where's me country?

Ireland's Media Lens?

2007-01-29T20:08:00.000Z

From mediaforum.ie comes news of an Irish experiment akin to the UK's medialens project. Mediabite has the look of 'still under construction' about it but should become an interesting place to go.

Impression is the best form of flattery?

Radio Reminder

2007-01-27T19:29:00.000Z

If your around with nothing to do listen to Newstalk's Taste programme tonight at 8:45. Ill be on reviewing tomorrow's papers.

Critical Philosophy

2007-01-26T20:22:00.000Z

In this final semester of my final year, the philosophy and politics courses are weighted toward the recent developments in philosophy etc. Which translates into lots of Derrida, Foucault, Ricouer and "radical" philosophy generally.

I have only been reading it for a week and I wonder (not originally I'm sure) why, for a philosophy of mass emancipation from power and life as a subject, it is so bloody impenetrable to the folk supposed to benefit from its very existence.

I realise that the ideas themselves are never easy as such and their power is in their popularisation by others. I am quite interested in some of these ideas and up for the read, but as a recent review of the Verso series of "Radical Philosophy" suggested, between Jargon and possible western-centric outlook it borders on inaccessible and irrelevant.

Which is a pity.

Radio Appearance

2007-01-26T15:43:00.000Z

Its getting regular now!! On Newstalk tomorrow on Taste with Fionn Davenport looking at Sunday's front pages. Check it out from 8:45

New Look

2007-01-25T18:50:00.000Z

The new look is done, thanks the Philip Pankov for the beautful picture. Check his blog out as well as his pictures.

Radio Appearance

2007-01-19T22:10:00.000Z

I'm due to be on the Wide Angle tomorrow morning on Newstalk. I'll be discussing the politics of the week at around 9:15 with other savoury characters.

Listen live from a Newstalk website.

Shut it you slag

2007-01-19T03:40:00.000Z

If you havent met them, they are possibly the funniest comedy going. Get it.

Rely on the Youth

2007-01-02T04:28:00.000Z

Twice this week, it has been driven home to me the value of trusting your youth programme to deliver the goods. Sport is about bringing new talent to the top as much as buying up others top talent and for two massively diverse reasons Munster and Newcastle have done that.

The former, through the pride and confidence of Munster Rugby, has relied on a few new local lads to work out results against Leinster and Connacht. Hurley, Coughlan and (arguably) Manning have show the quality that can be bestowed on a youth system by simply trusting it. Give the young lads the confidence of a team and managers belief and watch the world fall at their feet. I've taken the squids advice and herself (biggest fan I know) has a great present all going well.

Newcastle have a whole team out through injury and the lad David Edgar has come in from the youth team as a right-footed left-back to play fantastically against the in-form winger Ronaldo and score the goal which gave us a 2-2 draw against the Reds. I would have taken it before kick off and after a disappointing Christmas programme, it was a great tonic. Roeder is doing good work with a decimated side and UEFA cup qualification is the best hope for the premiership. He has been forced to trust Huntingdon and Edgar before time (a fate which saw Chopra leave for Cardiff in the long run). Yet alongside Ramage and Taylor the boys suggest that Newcastle may enjoy in a few seasons (for the first time in a decade) a defence worthy of the name.

Youth is where teams are made. While transfers may get you a trophy, youngsters get you success.

West Ham 'Ammered

2007-01-02T04:19:00.000Z

Predictable headline of the day

Rough ol' Town

2007-01-02T03:21:00.000Z

I'm a Tralee man myself. Don't know the poor fella who got stabbed but I know the area. I have to say though that I have been travelling back and forth from Dublin to Tralee for nearly three years now thanks to UCD's fabulous Arts programme and I have felt that this place is increasingly dangerous while I haven't felt threatened in the city in ages.

It's hardly just this stretch of countryside that is feeling rougher?

Surely other country towns are becoming typified by violence. Tralee was the first town to have opening hours curtailed by the courts thanks to late-night violence. I have no idea why its happening and as time goes on I have become more distant from the place but nights out here get rougher and news stories get worse.

