44 thoughts on “De Thursday Papers

  1. No Teeth Keith

    A UK political party launched less than a week ago now tops the polls in the upcoming EU elections.
    Can’t wait to read Fintan O’Foole’s excuse for whose fault it is and why he didn’t see it coming.
    The Brexit referendum was the earthquake – the tsunami is now on its way.
    Good times.

  2. GiggidyGoo

    Can Sean Treacy clear up the situation once and for all? We read above that Delaney is no longer part of the FAI, according to Sean Tracey, and we also read above, according to Sean Tracey that Delaney has ‘stepped aside’, not ‘stepped down’

    Additionally, is it acceptable that the Board of the FAI will step down ‘in July’? That gives them three months free rein (or free reign if you want to look at it that way) to ‘tidy up’ undisturbed. Should they not be gone now?
    Or will we have a Callinan situation with black bags?

    1. The Great Wall of Gammon

      1 – Yes Delaney should resign from his position but he has not. And it’s a resignation that’s required. He’s an employee after all. Therefore he has protections. If he is ’removed’, it will be made so worse for the FAI in the long run as he’s the kinda chap that’s would sue for unfair dismissal and breach of contract. He may sue yet for constructive dismissal. With Delaney, and more importantly for the FAI, due processes needs to be followed to the letter.

      2 – The Board’s removal is more complex. I’d like to see their Articles of association. A board can’t simply be removed as they are what governs the organization and many if not all have fiduciary responsibility for it. They need time to call an EGM and ensure the correct nominations process is in place for their replacements. Otherwise the organisation would probably end up disbanding. I’d be interested to hear from those more learned than i on corporate governance in Ireland on the semantics here.

    2. eoin

      + €1k, what John Delaney is being paid for the past 24 hours sitting on his bum, or schmoozing UEFA/FIFA for his next gig; is he still spending €200 a day on the company credit card?

  3. GiggidyGoo

    Nice the way Varadkar shifts the blame of Tuam, Bessbrook etc. onto us as a society. The blame wasn’t on society – it was on the religious, the state and its agents. Society didn’t cover this up. 2011 – https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/health/15000-adoption-files-still-to-be-transferred-over-to-hse-166463.html
    Step forward Francis Fitzgerald, who will be looking for your vote in the European elections.
    Step forward Terry Prone, who has been getting paid by FF to peddle all sorts
    Step forward Zappone who did as much as she could to avoid opening this can of worms.
    Step forward the Birds of Pray. Chraw Thumpers. Dumpers of Childrens bodies
    Step forward Galway Co. Council
    Step forward the local doctors and signatories to death certs

    Step forward Varadkar who now is trying to blame this on ‘society’.

    1. newsjustin

      “Society didn’t cover this up.”

      No. It was worse than that. Society didn’t need to cover it up. Because it was regarded as normal. Did the Cork Examiner run articles in the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s on the rights of single mothers put onto these homes by their families? Did they run articles on deaths in these homes? Which judges, gardai, priests, doctors, teachers, politicians blew this system apart in the early to mid 20th century? Or were they content that it was filling a “social need”?

      1. Nigel

        You’re right about this. The extent to which this was deemed normal (which in fairness is not a term that can be said to accurately reflect the systemic and social enforcement of ignorance and silence to protect institutions which was ‘normal’) was proportional to the extent to which irish society could be said to be synonymous with Catholcism.

        1. newsjustin

          The form of semi-state institutional Catholicism that the recent RTE documentary displayed quite well, yes.

          1. Nigel

            If I were feeling expansive I might link the automatic deference and indeed faith in this institutional Catholcism to a lingering and stifling conservatism in modern Irish society which accepts despised power structures as providing a comforting stability even as they serve narrow interests which foster injustice and inequality and policies that are actively harmful, the way the physical laws of the universe have to be accepted even as they keep killing and injuring us every time we fall over. Nor is this attitude unique to Ireland.

      2. GiggidyGoo

        But where did the opinion of normality stem from? Those many years ago, people always took the word, opinions and actions of the clergy and professionals as unquestionable. Once the mask began to fall, people started questioning, and educating themselves. The media of those times were complicit in the cover ups. And still today, we have complicit media peddling the dirty wares of clergy, professionals and government. The difference these days is that we are not reliant on that type of complicit arrangememts.

        1. Nigel

          The Catholic Church was so inextricably a part of our repression for hundreds of years that it inevitably became an inextricable part of our independence, even as more liberal and radical strands of our revolution were swept aside and supressed by conservative elements. It’s not untypical for post-colonial countries to elevate the very individuals or institutions which would go on to become new opressors.

  4. eoin

    A week after being established, Nigel Farage’s Brexit party has 23% in a YouGov poll in the Times (London) and has leapfrogged Labour and the Tories.

