Category Archives: Misc

Screen Shot 2016-05-11 at 11.20.27

Housing Minister Simon Coveney

This morning, newly appointed Housing Minister Simon Coveney spoke to Seán O’Rourke about housing on RTE Radio One this morning.

Towards the end of the interview, they discussed water charges – which will suspended for nine months, from the end of June, as a commission decides what to do.

The Fine Gael minister assured Mr O’Rourke, “I certainly agree that people who have paid already shouldn’t be disadvantaged financially in any way… People will not be allowed to get away without paying.”

Then Mr O’Rourke reminded Mr Coveney how Independent Alliance TD, who has been appointed a Super Junior Minister for Disability, Finian McGrath has not paid his water charges.

Being a ‘Super Junior’ minister means Mr McGrath can attend Cabinet meetings but cannot vote.

Grab a small tay…

Seán O’Rourke: “Meanwhile, sitting in the Cabinet room along with you and your colleagues, you have Finian McGrath who is proudly boasting that he has no intention of paying his water charges.”

Simon Coveney: “Well I haven’t seen him proudly boasting that and Finian will…”

O’Rourke: “Well stating as a matter of fact then, to put it maybe slightly less..”

Coveney: “Well now let’s not build this issue up into something it isn’t. I mean people should pay their water.”

O’Rourke: “It’s a minister flouting the law and he’s sitting in the same Cabinet room as you. Is that right?”

Coveney: “Well I think, you know,my view would be very similar to, to, you know,  people like Regina Doherty and others who’ve been asked to comment on this.”

O’Rourke: “How can you expect people to pay water charges up until their suspended when you’re sitting beside somebody who just makes a virtue of not paying?”

Coveney: “Government minister should lead by example, it is the law to pay your taxes and Government ministers should pay taxes, including water charges and that’s a decision for Finian.”

O’Rourke: “It’s also a decision for the Taoiseach actually. Is he prepared to keep him in the room?”

Coveney: “Look, I mean, I’m not going to get into the Taoiseach’s view of that. I suspect the Taoiseach’s view is the same as mine. If you’re in Cabinet, you need to lead by example. If you’re a law maker, you need to be a law keeper.”

Listen back here

Rollingnews

Screen Shot 2016-05-11 at 10.29.55

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald will appear before the Human Rights Council, as part of the Universal Periodic Review, at 1.30pm at the UN in Geneva today, to explain what the previous Irish government ignored achieved during its tenure.

Ms Fitzgerald is expected to field questions on a variety of subjects.

These include housing and homelessness; reproductive rights; the historical abuse of women and children; the rights of persons with a disability; immigration and asylum; access to adequate healthcare and education; LGBT rights; prisons and detention; the rights of children and older people; the rights of Travellers, Roma and other minority groups in Ireland.

Ms Fitzgerald’s appearance will be live streamed here from 1.30pm.

Government facing rights leadership test at UN today (Irish Council for Civil Liberties)

Elvis-NIxon

What you may need to know:

1. In December 1970, Elvis Presley (Michael Shannon) engineered a meeting with Richard Nixon (Kevin Spacey) to discuss The Beatles and those goddamned hippies.

2. Co-written by The Princess Bride’s Man in Black (Cary Elwes).

3. Another presidential role for Spacey.

4. Bruce Campbell would’ve done a 2-for-1 deal on both parts.

5. Pffft… I want to see ELVISZILLA VS. NIXODON!!! Two mechagiant monstrosities battling in the skies over Washington.

6. Broadsheet prognosis: Thangyuverrymuch.

Release Date: June 24.

(Mark writes about film and TV at WhyBother.ie)

90417295

anne-marie-291x300

From top: Micheál Martin at Leinster House last week; Anne Marie McNally

Fianna Fáil’s confidence agreement with Fine Gael leaves us with an opposition party on the fence.

Anne Marie McNally writes:

The white smoke has billowed. Just 70 days since the country went to the polls we have a Government – or something resembling one anyway.

It wasn’t without it’s drama and Frank Underwood would probably blanch at the deals that were likely done by Michael Noonan in the 12th hour as Independents wavered on the brink of acquiescence.

The juicy prize was wagging in front of them but in their peripheral vision they could see angry constituents asking them to uphold their pre-election promises.

In the end the spectre of the prize won out for the majority of them and Enda’s wife relaxed in the Dáil gallery safe in the knowledge that her trip to the Dáil to witness the coronation was not to be in vain. For those political anoraks amongt us it was akin to a really gripping episode of House of Cards.

And what a house of cards it has delivered; a situation where the ‘main’ opposition party has a supply and confidence agreement with the main Government party. It’s kind of hard to oppose stuff when you’re tied into expressing confidence in it.

That said, I welcome the new form of politics that this Dáil will inevitably require however I think a signed agreement to supply confidence goes a step further than simply acting constructively in opposition.

It’s one thing to be a practical opposition party or independent that will consider each issue on its merits and vote accordingly (opposition should not mean NO to something just because it originates from the Government side) but it is an entirely different thing to have a signed agreement forcing you to support a No Confidence Motion in a Minister about whom any kind of dodgy revelations or evidence of poor decisions might surface.

It’s going to be a really difficult fence for Fianna Fáil to sit on and their arses will be tormented with splinters by the time the fence topples. While they sit on that fence Sinn Féin will continue to lob dung balls at them as apparent supporters of Government and some of that dung will stick.

