Probe finds doctors are operating price cartel

The Competition Authority is investigating doctor’s charges:

HUGE numbers of Irish doctors are operating a cartel which fixes prices for a range of their services. This is the central allegation of a major new Competition Authority (CA) investigation. And the authority has told the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) it now intends to take legal proceedings. In a letter to the IMO, the authority says the price-fixing “caused and continues to cause, significant harm to consumers”. The IMO represents approximately 6,000 doctors, including 2,000 self-employed GPs. Medical sources said that while this investigation had to do with a limited range of services, it is bound to raise questions about GP charges generally.

Ireland – The Wild West of European finance

The on-going criminal action in the US against those involved in the General Re Reinsurance fraud case continues to throw some light on the ‘Wild West’ activities of the Irish financial sector.

In Monday’s Irish Times, it was reported that General Re’s Irish subsidiary Cologne Re, was seen as an ideal location for the fraud because

Dublin “did not report to anyone” and so avoided the “North American problem” of financial regulation.”

That Ireland does not ‘suffer from the problem’ of financial regulation is becoming more obvious every day.

The reason for this is simple – The so called Irish Financial Regulator is more of a facilitator than a regulator.

For example in 2004, over two hundred cases of overcharging (theft) by financial institutions were identified. Not one of these institutions was punished in any way; they were simply asked to hand back the €60.9 million ‘overcharged’.

Incredibly, the regulator insists that it is in the public interest that the identities of these institutions remain a State secret.

In recent times, the New York Times reported that Dublin was fast becoming the “Wild West of European finance”. It’s a well deserved tag.

Law Society Ructions

Phoenix Magazine reports on consternation within the Law Society about it’s dual role as regulator and representative of solicitors interests.

The High Court challenge is against the Law Society’s complaints committee’s determination that the two solicitors charged excessive fees for processing claims by two abuse victims before the Residential Institutions Redress Board and
also against the society’ decision to investigate their conduct.

The case is regarded as a critical one in the Law Society establishment as d’Esterre Roberts is a former member of the society’s
council – he represented the Southern Law Association on council for many years – and also sat on the society’s High Court
Disciplinary Committee. That d’Esterre Roberts should now find himself charged and convicted, so to speak, by the complaints
committee is ironic, but it is also an indication of a growing tension within the Law Society itself.

Solicitors up and down the country have been muttering into their G&Ts that the society needs to decide whether it is a body
representing members or regulating them. A specific argument advanced by the two solicitors in last week’s High Court hearing
was that the society is so concerned about bad publicity that it is taking a “hard line” against its own members.

This mirrors the growing noises amongst the profession who believe that they are the butt of media and political pressure for an
independent, lay regulation of professionals. The restive solicitors are now arguing that the Law Society should be stripped entirely of its regulatory powers – which should be devolved to an independent body outside of the profession – and concentrate instead on representing and defending its members.

Director general Ken Murphy, president Michael Irvine and other leading legal eagles on the Law Society council are not likely to
lead any campaign to divest themselves of any such powers, but a caucus is forming that will lead a charge on this issue shortly.

This is in light of the recent Prime Time investigation into solicitor malpractice and incompetence in the State.

Morris reports show "endemic" failures

Ireland on Sunday carried a report yesterday that the three Morris Reports given to the Minister for Justice recently, make rather serious charges against far more than Gardai in Donegal. Apparently, and unsurprisingly to me at least, the reports may allege that corruption goes all the way to the top echelons of the Gardai.

Ireland On Sunday quotes one source who has read the three unpublished reports as saying that if the NBCI is seen to have been falsifying evidence, thousands of convictions could possibly be unsafe.

And we have yet to see the bugging mini-module report, the three reports relates to the Ardara, Burnfoot and Silver Bullet modules.

An Taisce allege political interference in West Sligo planning decision

An Taisce are not too happy in Sligo:

Major questions have been exposed on Sligo County council competence and political interference in the planning process by a refusal by An Bord Pleanala to allow a housing development go ahead in West Sligo.

That’s according to An Taisce who appealled a decision by Sligo County council to grant planning permission for a 12 house development on the N59 at Corballa.

An Bord pleanala upheld An Taisce’s appeal on the grounds that it was not happy the site would be drained satisfactorily, and that the increased traffic on the N59 would endanger public safety.

Commenting today, An Taisce spokesperson Ian Lumley said planning permission should never have been granted by Sligo county council in the first place.

