Republic – Page 54 – Slugger O'Toole

“does not change regardless of departures, resignations or death..”

Pete Baker on January 6, 2009, 4:47 pm

| Readers 0

Cian appears to be less than sympathetic to Beverley Flynn’s argument for claiming the Independent TD’s allowance but, as I noted last night, the “technicalities” of the legislation have worked against her in the past. Meanwhile the Irish Times notes how Fine Gael employed sleight of hand in dealt with a similar situation in the past. However, former Wexford-based Independent TD Liam Twomey did offer to give up the allowance to Fine Gael during negotiations with the party before he …

Oireachtas beaten to its own anniversary by Sinn Fein…

Mick Fealty on January 6, 2009, 4:34 am

| Readers 5

World by Storm has a nice piece, which hints just how long it took the plodders at the Oireachtas Commission to decided it actually wanted the Mansion House to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the meeting of the First Dail in the fabulously renovated Round Room there on 21st January 1919. It will go ahead, but on the 20th because it seems someone had already beaten the Irish state to it for the 21st. For Sinn Fein that anniversary is …

“we’ll end up with whatever is appropriate being done will be done”

Pete Baker on January 6, 2009, 12:14 am

| Readers 5

In the course of looking into the detail behind this I changed my mind about who it causes difficulty for. At first glance it would appear that Beverley Flynn TD is in difficulty after Taoiseach Brian Cowen told RTÉ that “I’ll give the opportunity for Deputy Flynn to talk to me about it and we’ll have a discussion about it and we’ll end up with whatever is appropriate being done will be done” “It” being the more than €40,000 annual …

Even the Un-Irish are Irish too…

on December 24, 2008, 11:28 pm

| Readers 29

One of the things worth considering before the Christmas season finally swallows us into its (generally) good natured maw, is just why Conor Cruise O’Brien had such a impact on the Unionists he met and worked with. Michael McDowell (no, not that one) was at Trinity thirty six years ago when he first heard the Cruiser speak. A Northern Irish Labour man, he’d joined the Irish Labour party for his time there, and therefore they were in the same party …

“a more mature place..”

Pete Baker on December 22, 2008, 8:39 pm

| Readers 3

Trinity College Dublin already has an Irish School of Ecumenics – “Committed to applied research at the intersection of politics, theology and religion” – which, as previously noted, seeks to influence public policy.. And now, as the Irish Times reports, the Jesuit-controlled Milltown Institute – with courses in theology, philosophy and spirituality [A supernatural degree? – Ed] – is in talks with Trinity to establish a Catholic institute of theology at the University. University College Dublin, which emerged from the …

The Cruiser: According to the MSM…

Mick Fealty on December 22, 2008, 3:47 pm

| Readers 7

I know we have had two threads already on the Cruiser, but this is for the sake of completeness. First spake to Vincent Browne: He turned himself and the rest of us, including the Provos, into unionists, accepting that the constitutional status of the North could be changed only with the consent of a majority of its people. Power comes not from the ballot box or from the barrel of a gun. It comes from changing minds. Cruise O’Brien certainly …

Economic pessimism takes hold in the Republic…

Mick Fealty on December 22, 2008, 2:35 pm

| Readers 2

Over at P.ie David has some figures from the Euro Barometer poll which show the lack of economic optimism in the Republic just now. It makes for grim reading: 14% of Irish people believe the situation for the Irish economy looked good, this is a year-on-year drop of 62% from 76%. The EU average was 29% (down 19), with the highest proportion being that of Finland, with 78% believing their economy looked good, Denmark followed with 70%. Belfast in contrast …

“We were given assurances..”

Pete Baker on December 21, 2008, 7:48 pm

| Readers 9

In the Sunday Times, John Mooney picks up on the detail, noted here, of 2.5kg of Semtex and 2 detonators, and 500 rounds of ammunition, found by Gardaí in County Meath. RTÉ reports that 2 men have been charged in connection with the finds. From the Sunday Times report Gardai are trying to establish whether the bomb-making materials were “stolen” from the IRA or given by republicans to a third party to sell. Gardai are carrying out searches of farmland …

Conor Cruise O’Brien: A old curmudgeon who did give a damn…

Mick Fealty on December 20, 2008, 3:59 pm

| Readers 295

Over at the Guardian I’ve dashed down some first thoughts on the death of Conor Cruise O’Brien. I hadn’t time to pick up on the many fascinating bits of writing thrown up in his passing. But this line comes to the fore from William Hazlitt, if only because the Cruiser was such an unremitting admirer of Burke: “It has always been with me a test of the sense and candour of any one belonging to the opposite party, whether he …

“his instructions were to enter a nolle prosequi..”

Pete Baker on December 20, 2008, 2:41 am

| Readers 11

The trial of four men accused of Real IRA membership has collapsed at the Republic of Ireland’s Special Criminal Court today. They were arrested along with BBC NI Spotlight journalists in March this year. From the iol report The State’s decision came after the court ruled that the initial detention of the four men when their car was stopped by a Garda Sergeant at Bridgend in Co Donegal was unlawful and that their subsequent arrest was therefore unlawful. Meanwhile three …

“I am clear where I want us to be..”

