This afternoon.
Nigel T writes:
North Strand Beds and Furniture, Dublin 3, have a novel sales idea – furniture is so cheap it’s going free! Only a couch and singe bed left!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=lKNDnrZ5vtU
Later today.
The C&AG report into Nama’s sale of it’s northern Ireland property portfolio, known as Project Eagle, to US investment firm Cerberus, is expected to be published.
Ahead of this…
A look-back at what some politicians said in the Dáil on June 29, 2016 during a debate on a motion put forward by Independents 4 Change TD Mick Wallace, in which he called for a Commission of Investigation into the Project Eagle sale (above):
Michael Noonan, Minister for Finance and Fine Gael TD:
The NAMA Act rightly established a high degree of public accountability for NAMA and established an independent board to implement NAMA’s commercial mandate.
Indeed, a number of NAMA board members first appointed in late 2009, including the chairman and CEO, continue to progress diligently NAMA’s commercial mandate to this day.
In addition, long-serving members of the House will recall that the then Minister, Mr. Brian Lenihan, agreed to the establishment of NAMA’s Northern Ireland advisory committee under section 33 of the NAMA Act following discussions with his counterpart in Northern Ireland, Mr. Sammy Wilson.
The board of NAMA appointed a person from Northern Ireland to the advisory committee who had been recommended by Mr. Wilson to Mr. Lenihan.
It should be remembered, however, that the Northern Ireland advisory committee had no decision-making powers and no access to confidential information.
…We had a repeat of the allegations today by Deputy Wallace. If he is so sure of the veracity of these allegations, he does not need the cover of privilege to make them. If he is so sure of his grounds, he should make them outside the House.
Deputy Clare Daly has a peculiar attitude to commissions of investigation, seeing them as trawling instruments which may come up with something after which proceedings would follow.
I remember reading “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and it was either the Mad Hatter or the Dormouse who said “Verdict first, trial afterwards”.
That is the sort of due process being advocated in the House by people who make allegations under privilege which they do not substantiate or make in public without the cloak of privilege to protect them.
… taking into account the investigations that are under way, it is my view that there is no specific line of inquiry that could be usefully pursued by a commission of investigation.
The appropriate investigations are already taking place in the appropriate jurisdictions.
It is unwise to launch a costly commission of investigation on claims that are under investigation by the appropriate authorities.
Michael McGrath, Fianna Fáil TD:
“Fianna Fáil has been consistent in asking that all aspects of the Project Eagle sale be thoroughly examined and investigated”.
“Last October, I moved a motion, on behalf of Fianna Fáil, calling for a Commission of Investigation under the terms of the 2004 Act. We called for this on the basis that the allegations were of such a serious nature, the public would demand nothing less than a comprehensive inquiry which would get to the truth and be able to make clear findings in relation to any wrongdoing on the part of individuals…”
“…In its evidence before the committee of public accounts, and in its public commentary on Project Eagle, Nama has argued consistently that no issue has arisen regarding the sale side of this transaction but, as I said last October, that is not an adequate answer.”
“Ultimately, the decision to proceed with the sale of Project Eagle was made by Nama in Dublin and Nama must account for the entirety of that transaction.”
“Based on information and allegations currently in the public domain, surrounding Project Eagle, a Commission of Investigation is warranted. That remains the Fianna Fáil view. The question is whether a Commission would stand any chance of success, running in parallel with a criminal investigation that is clearly gathering pace.”
“Our honest assessment is that a Commission of Investigation, established in the Republic now, in the heat of an accelerating criminal investigation in the North would most likely run into the sand very quickly. This would serve no purpose. Do we really think that key people involved in this transaction, living in Northern Ireland, would voluntarily cooperate with a Commission of Investigation in the Republic while arrests are being made in the North?”
Gerry Adams, leader of Sinn Féin:
“I understand Mr John Miskelly began legal proceedings over the deal against Cerberus and Anglo Irish Bank on 21 June in the Belfast High Court.”
“Members will recall that Mr Miskelly appeared in the BBC “Spotlight” programme which brought some of the details of this case to light. He is alleging the Project Eagle process was fraudulent from the start.”
“It is high time that the Minister for Finance made a full statement on all of these matters and I am disappointed he did not take the opportunity to do so today.”
“The National Asset Management Agency has been handling billions of euro of the people’s money and it should be accountable.”
“The Fianna Fáil Party agreed with our position on this matter. In October, the party’s finance spokesperson, Deputy Michael McGrath, stated: “There is simply no room whatsoever for any question marks when we talk about the sale of a State asset with a face value of over €5 billion”.”
“He went on to say: “It is also essential for the integrity of the House that a commission of investigation is established to find out the truth about the entirety of Project Eagle”. What has changed?”
“Just two weeks ago, the Fianna Fáil leader, Deputy Micheál Martin, described the Government’s position on Project Eagle as untenable, yet despite a number of requests directly from me, his party will not now support the establishment of an investigation.”
“The reason it gives for its position on this issue is entirely spurious and can only be explained by a desire to keep the Fine Gael Party in power.”
Pearse Doherty, Sinn Fein TD:
Fianna Fáil’s latest attempt at two-faced politics is utterly transparent and typical of its approach to politics.
Literally 15 days ago, Deputy Micheál Martin stood up in the Chamber and said that the Government’s position on the sale of Project Eagle by NAMA was becoming more untenable by the day.
He said that the sales process, whether we liked it and whether NAMA liked it, was not robust or competitive and did not secure the best outcome. He went on to say there were major ethical questions over the entire sale of the asset.
He asked whether it ever occurred to the Taoiseach that we should set up a commission of investigation given that the UK National Crime Agency, the US Securities and Exchange Commission and others were pursuing it.
