Author Archives: Bodger

The STI Clapham in 2017

This morning.

Via RTÉ News:

Documents obtained by RTÉ News under the Freedom of Information Act reveal how management at Dublin Port was opposed to allowing a shipment of Russian diesel dock in the port in early March, following the invasion of Ukraine.

…CEO of Dublin Port Eamonn O’Reilly first informed Secretary General of the Department of Transport Ken Spratt and other senior officials in an email dated 4 March of the imminent arrival of the STI Clapham with a consignment of Russian diesel which had requested permission to dock in the port….

…On Sunday 6 March, the Secretary General of the Department of Transport wrrote to the Chair of Dublin Port on the direction of the Minister for Transport to inform him “…there is no legal basis to refuse to accept this product…” and that sanctions against Russia exclude oil product.

Dublin Port management was opposed to docking of Russian diesel shipment

Pic: Wikimedia

Michael Lynn

This afternoon.

Criminal Courts of Justice, Dublin.

Former solicitor Michael Lynn, who has pleaded not guilty to 21 counts of stealing a total of almost €30m from financial institutions in 2006 and 2007, said he had ‘permission from bankers’ to use money they gave him for mortgages in Ireland to fund property development abroad.

Via RTÉ News:

Mr Lynn said the banks he dealt with were aware of his other borrowings and aware of his investments abroad. He said the minute a loan goes through, the loan is registered within 30-60 days and is visible to the Irish Credit Bureau.

He said credit checks were more powerful than any statement of affairs. He said he was never asked to provide an explanation for undisclosed lending revealed in an ICB check. “I simply didn’t need to,” he said, “they were aware of the other borrowings and aware of the investments abroad“.

Mr Lynn said there was no effort whatsoever by him to conceal his loans. The banks he said, could see every loan he had. He said it bounced out at them. If he had been trying to pull the wool over their eyes or take advantage of them, their own internal checks were showing his loans, he said.

Mr Lynn told defence counsel, Paul Comiskey O’Keeffe that undisclosed lending was never raised with him. No concern was raised with him, he said, he was not brought in for a meeting to see if he was “up to something”. He said what he was up to was doing business, and the banks were enabling him and assisting him in doing that business.

Lynn says bankers gave permission to fund property development abroad (RTE)

RollingNews

The nearly three meter tall Wicklow granite standing stone named “Stele”, is carved with representations of King Laoghaire and St. Patrick on two sides, with a third side carved in bi-lingual bas relief script. The wording is from a poem in an Early Irish manuscript, translated by Seamus Heaney, referencing ‘stormy seas and Norse raiders of old’

Saturday.

Sandycove, county Dublin.

President Michael D. Higgins and Sabina Higgins joined Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Cathaoirleach, Councillor Lettie McCarthy and local artist Imogen Stuart  (above centre) at the unveiling of ’Stele’ a Standing Stone created by Imogen and installed in Otranto Park overlooking Dún Laoghaire and Dublin Bay.

Nice, but looks nothing like Maureen O’Hara.

President Higgins unveils new sculpture in Sandycove (DLR)

Pics: Peter Cavanagh

This afternoon.

More as we get it.

Earlier: Derek Mooney: NI Assembly Result Was Historic – Just Not Era Changing

Meanwhile…

Meanwhile…

…via RTÉ News

DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson said he has told Northern Ireland Secretary of State Brandon Lewis that his party will not nominate ministers to the Stormont power-sharing Executive without “decisive action” on the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Speaking following a meeting in Belfast, Mr Donaldson said: “We have had a meeting this morning with the Secretary of State and we have made our position clear to him.

“It is the position we have held before the election, throughout the election campaign and will continue to hold, and that is until we get decisive action taken by the UK government on the protocol, we will not be nominating ministers to the Executive.”

Earlier, Mr Lewis urged the leaders of the main parties at Stormont to deliver a “stable and accountable” devolved government to the people of Northern Ireland.

DUP will not nominate ministers without ‘decisive action’ on protocol – Donaldson (RTE)

Ted writes:

I wonder if this is an issue here in Ireland. I still see my Census person picking up forms in the neighbourhood!

Anyone?

This afternoon.

Defence Ministry spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk gave no further details but said, without providing evidence, that there could be future attacks by Russian bombers.

Russia has previously denied assertions by Ukrainian officials that it has tried to storm the sprawling, Soviet-era steelworks on the Sea of Azov where civilians have also been sheltering.

Ukraine says Russian forces are ‘storming’ Azovstal plant (Al Jazeera)

Save Poolbeg

This afternoon.

St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2.

Above from left: The CEO of IDA Ireland Martin Shanahan with Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Horizon Therapeutics chairman, president and chief executive officer Timothy P Walbert at the launch of biopharmaceutical company’s new Global Headquarters on St. Stephen’s Green

Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews

‘sup?

This morning.

Kerryanne Conway writes:

The UCD Acclimatize Project has identified dog faeces as an important cause of water pollution, which can result in temporary bathing prohibition notices being issued by local authorities.

In an effort to address this issue, the UCD Acclimatize team has released ‘Leave Only Paw Prints’ illustrating the direct link between dog fouling and poor beach water quality.

They want to highlight the potential harm caused by the abandoned dog mess and encourage pet owners to take responsibility for cleaning up after their dogs on the beach to help ensure better water quality for all to enjoy.

Arf.

Leave Only Paw Prints (Acclimatize)

Top pic via UCD Allimatize Project

This afternoon.

Irish language film, An Cailín Ciúin, starring Catherine Clinch (top), from the Cine4 scheme by TG4, Screen Ireland and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland will be released in cinemas across Ireland and the UK from May 12.

Deirdre Ní Choistín writes:

The film is distributed by Break Out Pictures in Ireland and by Curzon in the UK. The Irish-language feature film had its world premiere in February at the Berlinale film festival in Berlin where it scooped The Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus International Jury for Best Film. It was the first Irish language film to open the Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival also in February and was awarded Best Irish Film by the Dublin Film Critics Circle (DFCC).

An Cailín Ciúin