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Posts from February 2007
21 Feb 2007
Is Mary *trying* to close BUPA
Seen on Dec's Rambling
Jesus, Mary Harney either really hates BUPA or really loves the VHI, I’m not sure which. She must do to go so much out of her way to close off the loop hole that would have allowed BUPAs new owner the Quinn Group to declare themselves a new operator in the market and avoid having to pay millions of euros to VHI in risk equalization payments for... Continue reading »
A Week of FF Press Releases as Tag Cloud
Seen on Tuppenceworth.ie blog
according (22) airport (39) area (21) change (32) climate (26) cllr (28) cocaine (30) construction (22) continue (25) deputy (30) development (32) drug (24) economic (24) energy (52) environment (36) environmental (20) farmers (29) government (37) important (27) industry (25) investment (25) ireland (65) irish (24) issues (22) local (24) meet... Continue reading »
Fianna Fáil — Ye should be grateful
Seen on The High Stool
Fianna Fáil — Ye should be grateful Published February 21st, 2007 in Ireland, Cork, Politics, transport, government, policy, irishblogs, rant, Local Issues, Irish Politics, irishpolitics, Irish Blogs, planning, Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Progressive Democrats. 0 Comments (I wrote this earlier in response to a message board politics debate... Continue reading »
Would You Love This Man in Uniform?
Seen on Dublin Opinion
[ mcdowell_2_nabbed from Bloggarah]Recently I mentioned that a certain weekend had provided a number of shocks: in the Rugby, with Labour tax cut pledge, and with the nomination of this modest site for the Irish Blog Awards. There was also one other shock which I mentioned obliquely without explaining what it was. I can now reveal for the... Continue reading »
Civil Unions Bill Introduced in Dáil Éireann (Éire)
Seen on CLERICAL WHISPERS
The introduction last night of Labour’s Civil Union’s Bill during Private Members’ Time in the Dail was one of the most exciting in the House in recent years. To a packed gallery, a rousing speech was given by Labour Justice spokesperson Brendan Howlin, followed by subsequent speeches by other members of the party. Commending the Bill to the... Continue reading »
Aine Lawlor wimps out
Seen on GUBU
SO, Morning Ireland has a reputation for having an in-house style that is aggressive and uncompromising. I admit I am a regular listener because it certainly has authority, sets the agenda for the day and is very professional. However, sometimes I really feel that they are a bit useless when interviewing cabinet members. Today was a good... Continue reading »
Fear FF Bearing Gifts
Seen on Senator Brendan Ryan’s Blog
“I fear the Greeks when they come bearing gifts” is an old Latin saying. A modern Irish equivalent would be “I fear Fianna Fáil when they come bearing gifts,” particularly when it comes to Cork Airport. The ‘gifts’ were of course the promise that Cork Airport would start off its new “independent” existence debt-free and that all Aer Rianta’s debt... Continue reading »
Taoiseach Questions / Joe Higgins
Seen on Brian Greene
as questions to Taoiseach ran over this morning, this missed RTE1 coverage. Joe Higgins (SP) questions Taoiseach... Continue reading »
We still lack IT students! (and even more so than before)
Seen on Dimitri Perrin
You may remember that in August 2005, I was worried about students turning their back on IT. At that time, I contacted spokespersons for Education (from every single party, as far as I remember), and Mary Hanafin, Minister for Education and Science. Minister Hanafin kindly took some time to reply and we exchanged a few mails. Her department... Continue reading »
Why Peter Power TD (FF) is a disgrace
Seen on 'political quote'
Deputy Power’s stance on Limerick’s Bin Waivers is disgraceful. His party has presided over the privatisation of bin collections. His party has refused to bring in a national waiver for bin charges for pensioners. Now he is complaining that when Limerick set up a €500,000 scheme to help pensioners that it is not doing enough. You are the... Continue reading »
Is Mary Harney an Independent TD
Seen on fortysomething.blog-city.com
Mary Harney was leader of the Irish political party for 14 years, during which time it enjoyed considerable success. She resigned in September 2006 and now seems content to sit back and watch the party collapse around her.... Continue reading »
Save us from Morons
Seen on Cheebah and all that - Limerick, Ireland
[ Movementtosaveireland_1] While some were busy with the Willie O Dea re-election campaign, another political appeal appeared on some Limerick walls over the last few weeks. This new movement urged us to join and stop multiculturalism because it was evil. Rather unexpectedly it’s very few members include a pole going on some of the Polish... Continue reading »
INSIDE POLITICS - BERTIE HORRENDOUS
Seen on Harry McGee
Recent Irish Taoisigh, like current US Presidents, have sometimes struggled to convey their exact meaning to the wider world. Bertie Ahern has inspired a long list Bertieisms, giving George W Bush a run for his money when it comes to malapropisms, spoonerisms, fudges, and mumbles. A couple of classic Bertie-isms: “We’re not going to go upsetting... Continue reading »
Bend over and take it
Seen on Twenty Major - Still smoking in Dublin bars
I’m sorry to go on about this but it’s just staggering. The Government tonight confirmed a €600m buyout of the West Link toll bridge which will pave the way for barrier-free tolling next year. Transport Minister Martin Cullen said National Toll Roads (NTR) will hand over the operation of the M50 system in 2008 and will be paid €50m every year... Continue reading »
20 Feb 2007
Green Party support for BioFuels [updated]
Seen on The Quiet Road
This is a copy of a letter I’ve just emailed to one of my parliamentary representatives, Mr. Paul Gogarty TD. He’s a member of the Irish Green Party and my email was in response to a mail-shot on the subject of energy. Much of the leaflet was sound information on energy efficiency, renewables, grants for installing solar panels and heat pumps, a... Continue reading »
Cé acu is dathúla Bertie nó Gerry?
