Category Archives: News

news as it is happening-ish

No, not ‘nice’. What’s the word?

CERTAIN PROFESSIONALS are “feasting on the carcasses” of insolvent and semisolvent companies at a time when many sectors are “taking a hit” and many people have had pay reductions, a High Court judge has said.

Mr Justice Brian McGovern expressed “general concerns” about some professionals appearing to be getting good pickings from troubled sectors when other people who are working just as hard are getting less.

He made the comments after approving “a very large figure” of €509,543 fees, plus outlay and VAT making a total of €647,382, sought for some five months’ work by Luke Charleton of Ernst Young, the chartered accountant appointed as special manager to Newbridge Credit Union on January 13th last. Some €70,977 legal fees were also approved.

Some Professionals ‘Feasting On Carcasses’ Of Firms, Judge Says  (Mary Carolan, Irish Times)

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CARTOONS SHOWING the dry, quirky humour of painter Jack B Yeats will go on public display for the first time on Saturday.

The 56 illustrations by the Irish artist are part of 500 published in British satirical magazine Punch under his pseudonym, W Bird, between 1910 and 1948.

Pft. He’s no Martyn Turner.

Satire about social class, professions, everyday life and political commentary are among the subjects tackled by Yeats, co-curator (at the National Gallery of Ireland) Donal Maguire said. Many of the illustrations “don’t fit with the current humour and are very much of their time”, he added.

Oh wait now.

Jack B Yeats cartoons to go on show for first time (Genevieve Carberry, Irish Times)

Image: Irish Comics Wiki

MADONNA IS apparently afraid of thunder and lightning and was said to be anxiously watching Dublin’s cloud heavy skies in the run-up to last night’s concert.

As it happened, the heavens failed to light up and all the electricity came from the material girl and her blood-splattered S&M troupes who danced up a storm for close to two hours in front of a half-empty Aviva Stadium which was more like a giant hen party than a concert.

Ah here.

Elsewhere  on Twitter.

Pop Princess Reigns Supreme On Damp Night More Like Hen Party Than Concert (Conor Pope, Irish Times)

(Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland)

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No? get used to it.


The programme for government had included a commitment to establish a new waste policy which would introduce a “competitive tendering” system where collectors would bid to service an entire local authority area. Currently any private operator with a licence can offer waste collection to households.

However, political sources have confirmed that Mr Hogan intends to recommend to Cabinet today that the status quo be maintained and the private sector be allowed to operate freely in the market.

The tendering system was to have included the obligation to provide a waiver scheme to assist low-income households. It is understood that while not scrapping this principle Mr Hogan will advise his Cabinet colleagues that the measure, which would have serious cost implications, requires further exploration.

While maintaining a light touch to regulation of the private sector Mr Hogan is set to be firmer in his approach to local authorities.

…Dublin City Council is likely to be most alarmed by the new policy, having told Mr Hogan that the 600,000 tonne Poolbeg incinerator would not be viable unless local authorities could control the Dublin region’s waste.

 

Minister’s Waste Move May Hit Poolbeg (Olivia Kelly and Suzanne Lynch, Irish Times)

(Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland)

Run away.

THE AUTHORITIES in the Republic are powerless to force the return of Peter Darragh Quinn to the State to serve the sentence imposed on him by the High Court last week if he has left the jurisdiction.

Garda sources said last night a number of addresses in the Republic linked to him had been visited but there was no sign of him or any indication of where he might be.

If Mr Quinn were tracked down by police in the North where he resides, or in another country, it would be impossible to forcibly return him to the Republic because he has not committed a criminal offence.

This means Mr Quinn, with an address in Fermanagh, can only be brought before the High Court or committed to prison in the Republic to serve the sentence if he voluntarily presents himself to gardaí.

Peter Quinn Cannot Be Forced To Return If He Has Left State (Conor Lally and Niamh Sweeney, Irish Times)

Quinn Says He ‘Stood Up To Bullies’ (Niamh Sweeney, Irish Times)

(Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland)

The possibility of German, Finnish or Dutch MPs disputing a new debt deal for Ireland is emerging as a prime concern among European negotiators as preparations advance for a review of the Irish bank bailout.

Although EU leaders have given the go-ahead for a fundamental revision of the rescue scheme in the autumn, parliamentary approval will be needed in many countries for an extension of European aid to Ireland.

EU economics commissioner Olli Rehn said after a meeting last week of euro zone finance ministers that the EU-IMF “troika” will table a formal proposal in September in anticipation of a final deal in October.

Damn. And just when we’d pre-ordered our new Batman collectibles, too.

Concern grows over possible opposition to debt deal (Arthur Beesley, Irish Times)

(Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland)

Mobile phone users who text in Irish claim they are being ripped off because they use the national language. They say it is cheaper to send a photo than it is to send a “fada”.

Vodafone confirmed yesterday that users would be charged for three text messages if they include a single síneadh fada in a text of 160 characters.

Á here.

Texters charged extra for using Irish accents or symbols (Ruadhrí Giblin, Irish Times)

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Come here.

Ten days before the opening of the London Olympics, Tourism Ireland has launched the second phase of its ‘Escape the Madness’ campaign in Britain.

The €500,000 advertising campaign presents Ireland as a hassle-free holiday option to harassed Londoners during the games.

The campaign began last month with ads on the London Underground. This is stage two: a Youtube viral voiced (and briefly appeared in) by Chris O’Dowd.

That’ll get them over.

Ireland Promoted As Olympics ‘Escape’ (Meadhbh McHugh, Irish Times)

 His spokesman said last night that Dr [James] Reilly had originally booked flights with a commercial airline to travel to an EU health ministers meeting, and had been scheduled to return to Ireland towards the end of last week.

However, on the Friday before he travelled Fianna Fáil tabled a Private Member’s motion in the Dáil condemning the €280 million over-run in the HSE budget this week.

Uh-oh…

“The Minister had already booked the flight, and it would have been impossible for him to arrive back on time to participate in the debate,” said the spokesman.

Aw.

Dr Reilly then requested the use of the Government jet to allow him to return to Dublin in time to participate in the closing hour of the debate on Wednesday evening.

Hurray!

Reilly Used Government Jet To Return For Debate (Harry McGee, Irish Times)

(James Horan/Photocall Ireland)