Pete Baker on December 19, 2008, 4:48 pm

| Readers 2

As it turned out we didn’t have to wait until the New Year for the Irish government’s new economic recovery plan framework Vision – “with a capital ‘V’.” Instead, after the little matter of suspending the Dáil for its traditional six-week Christmas holiday, the government adjourned to Dublin Castle to unveil their “evolving framework”. In the Irish Times, Miriam Lord is decidedly underwhelmed.. We didn’t know yesterday whether we were looking at the top table or the bridge of the …

“The scheme follows the same approach as that introduced last week for Ireland..”

Pete Baker on December 19, 2008, 1:25 am

| Readers 2

No word yet on whether Northern Irish companies will be able to access the Republic of Ireland’s €180m contingency fund following the recall of Irish pork products. But the Northern Ireland Agriculture Minister, Sinn Féin’s Michelle Gildernew, has announced that the European Commission’s management committee has backed “an additional private storage aid scheme for Northern Ireland.” From the ministerial statement. “The fact that a PSA Scheme will be open to our own industry as well as the South’s, is a …

About that recall of Irish pork you announced..

Pete Baker on December 15, 2008, 5:00 am

| Readers 3

According to a RTÉ report Northern Ireland Ministers are to seek access for Northern Irish companies to the Republic of Ireland’s €180m contingency fund “to cover costs arising from the recall of pig meat following the dioxin contamination”, announced last week. From the RTÉ report Northern Ireland’s agri-food sector is to seek compensation for costs incurred during the contaminated pork crisis. Two Stormont ministers, Arlene Foster and Michelle Gildernew, hope to hold discussions with their counterparts in the Republic this …

“With every passing day, this Armageddon gets closer.”

Pete Baker on December 14, 2008, 6:15 pm

| Readers 2

RTÉ reports that the Irish government plans a new economic recovery plan for the New Year [it’ll all be over by Christmas? – Ed]. But the Sunday Business Post has a couple of articles worth considering. First up there’s a report on the ongoing discussions on the recapitalisation of the banks, and the disagreements over who needs what, whilst David McWilliams argues that the market’s growing realisation of the default risk of the state, as opposed to the banks, means …

“Northern Ireland pork is safe to eat..”

Pete Baker on December 9, 2008, 4:29 pm

| Readers 5

There is, finally, some clarity emerging on question over whether Northern Irish pork is contaminated in the Irish pork dioxins alert. According to the BBC report, The [UKs Food Standards Agency] said it was confident no pigs had been fed contaminated feed. “We are quite happy that Northern Ireland pigs are free from the contamination,” the FSA’s Maria Jennings said. “We’re quite happy for processors to start processing as soon as they possibly can.” Although the report also notes that …

“recall from the market all Irish pork products produced from pigs slaughtered in Ireland..”

Pete Baker on December 7, 2008, 2:33 am

| Readers 34

As several reports note, the Republic of Ireland’s Food Safety Authority has ordered the withdrawal and recall of all Irish pork products dating back to 1 September. RTÉ report here It follows the discovery of a contaminant in pig feed by a dioxin known as PCB at levels between 80 and 200 times the safe limits. PCBs are highly dangerous man-made chemicals that were banned in 1979. They effect the immune and reproductive systems and can, in certain cases, cause …

“carefully crafted [rhetoric] on an Olympian scale..”

Pete Baker on December 5, 2008, 2:04 am

| Readers 2

From tonight’s Hearts and Minds, Noel Thompson’s conversation with European correspondent Chris Mason expands significantly on Mark Mardell’s thoughts on the options available for Ireland, and Taoiseach Brian Cowen, in Europe. Pete Baker

Are we seeing further evidence of corrosion in the FF base?

Dan Sullivan on December 4, 2008, 9:26 pm

| Readers 39

With the outburst from Cllr and 2007 General election Noreen Ryan of FF in Limerick against the mighty local political totem that is Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea, are we seeing the strain of the negative national mood beginning to tell? Many of those commenting are missing the local context in the timing of all this as the FF local selection interviews were talking place in Limerick over the last week or so. It may simply be that the new …

“It’s a very high-risk gamble..”

Pete Baker on December 4, 2008, 2:04 am

| Readers 4

Here’s one to watch out for. BBC Europe editor Mark Mardell has a prediction. My prediction is that next week the Irish government will announce that it will ask the Irish people to vote again on the Lisbon Treaty in a new referendum next autumn. The Irish prime minister is on a whistle-stop tour of Europe – first Luxembourg, then Germany, London on Thursday then a quick trip to Paris on Friday. While he does the major players, his Europe …

“Used to be Boomtown, now it’s just a ruined town…”

Mick Fealty on December 3, 2008, 4:54 pm

| Readers 1

Great satire for Bertie, Fianna Fail etc… play it in high quality… very good… Thanks to Red Mum for the heads up… 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