    Farage is a proponent of a no-deal WTO rules exit, which would be just 43 days away.

    1. bisted

      …these type of headline grabbing opinion polls have been totally discredited in recent times…all polls were completely wrong over Trump and Brexit…UKIP under Farage polled over 11% in a real vote but returned only 1 MP because of UKs first past the post system…

      1. Cian

        This isn’t very reassuring.

        It is equally possible that if the polls are wrong that his party will get way more than 23% :-(

        1. bisted

          …I’m not trying to reassure you…I’m just saying that these polls are meaningless and reflect a pre-determined outcome…proper research, using representative samples and rigorous methodolgy are being undermined by these…

          1. No Teeth Keith

            Of course they’re meaningless.
            I mean,a party that was only launched last week already topping the polls on 27% and annihilating the Tories ?
            An absolute abberration.Completely wrong. Nothing to see here.Well outside the margin of error on these sort of polls.
            Fintan O’Foole will be along shortly to put everyone at ease and blame the Brits for something.
            That beastly Nigel Farage is at it again.
            Why can’t he be nice to us like that living fossil Pelosi ?

  5. eoin

    Just two years after the FG policy of putting homeless people, single adults, families, children in so-called “family hubs”, the Childrens Ombudsman publishes a damning report on these hubs.

    https://www.oco.ie/app/uploads/2019/04/No-Place-Like-Home.pdf

    Although the Ombudsman doesn’t say it, the providers of these hubs are making tens of millions in guaranteed payments.

    They’re hugely expensive, far more expensive than traditional housing and they’re destroying lives, especially childrens.

    1. Cian

      First page of that report you link to:
      The Government’s response to the housing crisis has included the introduction of Family Hubs – purpose built or specifically adapted premises to house children and families who are homeless. Family Hubs are an alternative to hotels and B&Bs and, while I have accepted them as a better temporary solution for homeless families in need of emergency accommodation, up until now we have not had a clear picture of the experiences of the children living there. (my emphasis)

      1. dav

        yes that 1 line makes up for the harm dealt to children forced into such accommodation. keep spinning blushirt..

        1. Cian

          what? The report explicitly says that hubs are better than hotels/B&Bs. eoin misrepresents this as a”damning report on these hubs”. I correct him, and I’m the one accused of spinning?

  6. eoin

    The Phoenix, new issue out today, reports Paul Williams (Newstalk, INM, Sgt Maurice McCabe) has teamed up with ex-INM editor Stephen Rae to produce the “International Fraud Prevention Conference” . James Treacy of Stubbs is also a director of the company which was only established a fortnight ago.

    Is this the €697 a head ticket at the Dublin Conference Centre next month.
    https://www.eventbrite.com/e/international-fraud-prevention-conference-2019-tickets-56106027639

    I wonder how many Gardai will be paying €697 a head to attend? They will support their biggest journalistic cheerleader and the ex-editor of the inhouse Garda magazine, won’t they?

  7. eoin

    Did I see Eamon Delaney of the Hibernia Forum on RTE’s Late Debate last night and he has a column today in the Times Ireland.

    After the revelation in the Guardian* that the world’s biggest cigarette company is funding the Hibernia Forum, will Eamon be promoting the interests of that company, or other companies bankrolling the Hibernia Forum? Who knows, who can tell.

    * https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2019/jan/23/free-market-thinktanks-tobacco-control-polices-database

  8. Charlie

    One of the greatest games in Champions League history last night and all you shower wanna do is still waffle on about Delaney. What’s wrong with you people? Is there not a sports fan in the BS house ever?

  9. eoin

    Have you ever seen such flattering reporting of Nancy Pelosi as in the Irish media, press and broadcast in the past 24 hours. I mean fair enough, US support, even from a single politician who holds a role similar to that of Ceann Comhairle, is welcome especially for an international treaty like the Good Friday Agreement. But “third most important politician” in the USA? Sure, if Trump kicks the bucket and then Pence does, all in the same accident, Nancy would become president but how likely is that?

    This is a news item on the RTE news homepage and for pedants, it carries a pic typical of news reports rather than a pic of the RTE author which apparently denotes an opinion piece.

    https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2019/0417/1043184-nancy-pelosi-profile/

    No wonder we get so much US news from RTE which is clearly beholden to Washington.

    1. rotide

      Why do you insist on being so dishonest?

      she is demonstrably the third most powerful politician in the US, that’s the way US politics works.

      what exactly is your problem with that piece by piece by Perry? it’s a background piece for people unfamiliar with the woman. Not every article needs to be an investigative Pulitzer winner. it also carries a picture of the reporter which you claim it doesn’t.

