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Posts from September 2006
29 Sep 2006
Chicken Wing
Seen on Disillusioned Lefty
Not 3 months have passed since Damien Mulley asked when Irish politics were last interesting. It was underlined that while 1981-82 were exciting years (three electionsfoundation of the PDs, etc.), they were essentially such for their soap operatics. Not yet back in the absolute swing of things, it was only tonight that I happened on this, David... Continue reading »
Paisley warns he will not be bullied over…
Seen on Guardian Unlimited Politics
Ian Paisley yesterday delivered a blunt warning at his first Labour conference fringe meeting that he will not be bullied into forming a Northern Ireland power sharing executive with a criminal Sinn Fein by the November 24 deadline set by Tony Blair.... Continue reading »
Taoiseach on his last legs - Sargent
Seen on Green Party/Comhaontas Glass Newsroom
“On Morning Ireland on Tuesday I was asked whether the Taoiseach was fit for office. I said I would reserve judgement until he had a chance to explain himself in the Dáil. He refused to avail of this opportunity by curtailing speaking time. Since then it has become increasingly clear that the Taoiseach may not be fit for office. Next Tuesday in the Dáil he will have a final opportunity to explain himself and address the outstanding issues surrounding his political judgement.... Continue reading »
28 Sep 2006
PD Leader Must Choose Carefully
Seen on Irish Election
PD Leader Must Choose Carefully Writes Tom Cosgrave of tomcosgrave.com on September 29th, 2006 Read More: Fianna Fail, Irish Politics, Progressive Democrats, Coalition, Democracy, Irish Election 2007, Corruption, Bertiegate Why did Mary Harney resign as leader of the Progressive Democrats a couple of weeks ago, after fighting over the job... Continue reading »
The gig is up
Seen on A little bit of this...
Berties position is looking tenuous, in fact it’s looking downright impossible. With a general election coming up it’s every party for themselves and it will be open season on the Fina Fail leader. Of course these allegations are nothing new, however there is a fairly brazen “sure weren’t they all at it” attitude to Irish politics generally... Continue reading »
Root of all evil
Seen on extra! extra!
Will someone please find me, somewhere, anywhere, a non-corrupt politician? Ok, the jury’s still out on Bertie. For now. But it’s not looking good. “Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has suggested that Bertie Ahern’s position as Taoiseach may become untenable if the controversy over payments made to him continues to escalate … [click image for... Continue reading »
Irish coalition Government in danger of…
Seen on The Green Ribbon
Politics.ie is reporting that the Irish Government is set to fall over the details of Bertie Ahern’s financial affairs leaked from the Mahon Tribunal.... Continue reading »
Cringe-o-vision
Seen on The Monkey's Typewriter
One rarely gets to see a political career imploding. It’s not a pretty sight, as evidenced by the footage of a floundering Bertie Ahern attempting to deal with journalists’ questions about a fee (or was it a gift?) he received for “promoting Ireland” at a mysterious gathering of business people in Manchester. (Click here to view.) If you’re... Continue reading »
The Departments Plans for the regulation of the Dublin Bus market
Seen on eamonryan
Mr. Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Transport his plans for regulation of the Dublin bus market; the arrangements he will put in place to allow for a new bus regulator to review or change existing bus routes; the authority the regulator will have to set service levels on such routes; and the means the regulator will have to ensure such service... Continue reading »
Just when you thought Paddywhackery couldn’t…
Seen on God's Humble thoughts on the universe
Politics.ie Government to collapse tonight A few weeks ago, I was almost moved to break from my blogging holiday to comment on the near copycat behaviour of Dublin politicians, by holding a leadership contest for the PDs, about three days after the subject of the Labour Leadership in Britain had finally been brought to the fore. Now, thanks... Continue reading »
Cost Benefit Analysis of the new runway at Dublin Airport
Seen on eamonryan
Mr Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Transport the reason his Department has not sought the Dublin Airport Authority’s cost benefit analysis in respect of the proposed runway project; the process under which a decision will be made on whether a new runway will be built; and the expected timetable for such a process. [29917/06] Minister for... Continue reading »
Think Forestry
Seen on IrishFarming.ie - Connecting The Irish Farming Community
Mary Wallace T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food with responsibility for Forestry called on farmers visiting the Ploughing Championships to take this opportunity to see what forestry has to offer. “Any farmer thinking about the future must think about forestry”, the Minister said today. With a full forestry village,... Continue reading »
Bertie makes waves across the water
Seen on The Dreaming Arm
When news relating to internal Irish politics makes it into the English papers you know there’s something serious going on. David McKittrick has a full page piece in the Independent about the so-called “loans” totalling €50,000 that the Taoiseach took from a number of prominent businessmen supposedly to finance his divorce settlement.... Continue reading »
Minister for Silence
Seen on Frosty's Blog
This is on SiliconeRepublic: ���The definition of a television set is likely to be expanded to include laptops, PCs and possibly even mobile phones under a new Broadcasting Bill published by the Minister for Communications Noel Dempsey TD yesterday.��� This must be the stupidest bill that the D��il has, and probably ever will face.... Continue reading »
Whatever happened to politics?
