Category Archives: Misc

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From top: A Kurdistan family of six who have been living in a tent in Piraeus port, Athens in Greece for more than 40 days; European Council president Donald Tusk

Ahead of his and German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to a refugee camp in Gaziantep, Turkey tomorrow, the president of the European Council, in today’s Guardian, writes:

Only strong states are capable of supporting those in need on a large scale, without the risk of self-destruction.

Tough policies do not rule out humanitarian goals – quite the opposite: only determined policies enable their implementation. If we want Europe to remain open and tolerant, we can no longer allow ourselves to be helpless.

We need the solidarity and determination of all member states in every aspect of migration policy: relocation, humanitarian aid, external actions, and most crucially protecting our external borders.

What is at stake is not only the future of Schengen, but the future of our community.

Recent experience with Turkey shows that Europe must set clear limits to its concessions. We can negotiate money but never our values.

We cannot impose our standards on the rest of the world. Equally, others cannot impose their standards on us.

Our freedoms, including freedom of expression, will not be part of political bargaining with any partner. The Turkish president must heed this message.

By being tough on migration Europe can also be humane (Donald Tusk, The Guardian)

Previously: ‘We Can Bus The Refugees To Greece’

One Love

Pic: MSF Sea

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From top: Fianna Fáil negotiating team arrive at Trinity College Dublin for government formation talks; Fine Gael’s Paschal Donohoe and Simon Coveney at TCD.

With some planning we could have a job share roster for the next Dáil session.

Frilly Keane writes:

Sur’ why not?

We’ve seen and hurd everything else. Super Majority Civil War Ententes, Blueshirt and Light Blue Independent hankies, Soldiers of Dynasty and their DNA Independents, Minority Alliances from the Pic & Mix benches; all ponsing about the Leinster House podiums, Montrose broadcast studios, and filling column inches at a rate not seen since the Armstrong Moon Landing.

Instead of Leap Year proposals, there have been more combinations and blends promoted by Enda and Mickey than at a tea taster’s convention.

The real story here is that Frilly Keane was right. The only Government that still makes any sustainable sense is FFS’Fein and their colour wheel near-neighbors; or another General Election.

The latter being exactly what the Big 3 wants by the way. FG because they want to rope in a few stray Independents onto their tickets, while FF think they have what the Yanks call Momentum “The Big Mo.”

The Shinners on the other hand want another, and more wiser, go at a General Election campaign, a campaign that will not be infiltrated and infected by Mir.I.Am O’ Call’again and all the other anti-SF product placements, and by now manners will have been firmly put on a few of their own. They also enjoy the cosy luxury of another 6 figure damages payday to lash into the election kitty.

Something else the Big 3 absolutely agree on, they want another election now so that the Independents and small party collectives and rabbles are stalled trying to raise deposits.

Lets go back to Job Share.

First of all look at this.

Once you’ve stopped lol’ing at O’Reilly’s photo or sniggering at big smuggy grin on Nash, put the two fingers down and ask yerselves. Who is doing the job of Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources?

And who is the Minister of State with special responsibility for Rural Economic Development (implementation of the Cedra Report), Local Community Rural Economic Development Issues and Rural Transport? Sur what daycent professional would want that job anyway?

While yere at it, study that list of Ministers for State, from the 15 gigs 7 got re-elected. And one of those was Dara Murphy. Cheesus wept.

There is something fundamentally incorrect with the structure of our Cabinetry and Design of our Ministries anyway. So whoever or whatever set up gets the Seal of Office next from the Áras, t’would do them no harm to make all those jobs redundant. If fully suited and booted

Senior Ministers need a dig out, let them pick their own Juniors/ Assistants from the party benches at their disposal, and with no extras goodies like Garda Drivers and wage/ pension top ups.

For example: Jack Chambers TD, assistant Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.

With some solid Manpower planning and committed partners we just might have a Job Share Roster for the next Dail Session.

