Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005
For some time now Karlin Lillington of the Irish Times has been writing and warning about the State’s draconian data retention laws. Under this legislation the State can retain details, but not the content, of every phone, mobile and fax call for three years. The legislation was, in the best traditions of a banana republic, … Continue reading “Be very afraid”
By Anthony Sheridan For ordinary Irish citizens, corruption is a dark, malignant everyday reality that causes endless loss and suffering. The political system, the financial sector, planning, property, you name it, corruption is rampant and routine among the top tiers of Irish society. The disease does immeasurable damage to the wealth, health and … Continue reading “Kathy Sheridan: Afraid to speak truth to power?”
To my knowledge only this website and Vincent Browne in his Irish Times column (Sub Req’d) have covered the real story/scandal in the Fyffes/DCC insider dealing case. All other media outlets are merely reporting the facts with some referring briefly to the options open to Paul Appleby of the ODCE. And yet this is the … Continue reading “What is RTE afraid of?”
RTEs Today with Pat Kenny describes itself as a current affairs programme that “assesses the main news stories of the day and goes behind the headlines to bring you the very latest.” Today’s programme led with a story about a man who operated a sheebeen from his home in Limerick. Yesterday, a settlement was reached … Continue reading “Is RTE afraid to cover Fyffes/DCC story?”
By Anthony Sheridan RTE journalist and Bertie Ahern admirer Claire Byrne found herself having to deal with a very nasty situation at the weekend. The incident was so serious, so obnoxious that she felt compelled to give it top priority on her weekly current affairs show, Saturday with Claire Byrne. Never mind war, famine, … Continue reading “RTE journalist Claire Byrne brings Fine Gael TD Alan Farrell to heel”
By Anthony Sheridan Chief economist at the Institute of International and European Affairs Dan O’Brien penned the following comment in last Sunday’s Sunday Independent. The early days of the election campaign have been marked by the absence of auction politics. The comment does very serious damage to Mr. O’Brien’s credibility as a serious commentator/analyst because … Continue reading “Economist Dan O’Brien: Thinking exclusively confined within the establishment stockade”
Do you rate Enda Kenny? Yes, I think he’s done an excellent job for the country. With this short sentence Fine Gael TD Eoghan Murphy totally destroyed his credibility. Murphy was all over the media today telling us how important it was to reform the political system to protect the nation from the terrible prospect … Continue reading “Fine Gael TD Eoghan Murphy is a political coward”
During a discussion on Albert Reynolds’ legacy columnist Brenda Power told an interesting story (RTE, last item). In the late 1980s, when the country was in deep recession, then Finance Minister Reynolds was was preparing to introduce his first budget. His wife, Kathleen, suggested that he introduce a means test for Children’s Allowance as a … Continue reading “Albert Reynolds and Norma Smurfit's new shoes”
Elaine Byrne has an excellent but very disturbing article in yesterday’s Sunday Independent. She outlines the power that billionaire Denis O’Brien wields in this country and how the political system fears that power. Byrne reminds us of how Enda Kenny responded to the damning conclusions of the Moriarty Tribunal. He vowed to; Sever the links … Continue reading “The state lives in fear of Denis O'Brien”
The O’Donoghue expenses scandal was discussed recently on Today FM’s Sunday Supplement (9th August) where columnists Fiona Looney, Sarah Carey and Hugh Linehan of the Irish Times ‘enlightened’ the nation on the matter. To his credit, Hugh Linehan, got it just about right when he said that the expenses were hugely excessive and such abuses … Continue reading “A lazy, uninformed and largely captured media”