I am sure a long pontificating post on rural social psychology beckons but I am simply confused by the rapidly changing complexion of my (and presumably others) town as the economy continues to grow. The aggression seems to have turned much nastier. Or am I just getting older?

The Death Penalty

2006-12-31T00:22:00.000Z

I cant say I have ever been madly disposed to the death penalty, and for me the execution of Saddam represents the most extreme test of the logic of those for and against it. It should transcend the issues which divide people on the Iraq war itself, it goes beyond the questions of legality, ethics, foreign policy and any other angle that people take on the war itself.

Those are big questions, agreed, but the idea behind the death penalty is, at heart, far more important. It occurs to me that within the death penalty, we have the general capacity to wage war made particular. As a polity, we are generally seen as conferring on our states the right to wage war in our defence, as far as non-democratic regimes are concerned the lines of authority are quite short and the right to wage war is quite liberally engaged irrespective of the considerations of the wider population. So far nothing new.

Consider for a moment though, that in effect the state is given the right to kill as many (or, less often, as little) people as it sees fit in order to achieve its (or our) aims. The relationship however between the killing within the war and the legitimation that is notionally conferred on such wars is often quite blurry. Rarely are we confronted by the lost life, the relatives of the dead or the people who live through the dreadful reality of warfare (and that includes soldiers, press and officers).

The state's capacity to dispense death in a war is so broad, so general, that our legitimation of its acts rarely impacts upon us as an act we have sanctioned. Rather it comes to be seen as an inevitable act, in which we merely have observer status. There are surely deep psychological tomes on whether this is a necessary response to the gruesome reality of death or, perhaps more likely, the accurate grasp of reality.

The core point remains however that the right to wage war passes from the multitude to the elite in such a fashion that the multitude feel almost no involvement in decisions resulting in war and death. The diversity of casualties and the gravity of war makes it the most contentious thing a democracy can consider engaging in. Yet at the same time it is wrapped in concepts so abstract and practices so general that the translation between the field of battle (be it a city, plain or village) and the people can often break down. The whole thing is simply too big.

Yet in the death penalty, the difficulty which surrounds the whole notion of war is neatly transcended thanks to a number of key issues. Foremost among them is the fact that only one is intended to die. In this we now put a face on that which we are allowing the state to destroy. It is impossible to "know" Iraq in any personal sense, it is an entity comprised of a network of people, acts, institutions, cultures etc, yet we may know Saddam. (At this point I want to make clear I'm not defending him, just exploring the issue)

Here is where we employ all of the ideas of 'other-ness' and empathy for which human nature is so rightly famed. Within this situation we have distilled the states right to wage death away from the general, unknowable realm of complex entities such as nation-states, to a person. We are not here dealing with the issue of bombing a whole country but of putting a person to death and for that it is almost as powerful an idea.

The one who stands before an executioner faces a states power as much as the person caught in a missile attack. It has been decided that today is their day to die and it is has notionally been our function to sanction this. We have done so broadly, committing to the idea. In the case of war it is rare that the idea becomes flesh to any full extent. There are snatches of personality, snatches of stories but almost as a rule, war remains abstract and general. It is discussed in general terms with general words and the rare penetration of personhood.

The complete opposite is the case in the death penalty. The state has the power to institute death, that much is the same, yet the one who dies is the specific. The particular. The idea of sanctioning death has been brought before us in the flesh and blood of the one who will die.

We do not spend every waking minute thinking of how right it is for a state to kill, yet at any given moment there is likely to be a war somewhere (and you can be guaranteed that the majority of people living there don't want it). The death penalty has that capacity to slam full force into our consciousness like no other issue. It has the power to make us ask, how and why we allow the state a right to kill.

