Republic – Page 55 – Slugger O'Toole

“people have to make sacrifices for the greater good..”

Pete Baker on December 3, 2008, 4:42 pm

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RTÉ reports on Republic of Ireland Minister of Finance Brian Lenihan’s comments on Morning Ireland [RealPlayer file] Speaking on RTÉ Morning Ireland following yesterday’s Exchequer figures which showed a tax shortfall this year of €8bn, he said that a reduction in our living standards is required [in Ireland]. However, Minister Lenihan said he does not believe that there will be a mini-Budget in the spring and that there is ‘little scope’ for tax increases next year. He said there will …

Confusion over what Ireland really is, and what it once was…

Mick Fealty on December 2, 2008, 6:24 pm

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Gavin points to a graph that tells the awful truth about the Irish Republic’s housing market… Elsewhere the same site records An estimated 4,239,848 people live in Ireland… Yep, it seems we have quite disappeared from sight and mind… No wait, “In 1841, before the famine, the population peaked at 8 million…” Some creative accountancy there. Come on guys, make your minds up and stick with it!! Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the …

Even the Republic’s retailers are heading north…

Mick Fealty on December 1, 2008, 4:48 pm

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For many years the border has cast a gloomy economic shadow by turns on either side. For a long time, towns on the northern side of the border have suffered economically. Letterkenny prospered at Derry’s expense. And Dundalk at Newry’s. In fact the shoe has been on the other foot for some time now, but it has only recently become a major issue in the Republic since the global credit crunch has fouled up the steady flow of FDI, and …

“this triumvirate of party aristocrats..”

Pete Baker on November 30, 2008, 9:04 pm

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From today’s Politics Show, Jim Fitzpatrick introduces Dublin correspondent Shane Harrison’s regular short report on the political fortunes of Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Fianna Fáil, noting the “triumvirate of party aristocrats” in whose hands power now lies in Ireland. Pete Baker

Labour live streaming from Kilkenny…

Mick Fealty on November 29, 2008, 6:50 pm

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Irish Labour is webcasting its annual conference, so even if you cannot pick up the RTE feed you can get it from their website. They have the same company doing it as the European Commission in Ireland’s blogger’s conference did. So the quality should be good. Nice little snippets too from the party’s Twitter feed should give you some hints on what you’ve already missed… Smart stuff… They’re looking for questions through their website for leading party spokesmen, the responses …

Time for Sinn Fein to work out what it stands for now the Armed Struggle is over…

Mick Fealty on November 27, 2008, 9:02 pm

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I’m not sure what kind of subliminal message Mairtin is trying to send with his latest post (Pete Baker was right about Policing and Justice all along – ed?), if it’s an intimation of some serious reviewing of Sinn Fein’s forward strategy, so much the better for the party. Below the fold, Eoin O’Broin points out in no uncertain terms that even after the good showing in the Lisbon Referendum, the party is holed and listing in the polls… First …

“priority for countries like Ireland with relatively high deficits..”

Pete Baker on November 27, 2008, 2:21 am

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Yesterday the US Federal Reserve announced an additional $800billion stimulus package while today the People’s Bank of China are reported to have lowered interest rates by 1.08 percentage points [after three separate drops of 0.27% since Sept 16] and according to the International Herald Tribune report – “The European Commission on Wednesday outlined a €200 billion wish list of measures for Europe to spend its way out of recession, and gave national capitals permission to temporarily break budget deficit ceilings …

“likely to further encourage shoppers in the Republic..”

Pete Baker on November 24, 2008, 9:59 pm

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Given the weekend briefings I’m sure, as with immigration policy, that the Republic of Ireland’s government were already aware of today’s announcements in the UK government’s pre-budget report. RTÉ mentions the tax-exemption on foreign dividends but the iol report identifies another area with potential implications for Ireland. [But it’s patriotic to buy Irish! – Ed] Indeed. Adds BBC report. More from RTÉ – “ultimate act of patriotic sabotage.” The tax [VAT] reduction, set to be introduced on December 1, is …

“In the event of the United Kingdom deciding to implement such a change..”

Pete Baker on November 24, 2008, 5:21 pm

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Here’s a report from today’s Irish Times which touches on a couple of topics noted previously, the future of the Common Travel Area and who, exactly, sets such policy in the Republic of Ireland? That’s a public conversation which never really got off the ground last time.. From the Irish Times. A spokeswoman said the department [of Justice] was aware of the change being considered by the British. “In the event of the United Kingdom deciding to implement such a …

On the Irish Republic’s thin grasp of Irish geography…

Mick Fealty on November 21, 2008, 9:41 pm

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“When I was at school…” was always a presage to my mother telling me some obvious truth about the spellings or the sums I’d just got wrong for the millionth time… Later when we did geography at school we learned our Irish geography from a book that had been coincidentally written by a teacher at the local state grammar… Provinces, counties, rivers, mountain ranges, county towns… Now it seems in the last ten to fifteen years the people in the …

“a call to patriotic action..”

