EGM) of Anglo Irish Bank, the Irish Times has a number of articles on the nationalisation of the “fundamentally unsound” bank – notably the potential cost of that nationalisation, the major shareholders, and how the taxpayer is now playing banker to property investors. Meanwhile in the US troubled Citigroup is to split in two, “Citicorp and Citi Holdings, to focus its executives’ attention on its stronger remaining businesses while winding down its money-losing …

“an important element of the Docklands Arts Strategy..”

Pete Baker on January 17, 2009, 4:49 pm

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Having been granted planning permission yesterday for Antony Gormley’s Dublin Docklands vision, the Irish Times reports today that “Dublin Docklands Authority has said it will not be going ahead with the 46m (150ft) steel sculpture of a human figure in the river Liffey because of the cost of the project. The authority had estimated last year that the sculpture by British artist Antony Gormley would cost up to €1.6 million to build.” Personally I think that’s short-sighted on the part …

“It’s like defusing a bomb when you are not sure whether to cut the red wire…”

Mick Fealty on January 16, 2009, 10:45 pm

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We had our first Slugger Live podcasting session in a while this morning. We were lucky enough to have a fine panel of southern economists with us to pick over the wreckage of the Anglo Irish Bank, and upon which there was remarkable unanimity about what should be done with it: ie, let it collect all the toxic assets of the other Irish banks, then tow ‘out to sea’ and sink it in a box for thirty years and then …

Gormley’s Liffey sculpture gets 10 year planning permission

Pete Baker on January 16, 2009, 6:40 pm

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The Irish Times reports that Antony Gormley’s Dublin Docklands vision has been granted planning permission by An Bord Pleanála. There is a caveat. Permission has only been granted for the 46.2m high steel-lattice figure for 10 years, after which further planning permission will be required if it is to stay in place. Which might be suitably cautious.. or it might risk running into the same problem of Another Place.. From the Irish Times report “The condition, highly unusual in relation …

Quote of the Day courtesy of Twitter…

Mick Fealty on January 16, 2009, 6:02 pm

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The SDLP conference is coming up next weekend (Sinn Fein’s in February) and we’ll be wanting Twittering volunteers to join our live blog for the day… If you still don’t get it and not sure of its worth, check this quote of the day out… It’s all about smart networks (no matter what Mr Tubridy says about it…) Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider …

“Calm Down Dear, it’s only a recession…”

Mick Fealty on January 16, 2009, 5:23 am

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Tomorrow Slugger will be hosting a live podcast on the Republic’s economy; particularly in light of the announcement of nationalisation of the Anglo Irish Bank tonight. Joining us will be Gerard O’Neill of Turbulence Ahead; Stephen Kinsella of his own eponymous blog; and Michael Taft of Notes on the Front who will hopefully help us tear at the problem from different angles. As Michel de Montaigne once said: Of the hundred parts and aspects that a thing has, I take …

Anglo Irish Bank nationalised…

Mick Fealty on January 16, 2009, 1:32 am

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Gavin has the full statement… 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

Strengthening the Common Travel Area..

Pete Baker on January 15, 2009, 10:15 pm

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The BBC report on the UK’s Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill states [Adds Despite what the BBC report says the Bill actually refers to The Republic of Ireland and the UK] Air and ferry passengers travelling between the Republic of Ireland and Britain are to face routine passport checks under new laws. All EU citizens will have to show their passport or ID card on arrival at airports and ferry terminals from 2014. Whilst in Ireland Minister [Dermot] Ahern said: …

“an act of self-flagellation

Pete Baker on January 15, 2009, 6:36 pm

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The Irish Times reports that Fianna Fáil backbench TDs are angry at the eagerness of three junior Ministers to fall on their swords whilst the Irish Examiner reports that the number willing to do so has increased to 11 out of the 20 – “Seven junior ministers, including two who are on the Taoiseach’s trade mission to Japan, could not be contacted for comment yesterday.” Pete Baker

Jury sworn in for Northern Bank money-laundering trial

Pete Baker on January 15, 2009, 12:38 am

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Officially charged last March, today saw the jury sworn in and “not guilty” pleas entered in the case of Timothy (Ted) Cunningham and his son Timothy John Cunningham Junior – who, combined, face a reported 24 charges. The Irish Times details seven of the charges relating to the attempted laundering of money – £3,010,389 – “knowing or believing it represented the proceeds of the robbery at the Northern Bank cash centre, Donegall Square West, Belfast.” The trial is expected to …

Help. I’m a Minister. Get me outta here!!