      I look forward to your ignoring this as usual

    2. Nigel

      She’s Speaker of the House. That’s a massive amount of power in the US, especially since Trump himself has expressed no real interest in the issue of the Border – almost certainly because the issue leaves him too confused as to which is the best way to blunder and bluster. Her support for Ireland is a very big deal, and to pretend otherwise is kinda stupid, not to mention self-defeating.

        1. Nigel

          Oh jusayinlike will be along in a minute demanding to know how much she’s earned as a politician and that will be the definitive word in the subject.

    3. Johnny

      -you can’t ratify a trade deal w/o Congress the wonderful,amazing and really cool Nancy,stands between Ireland and economic Armageddon.The current admin would do the best,the very best Brit/US trade deal w/o Nancy and Congress-be very nice to her:)
      -where was the US Ambassador,oh right Leo is/was too polite to mention that you don’t have one again on paddy’s day,oh well was great day out….
      -hundreds suitable candies but yet no Irish ambassador,it screams of a weak govt with no pull,brits got one.

    4. Rob_G

      “I mean fair enough, US support, even from a single politician who holds a role similar to that of Ceann Comhairle…”

      You have fundamentally misunderstood the role of Speaker of the House; you don’t have the foggiest notion of what you are talking about. I suggest you stop now, so that you don’t expose your ignorance any further.

  10. eoin

    There was some salty language in the Dail last night as the TDs spoke about the PwC report on the scandalous cost overrun at the National Childrens Hospital, this from TD, Euro candidate and builder Mick Wallace:

    “The report states the understanding of the risk profile associated with the procurement strategy was poor at all levels. This is because the risk factors were not considered. If the risk factors were not considered, why not? Is anyone going to tell us why? Is this Government just going to keep on going and pretend it is all grand? This is a disgrace. This is too bad. Hundreds of millions of euro have been spent and the Government is just going to keep going, with no explanations as to what went wrong. No one is being held to account. This is a fucking joke. This is too bad.”

    For those who remember the brouhaha about the PwC report when it was being commissioned in January, Leo was absolute and adamant that the report would hold people to account. A week after publication, do you feel that people have been held to account?

    https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2019-04-17/33/

  11. Johnny

    Good summary of current state play Canadian weed market-in TO for Conf stopped by new the weed store on Queen Street West to try their products and the experience,it sucks only flower now,it was very dry and way way too pricey,the packaging is literally insane.In LA they sell prerolls like ‘loosies’ single cigarettes,crazy amount packaging in TO,no one in any way environmentally conscious would support the industry over its packaging,it needs change.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/17/canada-cannabis-stores-sales-black-market-dealers?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

    Germany is growing its own-which it will export to Ireland,because the feds still consider weed a class A drug you can’t do interstate commerce -move it from state to state.As such each state has had grow its own industry,with mixed results.Oregon for example issued lots licenses to grow,collapsing the price per pound wholesale and thinning out the ‘gold rush’ crowd,it was a Darwinian attempt at free markets,consumers love it.Others have limited the growing licenses resulting in higher per pound prices and the continuation of the grey/black market-see above link.Ireland has it all to be a major player in this billion dollar industry,Canadian firms are cash rich and opportunity poor,they like the makers of Blackerry,tick tock the yanks are coming…..

    ‘FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Germany has awarded contracts to supply domestically-grown cannabis to two Canadian companies, as it seeks to develop its own medicinal marijuana industry and reduce reliance on imports.’

    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-marijuana/germany-to-launch-cannabis-farming-as-canadas-aurora-aphria-win-tenders-idUSKCN1RT1TL

    1. Johnny

      Just a FYI,the industry is no longer frat boys in shorts and wife beaters hitting bongs,or rap/hip hop stars and their ‘ho’s’ cruising in LA while sipping on gin and juice.
      FG and Ireland is blowing a once lifetime opportunity to establish a multi billion industry,its green,eco friendly uses renewable energy,for a supposedly pro business govt it’s very disappointing.

      ‘SMITH FALLS, Ont. — Canopy Growth Corp. has signed an agreement to buy U.S. company Acreage Holdings Inc in a deal valued at US$3.4 billion if cannabis becomes federally legal in the United States‘

      https://business.financialpost.com/cannabis/canopy-growth-is-near-a-deal-to-acquire-acreage-holdings

  12. Junkface

    By the way that Man City vs Tottenham Champions League match last night was the best I’ve ever seen! Unbelievable drama, I fell off the edge of my seat several times. The last minute Sterling goal was sheer joy! Then it was disallowed by offside from VAR! The poor fans looked traumatised, but great for the neutral fan. A cruel end for Man City but amazing football.

    1. millie st murderlark

      It certainly was. Delighted for Spurs.

      I’d say the poor MC lads were sick. SICK.

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