Seen on Roinnt Smaointe
Thar an deiridh seachtaine bhà comhrá cloiste agam idir beirt cailÃn ar cé acu is dathúla i measc a lán daoine cáiliúla. Agus an bheirt “daoine cáiliúla” a sheasta amach dhomsa a bhà siad ag caint fúthu ná an ceann idir Bertie Ahern aka Pádraig Parthalán Ó hEachthairn agus Gerry Adams aka Gearóid Mac Ã?dhaimh. Bhà an bheirt cailÃn seo idir dhá... Continue reading »
Waghorne on Q
Seen on Peter Nolan
Richard appeared on Questions and Answers last night, this time on the panel rather than in the audience, which is probably the ultimate mark of distinction for Irish media people. Seeing him square up with Labour’s Michael D Higgins is particularly entertaining.... Continue reading »
Bizarre Haugheyisms
Seen on Public Inquiry
Joseph Goebbels was of the opinion that if you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. I think those who refuse to accept the hard fact that Haughey was a corrupt politician have a tendency to apply this dictum to themselves. Here are just a few of what I call bizarre Haugheyisms. Tim Pat... Continue reading »
19 Feb 2007
TD’s concerns over bin scheme
Seen on The NewsWire
A local TD has described as discriminatory; a new bin wavier scheme that only applies to state pensioners who are living on their own. Peter Power told the Post this week that the scheme, newly implemented in the county, “discriminates unfairly against married pensioners”. “While I very much welcome the introduction of a limited bin waiver... Continue reading »
No Divine Right To Spirits.
Seen on Joe Leogue
Isn’t it funny how the youth of Ireland are always criticised for their attitudes on alcohol? The current fury strongly felt in rural Ireland with regards to random breath testing raises many issues. The most obvious is the lack of infrastructure afforded to the country regions, yet a more significant and pertinent concern is the attitude many... Continue reading »
Bertie Ahern - Scientist, Accountant and Statesman
Seen on Bock the Robber
I see that Bertie is still adamant we won’t ever use nuclear power. Ever. That’s because Bertie is a nuclear scientist and he knows all the ins and outs of nuclear power. The same as he used his deep knowledge of computer security to call us all Luddites when we questioned the e-voting machines. Bertie went to the London School of Economics, as... Continue reading »
Minister of cake and buns
Seen on An Irishmans Diary
I managed through no fault of my own, to see about one minute of the Mickey McD speech at the PD ard fheis on saturday night. I had to leave the room though after it. In this particular part of his speech he went on at length, about how the Minister for Cake & Buns (AKA Mary Harney) had achieved more in her two and a half years as minister of... Continue reading »
Progressive Democrat Conference — My Reaction
Seen on Pull Out the Pin
Progressive Democrat Conference — My Reaction February 19th, 2007 Unfortunately I was unable to blog the conference as planned because the hotel in which we were staying charged quite steep fees for registering on the wi-fi network. Anyhow, it was a great weekend. It was my first party conference and I was really impressed by the friendly,... Continue reading »
Ogra Fianna Fail National Youth Conference 2007
Seen on Cllr Damien Blake, Letterkenny Town Council
Friday night saw Dr McDaid’s Valentine’s Banquet in the Mount Errigal in Letterkenny. I had to leave early as I had to travel to Galway for the Ogra Fianna Fail National Youth Conference. Declan Cullen (Chairman of Donegal NE Ogra) and I left town at about 6:15 am in order to make it to the Hotel in time to register and vote in the Youth... Continue reading »
Dr James McDaid’s Valentine’s Banquet
Seen on Cllr Damien Blake, Letterkenny Town Council
Busy weekend on the political front! Friday night saw the official launch event for Dr James McDaid’s campaign for the upcoming General Election. The evening was an informal Dinner Dance in the Mount Errigal. There was a great crowd in attendance, from across the constituency and from all walks of life. Best wishes to Jimmy over the next few... Continue reading »