Pete Baker on November 21, 2008, 3:13 am

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Another intelligent report from Hearts and Minds‘ Julia Paul. This time it’s the Republic of Ireland’s Finance Minister Brian Lenihan’s budgetary patriotic call to arms shopping aisles.. Irish shopping aisles to be precise [as opposed to? – Ed]. Indeed. Adds Trade union Siptu are at it as well – “Union calls on members to buy Irish” Pete Baker

Murphy’s trial on tax evasion sent back to Dundalk District Court

Pete Baker on November 19, 2008, 7:41 pm

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Having denied agreeing to his brothers’ forfeiture of criminal assets, Thomas ‘Slab’ Murphy [Who is, according to some, “not a criminal” – Ed] sent his legal representatives to the Republic of Ireland’s High Court today to hear the ruling on the High Court judicial review proceedings after Mr Murphy alleged breaches of his rights by the Special Criminal Court in relation to charges of tax evasion. The ruling is reported here. Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O Neill found state lawyers breached …

“If you vaccinate we will obliterate 75% of cervical cancers…”

Mick Fealty on November 17, 2008, 12:04 pm

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From Gavin featuring Consultant Oncologist Professor John Crown of St Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin who argues the Government is deliberately muddying the waters over it’s decision to cut the cervical cancer vaccine programme that was only announced in August. Mr Crown has clashed with the government before. Most notably last year when he was dropped at the very last minute from an edition of the Late Late Show in controversial circumstances. Crown is pretty straightforward in his criticism: “There …

“that advice has been in place for some time..”

Pete Baker on November 16, 2008, 8:05 pm

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From today’s Politics Show, BBC NI Dublin correspondent Shane Harrison reports on one particular measure contained in the Republic of Ireland Finance Minister Brian Lenihan’s debut budget – the €2.8 million cut in State funding to 21 Protestant fee-paying schools. Church of Ireland reaction, as reported at the time. Pete Baker

Latest poll confirms dramatic shift away from Fianna Fail…

Mick Fealty on November 14, 2008, 8:56 pm

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Finally getting round to the Irish Times poll in today’s paper. The headlines read that this is the lowest showing in any poll for the paper for Fianna Fail. That’s not exactly news. In fact there’s remarkable convergence in two polls (ie this one and Red C’s) that often contain significant points of departure. Still, there’s a few points worth mentioning…First is that for all the talk about a shake up in Irish electoral politics, this is still a Civil …

Irish Labour: hold taxes and raid pension reserves…

Mick Fealty on November 14, 2008, 3:12 pm

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Michael Taft can see a dim light from the end of the tunnel. Well not from the government, but he applauds Eamon Gilmore for setting a few things straight on the relationship between the economic reality and public expenditure: ‘The problem we have in the public finances is as a result of the fact that the economy is in a recession . . . we have a problem in the economy which has created difficulties in the public finances. It’s …

RTE International service put on indefinite hold…

Mick Fealty on November 13, 2008, 5:23 pm

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First it was to launch by this year’s end. Then by St Patrick’s Day next year. Now, the satellite Diaspora TV service is to be postponed, possibly until the end of 2009 and given the bleeding edge cuts in the domestic budget, possibly indefinately. According to Minister Eamon Ryan there are 850,000 Irish born people living in Britain (and last year’s Broadcasting Act imposes obligations upon the state broadcaster to provide a service outside the island). Brian Greene suggests they …

“That’s an issue that the city treasurer is currently working on..”

Pete Baker on November 6, 2008, 10:39 pm

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In addition to the £46million dual carriageway, over £19million has been spent on securing an unrestricted airport licence for the City of Derry Airport, with £4-5million coming from Derry City Council. The rest was part of the funding offer from the UK and Irish governments – and then there’s the secret deal with Ryanair.. From the Derry Journal report Deputy Town Clerk John Meehan said the costs are likely to be reflected in next year’s rates estimates but added it …

“Ireland must wean itself from dependence on FDI..”

Pete Baker on November 6, 2008, 6:33 pm

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Despite mixed messages during the election campaign, there’s still a reported expectation that President Obama will attempt to renegotiate trade agreements to focus on US jobs and economic strength. Meanwhile, as Simon notes the Republic of Ireland’s one remaining economic pillar (Foreign Direct Investment), Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin told the Dáil: “regarding the suggestion that the new [US] administration may seek to disincentivise companies moving overseas in terms of deferral tax, subsidiaries and other means, we must take this …

Lessons from Obama (Part 1)…

Mick Fealty on November 5, 2008, 4:02 pm

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There are only a few moments when the phenomenal world of the American blogosphere and our own tiny space coincide sufficiently to get people to glimpse at the way things are likely to go with us in a fast arriving future. This morning I have an op ed in the Irish Times, on what the Obama campaign might have to inform Ireland about its own tight insider and highly whipped game of politics. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. …