To counteract this, Fianna Fáil will feel the need to assert their opposition credentials by creating the odd convenient row with Fine Gael but nothing that’s going to be too controversial or threatens to bring the cosy arrangement to the ground – at least not before the opinion polls suggest it might be in their interest to do so!

I love an auld opinion poll, it comes with the territory of being one of those nerds but watch now as suddenly opinion polls become a main conversation point in the local boozer on a Saturday night.

Plenty of ‘Jaysus, Fianna Fáil are hitting 33% and Enda’s only on 26%, I’d say they’ll pull the plug soon’ dramas will ensue and in the midst of yourself and myself looking at them, behind the scenes the strategists of both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will be glued to them.

To say that they won’t impact on longevity of Government decisions is wholly unrealistic. Of course they will and it’d actually be irresponsible if they didn’t.

There’ll also be key flashpoints throughout the next few months not least the leadership issue within Fine Gael. While the general wisdom on the surface suggests that there is no grá for a bitter leadership battle and the door will be edged open to allow Enda to exit stage left gracefully, in reality once the knives start circling they tend to become sharp very quick.

The same general wisdom suggests that Leo Varadkar is the front-runner by a country mile to take the reins. Should that be the case, I reckon you’ll see Fianna Fáil’s supply of confidence go south very quick as Leo sharpens his teeth on their neck!

All this before even getting to Michael Lowry’s agreement with Fine Gael –  but that’s a whole other days work right there.

There are interesting times ahead, no doubt, but let’s hope those interesting times don’t result in painful times for citizens.

Anne Marie McNally is a founding member of the Social Democrats. Follow Anne Marie on Twitter: @amomcnally

90328578

Sgt Maurice McCabe

You may recall a post from yesterday about the as yet  unpublished but leaked Justice O’Higgins report into allegations made by Sgt Maurice McCabe in relation to the Cavan-Monaghan area.

It included a transcript of a Drivetime report by RTÉ journalist Philip Boucher Hayes on Monday evening, after he secured a copy of the O’Higgins report.

At one point, Mr Boucher Hayes stated:

Another headline Maurice McCabe’s detractors point to is his allegation of corruption made against Former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan. Mr Callinan is “entitled to have his reputation vindicated” and that allegations made against him by Maurice McCabe “were unfounded and deeply hurtful” says the judge. Proof again that McCabe was pointing an unjustified finger of blame.

But in the same paragraph, where this appears, it’s also made clear that McCabe never accused Callinan of corruption – “He had not intended to make allegations of criminal conduct against the Commissioner but rather of an abuse of power only.”

…Anyone reading the accounts of the report that Maurice McCabe withdrew his allegations could reasonably infer that he knew he was on shaky ground in some of the things that he was saying.

On the contrary though it emerges in the transcripts of the commission that Sgt McCabe withdrew one complaint against an officer whom he felt should have been more critical of the shortcomings of a junior officer.

When he was presented with the testimony of the senior criticising his junior, McCabe withdrew the complaint saying that this “was the first time I’ve seen this”.

However….

An editorial in today’s Irish Times states:

The report does not paint a monochrome picture. No one is all good or all bad. There are conflicts of evidence, fact and recollection. Whistle-blower Sergeant Maurice McCabe is described as a dedicated and committed member of the Garda who acted out of genuine and legitimate concerns and was truthful in his evidence.

The corporate ranks closed against him. But his complaints of corruption against senior officers, including former Commissioner Martin Callinan, were described as hurtful and were rejected by the judge. Other complaints were overstated or exaggerated. Some were unfounded and some were withdrawn by Sgt McCabe.

Commission report on An Garda Síochána highlights need to remove politics from policing (Irish Times)

Previously: ‘Something For Everyone’

Laura Hutton/Rollingnews

Cu-Abu-meeting-pupils-from-Gaelscoil-Chill-Dara

‘Sup?

Sports News Ireland reports:

The excited pupils and staff of Gaelscoil Chill Dara were introduced to the school’s new canine friend, a greyhound named Cú Abú, this week.

Legendary Irish broadcaster Micheál O’Muircheartaigh also attended, explaining the project to the pupils and sharing his experience of greyhound ownership. One of the aims of the project is to communicate through Irish where possible, and Micheál spoke in his native tongue to the pupils throughout.

Dublin Coach are sponsoring the greyhound for The Gaelscoil, located on the Curragh, and will work in partnership with GAIN, Newbridge Veterinary Clinic and Newbridge Greyhound Stadium over the coming year.

Cú Abú will become a mascot for the school, providing an opportunity for learning about animal ownership and rearing, and helping the school’s fundraising efforts through prize money and a fundraising night at Newbridge Greyhound Stadium.

The greyhound is in training with Michael Murphy in Kildare and with the help of Dublin Coach all of the pupils were transported to his home for their first meeting with Cú Abú. The female greyhound is expected to kick-start her racing career in June 2016.

Micheál O’Muircheartaigh presents Kildare school children with greyhound (Sports News Ireland)

Marta writes:

It doesn’t sound real – what school would expose children to a gambling industry, well known for massive animal welfare issues and cruelty cases (see the recent China exports controversy)? But it looks real – is it real? Sometimes reality overtakes satire sites!

Anyone?