Seen on The Cedar Lounge Revolution
Whatever happened to politics? September 28, 2006 Posted by smiffy in Ireland, Greens, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Irish Labour Party, Irish Election 2007. add a comment God, it’s depressing. Maybe I’m unique 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... Continue reading »
A Lord Lucan move
Seen on Best of Both Worlds
One reason for concern about Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s claim that no one at a Manchester event 12 years ago was interested in his capacity as then Minister for Finance is that the transaction — a suspiciously large payment for a very simple speaking event — on its face resembles an old Liam Lawlor trick, in which publicly available information... Continue reading »
Ahern fights back on loan claims
Seen on The Scotsman - International
Ahern fights back on loan claims THE Irish prime minister, Bertie Ahern, yesterday defended himself in the Irish parliament against…... Continue reading »
Galway West Poll has PD’s losing a seat to the g…
Seen on Irish Election
Galway West Poll has PD’s losing a seat to the greens Writes Simon of The Dossing Times on September 28th, 2006 Read More: Green Party, Progressive Democrats, Galway West Despite a recent bump in the polls. It looks like the PD’s may lose one of their safer seats in Galway West. From the Galway Advertiser. Most fascinating though are the... Continue reading »
In what capacity?
Seen on Irish Election
In what capacity? Writes adam of Adam’s Blog on September 28th, 2006 Read More: Fianna Fail, Government, Tribunals From RTE.ie News: This afternooon the Taoiseach denied that he was in any way compromised by taking £8,000 sterling from a group of businessmen in Manchester. Bertie Ahern told journalists in Cavan today that it was a private... Continue reading »
Down, but not out
Seen on Guardian Unlimited: Comment is free
Down, but not out Niall Stanage Sep 28 06, 01:25pm: The treatment of Bertie Ahern following recent revelations highlights a difference in attitude between the British and Irish public.... Continue reading »
Government Considering Oppositions Request for…
Seen on Screen Idolizer
Government Considering Oppositions Request for Q&A Session of Bertie’s Loans September 28th, 2006 by Admin It seems that there was some bad tempted exchanges in the Dail today about whether or not the opposition would have a chance of taking further pots shots at Bertie. “Following bad-tempered exchanges on the Order of Business this... Continue reading »
Kitt Gets Slap on Wrist for Acceding to…
Seen on Irish Election
Kitt Gets Slap on Wrist for Acceding to Possibility of Debate Writes Wagger of Wagging The Dog on September 28th, 2006 Read More: Bertiegate Government Chief Whip Tom Kitt was seen being hustled into a meeting by very angry officials from the Department of An Taoiseach after he agreed to consider a debate on “Bertiegate”. The Government... Continue reading »
Elsewhere In Politics
Seen on Irish Election
Elsewhere In Politics Writes Cian of Where’s Me Country? on September 28th, 2006 Read More: Irish Politics, Coalition, Crime, Economy, Media The Dail may yet see more questions on Bertie Ahern’s financial affairs following bad tempered proceedings this morning. The economy showed strength in the second quarter with a 5% expansion on GDP.... Continue reading »
The reason Irish Politicians get forgiven so…
Seen on Lebanon an Irish Experience through the bottom of a glass
This is one of the reasons Bertie Ahern  will most likely survive Irish Humour.      [ bertie]... Continue reading »
Ahern insists Manchester payment did not breach…
Seen on BreakingNews.ie: Ireland
The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has insisted that he did nothing wrong in accepting £8,000 (€11,800) at a function in Manchester during the 1990s.... Continue reading »