That was the position of Fianna Fáil 15 days ago. The position of Fianna Fáil in October was to call for a commission of investigation to be established.
However, when push comes to shove, Fianna Fáil retreats into the establishment. It is afraid to look into issues but happy to look angry about them for a few cheap headlines.
Deputy Michael McGrath referred to how we had to ensure the criminal investigation was not affected. That is a great line from the spin doctors of Fianna Fáil.
The line is that we now have criminal investigations and that a commission of investigation is not warranted but Fianna Fáil is not doing a U-turn.
The reason none of that adds up is the UK National Crime Agency, the agency conducting the criminal investigation, announced in a press release to the world on 9 July 2015 that after receiving requests from the Police Service of Northern Ireland it was instigating a criminal investigation into the issues surrounding the sale of Project Eagle. That was on 9 July 2015.
In October 2015 Deputy Michael McGrath said it was imperative that the Dáil [launch a Commission of Investigation]…
Transcript via Oireachtas.ie
Previously: Screech
Oddworld
at
Samorost 3 – an immersive game App recently released by Prague based Amanita Design (creators of the award winning Mechinarium). Surreal, non verbal, heavily reliant on symbolism, sound design and intuition, the game is like an interactive artwork where players progress through the ecosystems of nine planets by solving increasingly difficult puzzles.
It’s no Pokemon Go.
From top: Plans for the new national children’s hospital at St James’s Hospital. Dr Eamonn Faller
There is a decision due to be made tomorrow, Thursday, on whether there will be a public hearing regarding the location of the new national children’s hospital in St James’s Hospital in Dublin.
Further to this…
Dr Eamonn Faller writes:
Dear Oireachtas Committee on Health*
I am writing to request a hearing by your committee on the location of the proposed new national children’s hospital.
I am a doctor and teenage cancer survivor and have outlined my views on the shortcomings of the proposed location of the new children’s hospital in an article published in the Sunday Independent earlier this year:
In response to this article, the board of the new hospital contacted me and asked for a meeting.
I agreed, keen to understand what advantages that St James’s Hospital would give to the children’s hospital that made accessibility, parking, room to expand, increased cost and possibly even the maternity hospital, necessary sacrifices.
I discussed the proposed location with Professor Owen Smith, one of the clinical leads on the project.
I don’t doubt the man’s integrity, but instead of evidence and credible points I got vague arguments about ‘research synergies’ and ‘continuity of care’ coupled with a continued inability to produce a single piece of evidence that this location will improve any child’s outcome.
I asked specifically and was told none existed. I was a haematology patient who may have benefited from this ‘continuity of care’, and I am utterly against locating this hospital on St James’s campus.
The hassle of attending a different hospital for follow-up wasn’t really in the same league as my mother’s anxiety at navigating city centre traffic with a weak and nauseated child undergoing chemotherapy.
What about the inaccessibility?
What about the complete lack of room for expansion?
What about parking?
What about traffic?
What about coastguard helicopters?
What about the 100 years’ worth of our sickest children and most vulnerable families that will have to live with this potentially catastrophic mistake?
And what about the fact that the critically important maternity hospital was not even included in the planning application? This, unlike adult co-location, actually has evidence to point to improved outcomes for children.
I’m not asking for the hospital to be moved to Connolly. I’m asking for something that should have happened from the outset, and may have prevented the mess that this has become.
A public hearing by your committee taking into account the concerns of parents, doctors, nurses, sick children, those from outside the Dublin area, those from inside the Dublin area.
As opposed to what we have, which seems to be a snap decision made by Minister James Reilly with the Troika in town in 2012.
If the location of the hospital is debated, if the evidence is examined and St James’s is then deemed the most suitable site, I’ll be absolutely astonished, but I’ll rest easier and I’ll stop complaining.
The cost of getting this wrong is suboptimal healthcare for children in this country for the next 100 years. Deputies, Senators, if that isn’t worth at least a hearing, I really don’t know what is.
Dr Eamonn Faller is a doctor working with the infectious diseases and HIV service in St James’s Hospital. Originally from Galway, he trained in Trinity College, Dublin, graduating in 2012.
*Deputies Bernard Durkan, Michael Harty, Alan Kelly, Billy Kelleher, Kate O’Connell, Margaret Murphy O’Mahony, Louise O’Reilly; Senators Colm Burke, John Dolan, Ronan Mullen, Dr Keith Swanwick,
Being Hated
at
A short for The School Of Life directed, animated and designed by Luiz Stockler. To wit:
‘H8rs gonna h8.’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gja9xgbNMlA&feature=youtu.be
Dublin photograpaher Keneth O’Halloran records reactions to the Donald Trump star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, California.
Part of a book project entitled Bing Bing Bong Bong Bing Bing Bing about The Donald’s Hollywood star.
Buy book here
Tonight.
Making it Down Under.
On RTE One at 8.30pm.
Gareth Naughton writes:
On tonight’s episode viewers meet Rosie Nolan, a Waterford woman working in the Australian police force who is also a mum of seven.
Rosie (27) travelled to Australia at the age of 18, having had her application to join the Gardaí turned down with the advice to go and get some life experience before trying again later.
She arrived in Australia as a backpacker, eventually joined the Brisbane Police and never looked back. Nine years later, she has seven children and lives happily in the suburbs with her wife Natasha.
A corrupt cop attempts to make it up to his victim.
Which raises the question: can all wrongs be righted?
60 Second Docs (new episodes Tuesdays and Thursdays)
John McGahon tweetz:
Bus load of Dundalk FC fans broke down on the motorway. Stephen Kenny & team bus pull over. “Hop on lads”.
Fair play, no need for the language, etc.
Previously: D-Day