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Posts from September 2006
30 Sep 2006
On Bertiegate
Seen on Wednesday's Irish politics blog
It’s funny what passes for a scandal in this country. I’m no fan of Bertie, and would shed not a tear if he were to walk over all this. But as Fianna Fáil sleaze goes, this episode strikes me as a storm in a teacup. Poor judgement, certainly, but I wouldn’t think that was necessarily a resigning matter in and of itself. I also get the sense that... Continue reading »
Bertiegate – Wildwest Willie comes out shooting
Seen on Public Inquiry
The Fianna Fail big guns came out in recent days to defend poor Bertie. Minister for Finance Brian (Biffo) Cowen, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot (Velvet tongue) Ahern and most effectively Minister for Defence Willie (Groucho) O’Dea. Willie, you will remember frightened the bejayus out of half the country recently when he went a bit mad... Continue reading »
Bertiegate and the magic Leprechaun wand
Seen on Public Inquiry
I hear there is some confusion internationally about Bertie’s ‘spot of bother’. People who are not familiar with how things are done in this banana republic are puzzled about certain aspects of the latest shenanigans in Ireland. For example, Bertie justified his taking of money from one group because he knew them very well and from another... Continue reading »
UK developer paid for Ahern ‘junkets’ to Old…
Seen on Popular Stories - Bohsnews
The flip side of government neglect of Irish football is revealed as part of the controversy over payments to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. unison.ie (reg. req.): Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was a paid-for guest of a controversial Manchester businessman on at least two occasions around the time he received a stg£8,000 ‘gift’ when Minister for Finance. Mr... Continue reading »
Opposition call for full statements on Bertie…
Seen on BreakingNews.ie: Ireland
Fine Gael and Labour are repeating calls for the Government to allow a full question and answer session during next Tuesday’s Dáil sitting on the matter of payments made to the Taoiseach in the 1990s.... Continue reading »
Minister warns GRA head over remarks on…
Seen on BreakingNews.ie: Ireland
The Minister for Justice Michael McDowell is threatening disciplinary measures against the head of the Garda Representative Association over comments he made on the Garda Reserve.... Continue reading »
Another fine mess !!
Seen on Cllr Seamus Ryan's Blog - Waterford City Councillor
The question on everyone’s lips this weekend is whether Bertie will survive after next Tuesday. Events over the last few days have once again raised the whole area of accountability and transparency in government. Today’s Irish Examiner talks about “Crisis, contradiction and confusion” and really that has summed up this mess. Was it a gift or was... Continue reading »
29 Sep 2006
Whatever Happened To Politics
Seen on Irish Election
Whatever Happened To Politics Writes Cian of Where’s Me Country? on September 29th, 2006 Read More: Fianna Fail, Green Party, Labour Party, Irish Election God, it’s depressing. Maybe I’m alone in this, but I’m close to losing what little interest I had left in Irish parliamentary politics. I’m not talking about Irish politics in general;... Continue reading »
Limerick TD has Tax Charge dropped
Seen on Limerick Blogs
Limerick Fianna Fáil TD Michael Collins has been back in court in Newcastlewest today to face charges in relation to tax offences. At a previous appearance the DPP layed out two charges in relation to Tax Evasion,however it was announced today that one of the two charges he was facing had been dropped and no explanation from the DPP has been... Continue reading »
Bertie should stay put and let Michael jump
Seen on From the Balcony, A Publisher's Blog
Since you’re asking, Bertie Ahern should stay put and let the PDs show their hand. Taking money from business patrons when you’re handling the nation’s finances isn’t the smartest thing to do but if it’s not illegal he should stand his ground. On the other hand, he may find it so demeaning that he feels obliged to do the honourable thing. That,... Continue reading »
Light the red touch paper
Seen on Letters from the idiot
Politics in general is interesting. Professional politics is even more interesting because most of the niceties of public due process is removed. This seems to be the case in University College Cork UCC. Today’s Irish Examiner has a front page article about mismanagement and bullying in UCC (The Irish Independent seems to have had in on Monday... Continue reading »
Church dedicated to Polish community
Seen on Councillor Eric Byrne
I recently received an invitation to attend at the handing over of an underused Catholic Church in the south inner city of Dublin to the Polish community. With some 160,000 Polish people living in Ireland today, it was interesting to see how the Church has decided to establish a Polish Chaplaincy in Ireland. It was an experience watching... Continue reading »
Yes Minister
Seen on Best of Both Worlds
