Monthly Archives: April 2012

From the Financial Times’ Alphaville blog:

“We’ll avoid the accounting implications of this deal, though we think it might be an interesting study,” we said last week of Ireland’s circuitous non-deferral deferral of a €3.06bn cash payment to a dead bank under the infamous promissory notes.

Oops.

The “government” didn’t pay cash to Anglo – but Nama, the bad bank which is a Eurostat opinion away from being the government, effectively did.

According to the Irish exchequer statement for 31 January to 31 March 2012 [published yesterday], the government deficit plummeted to €4.26bn, from €7.066bn a year earlier. Not bad. Actually some key sources of tax revenue show marked improvement, such as VAT, capital gains and income tax. This is good news. But they’re not that good news for the headline fiscal deficit number we have.

The biggest “improvement” then is the “deferred” government payment to Anglo Irish, which isn’t really deferred but which has fallen out of the headlines because it’s come from Nama instead.

Now You See The Promissory Notes In The Deficit, Now You Don’t (Jospeh Coterill, Financial Times)

Oisin writes:

I cannot express enough my disbelief that an institution such as this has had to take these measures. I loved that shop.

A very sad day. The sweets were available for a short period in the Parnell Street branch in bowls at the counter about two years ago.

I kept them at the time because they disappeared almost immediately, and I thought they were amusing.

Peats “World Of Electronics’ Statement


At today’s Irish Digital Forum at The Science Gallery were from top: Sean Sherlock (junior minister for jobs and innovation), Simon McGarr (solicitor, Stop Sopa Ireland Campaign), Tom Murphy (Boards.ie) and Paul Durrant (Internet Service Providers’ Association of Ireland).

Sean Sherlock: “If you look at question 86 of the Copyright Review Committee, it says ‘have we missed anything?’, is the question. ‘What have we missed?’ That opens up a space for anybody to make a submission on anything relating to issues not covered by the questions. It doesn’t matter that you don’t have a technical knowledge around the questions because not everybody does, including myself if I’m honest about it. People may laugh but I, you know, not everyone is going to have a complete deep knowledge about the 86 questions that apply here.”

Simon McGarr: “But that’s exactly what you’ve suggested people do if they want to express their opinion. That they plough through those 86 questions. You haven’t done them yourself?

Sherlock: “No, I, I, I have.

McGarr: “Have you answered them?

Sherlock: “No, no, I have looked at the questions..

McGarr: “Can we see? Can we correct them?

Sherlock: “You see, I think, I don’t mind people being facetious, you know, you can be facetious if you want to be Simon, OK?”

McGarr: “I’m always facetious.”

Sherlock: “Well it doesn’t become you, right? And let’s…”

McGarr: “No that is a real question because minister that’s the question that you responded to people with when you, when after you signed this SI [Statutory Instrument]. You said that people should go now and participate…”

Sherlock: “I think you should tone it down. I think you should tone it down.”

McGarr: “People should participate…”

Sherlock: “I think you should tone it down.”

McGarr [to Tom Murphy]: “Do you? Do you think I should tone it down?”

Murphy: “Yes I think you should tone it down.”

McGarr: “OK, right, I’m too loud. Apologies.”

Continue reading →

Man.

This dude is priceless.

MINISTER Phil Hogan’s controversial text to a woman in his constituency is being probed by the Taoiseach, the Irish Sun can reveal. The campaigner lodged a complaint with Enda Kenny’s office after embattled Environment honcho Hogan sent a smug text brushing off household-charge fears. The Kilkenny woman told how kids are going hungry as cash-strapped families scrimp to pay the hated €100 tax. But she was stunned when a reply from Hogan’s personal mobile said: “Would u ever relax. And feed the children.”

Oh.

Enda To Probe ‘Rude’ Text By Hapless Hogan (The Sun)

Previously Hogan To Elderly Lady: “I Have No Problem Screwing You…”

Thanks Jane Hardy