Mick Fealty on January 14, 2009, 4:40 pm

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Martin Mansergh, who’s only been a Minister for five minutes; Conor Lenihan and Sean Power who’ve been there a good bit longer have all said that “they would be willing to relinquish their roles for the good of the country“. Why? To save the country money, and presumably provide leadership in terms of the seemingly inevitable public service cuts coming down the line… But that then begs the question: if it is so easy to do without them now, what …

The Republic’s little domestic problem…

Mick Fealty on January 14, 2009, 3:43 pm

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Newton Emerson with a sustained allegorical re-telling of the Irish Government’s fraught relationship with the social partners, cast in a domestic environment. It ends thusly: Mutual respect is the basis of any successful relationship. If you feel that your wife is not giving you all the respect you deserve, back her into a corner and threaten to wreck the house. Remind her that although nothing is ever your fault or your sole responsibility, you are otherwise more important than her …

Ó Snodaigh causes international incident?

Pete Baker on January 14, 2009, 1:33 am

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The statement issued by Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh does say that he confronted the Israeli Ambassador to Ireland, Zion Evrony, and Fine Gael TD Alan Shatter, the Dáil’s only Jewish TD, at a meeting of the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee to discuss the situation in Gaza and Israel. But it neglects to mention what he actually said – according to the iol report. ..in a remarkable outburst, [Aengus Ó Snodaigh] likened their defence of the invasion to the …

“In taking my decision to retire now..”

Pete Baker on January 10, 2009, 7:06 pm

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The Irish Department of Finance is predicting a €20billion deficit for 2009 and, having apparently promised the EU Commission €2billion of additional cuts, Taoiseach Brian Cowen is listening to those unelected “social partners”. The other Brian, Finance Minister Brian Lenihan, has a suggestion and is also looking somewhat enviously at the neighbouring currency. Meanwhile Patrick Neary, the Chief Executive of the Irish Financial Regulator, is to retire early “at a time of great financial turbulence..” As the Anglo Irish Bank’s …

When the Irish political world went mad?

Mick Fealty on January 8, 2009, 7:05 pm

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I have to admit I don’t always have a flawless feel for southern politics. I actually thought that during the minor leader’s debate in the 2007 general election that Gerry Adams had done okay… Now I admit to being completely bamboozled over the media’s (and the blogosphere’s) handling of the Bev Flynn case. Between them (and with the respectable old lady of Tara Street in the Van) they have forced a highly irregular solution to what was a strange, but …

Dell to pull out of Limerick…

Mick Fealty on January 8, 2009, 6:07 pm

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They are having it bad down there. First Shannon and now 1900 jobs to go by next year when Michael Dell moves his factory to Poland. Limerick Newswire has all the detail… (H/T Irish Election) Former Fine Gael leader and local TD Michael Noonan wasted not time getting the boot into the government: It knew for at least a year that many Dell jobs were at risk, and knew for at least three months that all manufacturing at Dell, together …

“the party had retained his allowance..”

Pete Baker on January 7, 2009, 3:46 pm

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So despite not being able to claim the Independent TD’s allowance when actually an Independent TD, and despite other TDs continuing to claim it in a similar situation, Beverley Flynn is to write to the Oireachtas asking that the allowance be withdrawn after speaking to Taoiseach Brian Cowen. Good witch hunt work everyone.. Now perhaps we can get to work on a campaign to allow Joe Behan to claim the same allowance.. or maybe get Fianna Fáil to return the …