Given the focus on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s activities as Minister for Finance in the early 1990s, it’s worth looking back at one well-documented episode from this period: the devaluation of the (Irish) pound in 1993. The potential for a devaluation had been brewing since the sterling crisis in 1992. Bertie and the central bank had strenuously... Continue reading »
Mark Manning : To Bertie Ahern – Bertie and the…
Seen on Mark Manning's Blog
Mark Manning : To Bertie Ahern – Bertie and the Beanstalk ……A Tall Tale………… BERTIE and The Whopper of a Beanstalk Once upon a time a boy named Bertie lived with his mother or Ma as he called her.All they had in the world was one Cow .One day Bertie’s Ma said”Jazus we have no money for food .We shall have to sell the bleedin... Continue reading »
Irish PM confirms at centre of payments probe
Seen on SpinWatch
By Kevin Smith, REUTERS Scotsman.com DUBLIN (Reuters) – Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern confirmed on Thursday he was being investigated by a public tribunal over payments made to him when he was finance minister. A report in the daily Irish Times said the inquiry, known as the Mahon tribunal after the judge heading it, was looking into... Continue reading »
Shanganagh Castle for Sale
Seen on Cuffe Street
I think they’re selling the family silver. Michael McDowell has put Shanganagh Castle in South Dublin on the market. Growing up near Shankill we used to climb Katty Gallagher, all 912 feet high and look down on the lands between the Dublin Mountains and the sea. Between the village of Shankill and Bray were farms, and in the middle of it all was... Continue reading »
Chump Change
Seen on The Art of the Grand Gesture
Poor Bertie Ahern – in quite a mess, now that the Irish Times has published a leak and told the world of some very friendly generosity. Indeed, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know, and doesn’t Chicago look more Irish than ever? Thirteen years ago, Mr. Ahern was in the midst of a marital break-up and greatly in need of cash. Lots of cash,... Continue reading »
Report attacks statutory Irish press council…
Seen on Greenslade
Report attacks statutory Irish press council plan September 29 13:44 / Analysis / Permalink The Irish government’s plan to introduce new defamation and privacy laws, along with a statutory press council, has come under severe attack in a legal review by Article 19, the London-based media freedom advocacy group. It carried out its study of the... Continue reading »
Journalists decline to assist tribunal
Seen on fallibilist
Breaking news via RTE.ie: “An Irish Times journalist has told the Mahon Tribunal that he will not assist the inquiry in identifying the source of a leak revealing payments to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. In evidence, the paper’s Public Affairs Correspondent, Colm Keena, said he could not answer any questions about how he received information contained... Continue reading »
SHOCKING NEWS
Seen on Rip Off
Morning all, Well new shocking news has came to light Bertie Ahern has got more money – €11890 to be precise Whoever is the person behing these sneaked releases, probably has a hidden agenda, but I appaud him for getting it out into the open Come on Bertie tell us about the cash, was it a loan, a gift, a bung? Mmmmmmmmm, wonder what we all... Continue reading »
A Little Bit of Foreign Policy
Seen on Irish Election
A Little Bit of Foreign Policy Writes Cian of Where’s Me Country? on September 29th, 2006 Read More: Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Crime, Economy, Democracy, Foreign Affairs In amongst the Bertiegate there are two pieces which have caught my eye, if only for the glamour of the subject content, relating to foreign policy. The first is the... Continue reading »
The Knives are shaperning
Seen on Irish Election
The Knives are shaperning Writes Simon of The Dossing Times on September 29th, 2006 Read More: Bertiegate MJ Nolan one of the “gang of four” who tabled a motion of no confidence against Haughey back in the day. Has come out again this time against Bertie Ahern from Breaking News. “It doesn’t reflect well on a minister of Government to seem... Continue reading »
Politicans doing Nixers
Seen on Irish Election
Politicans doing Nixers Writes Simon of The Dossing Times on September 29th, 2006 Read More: Progressive Democrats, Transport Are more politicans doing nixers? Is Sen Tom Morrissey of the PD’s working for Apres Match in his spare time. [ tommorr.jpg] When he is not coping out on what needs to be done on Dublin Bus. And not providing half... Continue reading »
Brian Cowen Shows Up
Seen on Irish Election
Brian Cowen Shows Up Writes Cian of Where’s Me Country? on September 29th, 2006 Read More: Uncategorized, Fianna Fail, Bertiegate Brian Cowen emerged on Morning Ireland this morning, along the lines that he is supporting the Taoiseach. Circling the wagons in time for Tuesday.... Continue reading »
Fianna Fáil to lose seat in Clare
Seen on Irish Election
Fianna Fáil to lose seat in Clare Writes Mark Waters of Marking Time on September 29th, 2006 Read More: Fianna Fail, Polls, Clare In an exclusive for The Clare Champion Mairtin MacCormaic reveals that a private poll taken by Fianna Fáil shows that they could lose a seat in Clare in the next election. According to MacCormaic, the results of... Continue reading »