Week On Week Off would probably be more efficient for lads collecting milage, but that’s up to the various mandarins, cardigans and Sir Humphrey’s. I’m using the FF FG casting call because that’s what everyone else from The Examiner to the Marian Brunch Party Sets are using. (I wouldn’t want to upset the establishment honeys any more than I have already.)

Taoiseach / Tánaiste, Meh and Meh eile. Back and forth week by week.

Finance / Public Expenditure and Reform, swapsies between Michael McGrath and Paschal Donoghue.

Department of Social Protection/ Employment, Community & Social Support (Kevin Humprey’s old job) Timmy Dooley and anyone but Noonan or Flanagan or Barrett.

Health, Primary & Social Care, Children and Youth Affairs; Kate O’Connell & Barry Cowen (for old times’ sake) Dara Callery and Richard Bruton. And a half dozen “Assistants”

Ed, Skills / Science & Innovation. Kate O’Connell / Niall Collins

Foreign Affairs and Trade : Varadkar (he’s a crap Minister but great Politician. This is the gaff for him) and Lisa Chambers. (Harmless and will look good meeting everyone from the Pope to Putin.)

Ag, Food, Marine, Defense, Forestry, Horticulture and Food Safety: Coveney (who’s done alright there tbh) and Jackie Cahill. Sean Kyne and Pat the Cope

Justice, Equality, Law Reform, etc etc etc Willie and Francie (she knows where the biccies are) Jim O’C and whatever local Solicitor/ Junior Council the Blueshirts quota’d in – Josepha anyone? The only objector would be Francie herself so maybe not.

Tourism Sport & Arts I’d lash John Deasy and Billy Kelliher in here. Peas in a Pod. I’d say there’ll be murder about who gets the week on when the Euros start tho’

Trade & Transport, Willie O’Dea & Colm Brophy

Environment, Housing John McGuinness and Jamsie O’Reilly. And only because Reilly has big department experience and knows how to negotiate if his IMO days have a chance of being repeated. These two will kill themselves trying to outdo the other with the deals and legislation they’ll race each other to announce.

Gaeltach, Rural Affairs & Infrastructure (aka Into the Whest) O’Cuiv and Ring – no better bucks.

So whatty ye lads? I’ve even cut expense in half! But can I hand it over to ye now? Le do thoil. There are only so many times I can run up and down the FF/ FG Teachta Dálas player lists before developing a beige allergy.

Maybe consider the creation of a Commander for Broadband infrastructure. If there is to be genuine equal opportunity for all in this Country, High -Speed Broadband needs to be available to all its citizens.

By recognizing the lack of access and signal beyond The Curragh as a National Emergency we are no longer deliberately denying our communities a chance to thrive and grow.

This is not about access to WhatsApp for illegal turfcutters or Twitter for lads driving home from the club after a heavy one; this is about developing business opportunities, encouraging relocation, re-opening our small towns and villages, and promising sustainable public investment in Schools, Post Offices, Garda Stations etc to the tax payer that qualifies for a Value for Money stamp.

G’wan now. I’m not keeping a tally so I don’t care what gender the comments come in.

Before I sign off. A bitta’ve a shout out for The Wine Show. (My dream job, I’d even give up the spuds to shift that stone so I could on the road with the lads without looking too much like Clarissa Dickson Wright) ITV tomorrow and or ITV4 on Sunday. I promise ye’ll be thanking me on Monday.

Frilly keane’s column appears here every Friday. Follow Frilly on Twitter: @frillykeane

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The consortium that bought the Clerys store in Dublin for €29 million is trying to lure Apple to open a flagship retail outlet on the ground floor of the site.

It is understood the Natrium consortium, fronted by D2 Private developer Deirdre Foley, has held numerous discussions with Apple over several months.

…Meanwhile, the Government will on Friday submit a new batch of documents to the European Commission’s investigation into Apple’s tax arrangements in Ireland. The Department of Finance confirmed yesterday that the commisison has requested extra documents.

Natrium sets sights on Apple Store in Clerys building (Irish Times)

Previously: How they killed Clerys