He also said the vested interests of individual landowners are being put before public health and safety risks by Sligo county councillors.

Planning board’s Lough Key decision is ‘bizarre’

For once a developer says he has a problem with planning:

The developer of a proposed ecotourism project in the Lough Key forest park in Co Roscommon has described An Bord Pleanala’s decision to block the scheme as ‘‘bizarre’’.

Brian Dobbin, chief executive of the Newfound Group, said it appeared that ‘‘a small minority’’ was in control of development planning in Ireland. The group had applied for permission to build 300 holiday homes, a 100-suite hotel with spa and conference facilities, and a golf course in and around the Lough Key park.

It already operates the Humber Valley resort in Newfoundland and is building two schemes in the Caribbean. Roscommon County Council granted permission for the Lough Key scheme, but objectors – including An Taisce and the Department of the Environment – appealed to An Bord Pleanala.

Political crisis

There was widespread panic today among politicians when it was learned that a child rapist had being released from prison on foot of last week’s Supreme Court decision striking down the law on statutory rape.

The panic was not caused by the potential danger to the children of the nation but rather by Bertie Ahern’s threat to recall the Dail next week in order to pass legislation to plug this gaping hole in the law.

A spokesman for the body politic said it was outrageous that such drastic action would be considered to resolve a problem that was only brought to the attention of politicians a mere sixteen years ago.

He went on to say that recalling the Dail could have major consequences for TDs and their families. Holidays had been booked, sun tan lotion purchased and civil servants briefed on keeping constituents happy until the long, long, long weekend was over.

In any case, recalling the Dail should only be considered when something really important needs afixin. Like for example when Fianna Fail’s friend, Larry Goodman, needed help some years back to prevent his business going down the tubes.

Meanwhile, that great defender of Irish democracy, Michael (I know what I know) McDowell was busy denying any knowledge of all this unsavory business.

I know nothing, my staff knows nothing, the Attorney General knows nothing, his staff may know something but you’ll have to wait until we come back from our well deserved holidays to find out. Byeeeee

HSE contractor carried out work on senior officer’s home

No suggestion of conflict of interest, I guess it is a small country.

A Dublin building company that has won lucrative contracts from the Health Service Executive (HSE) carried out work on the house of a senior HSE officer who is involved in the tendering process.

Owenbee Services, based in Donabate, Co Dublin, carried out building work on the house of Pat Gamble, an engineering services manager with the Dublin North East division of the HSE. Gamble approved a number of health centre maintenance contracts awarded to Owenbee and Mallerwood, a firm with which Owenbee has worked on several projects.

Eamonn Ryan, a director of Owenbee, confirmed to The Sunday Business Post that his company had carried out work on Gamble’s house near Naas, Co Kildare. Gamble, speaking through a HSE spokeswoman, and Ryan both said that the full market rate was paid.

Usual idiot talk

“If the legislature here are discussing the possibility of changes in order to legalise and regularise their position, well, you know, they’re entitled to be here from that point of view. But in a strict sense, I suppose, they’re illegal,”

This is part of what the Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern said in the US recently in defence of illegal Irish immigrants in that country.
Hypocritical Irish politicians are of the opinion that the illegal Irish in America suffer more because they are unable to come home to attend Uncle Pat’s funeral or little Mary’s First Holy Communion than the average Afghan being sent back to one of the poorest and most violent countries in the world.
Speaking such idiot talk outside Ireland is not easy for Irish politicians. They are used to operating in a corrupt state where any old guff passes for intelligent analysis.

Here’s a letter from Friday’s Irish Times that gives a good idea of the respect our politicians have earned for their profession

Madam, – Dermot Ahern is beginning to speak the same incomprehensible garbage as his namesake. How can “illegal Irish immigrants” be “entitled to be in America”?

That elected representatives of this country can spout this kind of rubbish is shameful. – Yours, etc,

DERMOT SWEENEY, Viking Harbour, Dublin 8.

Cosgrave avoids jail over undeclared donation

It’s community service for Cosgrave:

A former leas-chathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann has been ordered by Judge Katherine Delahunt to perform 75 hours community service in lieu of a six months’ sentence for not declaring a £2,500 donation he received from lobbyist Frank Dunlop.

Liam Cosgrave (49), of Merrion Park, Blackrock pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to knowingly furnishing a falsified statement where he failed to declare that he had received any donation exceeding £500 between May 15th and December 31st, 1997.