While it is a stretch to begin to extrapolate from an aversion to the death penalty to an aversion to war, one must consider the value to a government of the consistent right to kill in general and particular. A state will reserve the right to be consistent so as to make the jump from killing one to killing many all the more easier. Societies 'softened' by post-war social-liberalism are likely to be squeamish about the paradox of sanctioning general killing while banning particular killing. Perhaps it is one reason why the US views Europe as unreliable in these matters.

The death penalty has the power to distil all of the elements which are present in war-making into a manageable scenario for humans. In this it is exceptional and instructive. It makes us think whether we will sanction this particular death, whether it is in agreement with our moral, social or religious principles but it also sets a precedent upon which a drive to war draws.

I had hoped to arrive at a conclusion somewhere about here, however all I can do is think that perhaps the death penalty is a necessity if a society is to go to war, the logical consistency makes the whole process easier. The whole idea of the death penalty though, I find abhorrent.

Reading Contemporary Books

2006-12-14T00:53:00.000Z

I am planning on doing one of the reviews for Donagh, but I too struggle to recall the books read this year printed in recent times. As soon as exams finish I cant wait to read something contemporary.

If any family are reading this, the Cedar Lounge has a wonderful list of items to choose from.

Everyone's Doing the Oxfam Thing

2006-12-07T23:17:00.000Z

(As noted elsewhere) They have done a viral marketing video for their shop. It might not be viral but it's a good idea.

Categories: Oxfam, Shop, Christmas, Youtube

Theme In Progress

2006-12-07T22:08:00.000Z

Updating the theme, any major bugs let me know.

Like Returning from a Long Journey

2006-12-07T21:28:00.000Z

I arrive home again. You'll no doubt have noticed this place is up on blocks, can't be helped, and that my contributions to irishelection are of the negligible kind.

I reckon its time to dust this place down since studying for finals is driving me mad. My brain is just about melted and I haven't even begun to get rid of my own mind yet. For all of you deeply concerned at my absence from here, study is going ok. I finished lectures on friday, have two weeks to my first exam (3 in total-all in politics).

Looking forward to some sleep.

This place is likely to become a small respository of thoughts and rantings over the coming months, hopefully I can keep it off mothballs for a while.

ALSO, thanks to Philip for the use of the above photo, I promise to fix the lettering soon.

Categories: Return, UCD, Politics, Study, Photographs

On the Radio

2006-11-18T17:59:00.000Z

Tonight at around 8:45 on Newstalk reviewing tomorrow's papers.

Iraq Inquiry

2006-11-01T12:31:00.000Z

The want an inquiry into Iraq, let me just save them a little bit of effort.

"The high commanders, drawn from the aristocracy could never prepare for modern war. The have always clung to obsolete methods and weapons because they inevitably saw each war as a repetition of the last. Before the Boer war they prepared for the Zulu war, before 1914 for the Boer war and before our present war for 1914. Event at this moment, hundreds of thousands of english men are being trained with a bayonet, a weapon entirely useless except for opening tins"
George Orwell, The Lion and the Unicorn, 1941.

One could fairly suspect little has changed and that the US could be just as bad.

What Can Bloggers Do?

2006-10-09T23:37:00.000+01:00

Damien has responded to my own post at irishelection.com, I like the idea of getting Damien Blake to number one on Google for Fianna Fail, we ought try that. Or the Disillusioned Lefties to number one for the Progressive Democrats. He also has some great ideas for what we can do, and I'll be honest I am only now beginning to realise that bloggers can, and most likely will, have some impact on the next election (although quantifying the impact is not really possible at this stage).

Here are some of my own ideas and I would like others to weigh in here, what if anything, can the actions we prosecute here achieve? Personally I see two levels at which Irish blogging should operate, transparent journalism-reportage of bias and with a point of view. We have opinions and we believe in certain things, our strength is wearing this on our sleeves. We can autocritique reporting because we know things. Blogs are tool for transparency which anyone can use. And the fact-checking element of blogs is something key. I think we are hampered here by two things;

1) There is a great deal of recent data online relating to Irish politics and affairs, but a dearth exists on historical material (unlike the US for example). This hampers some attempts at information gathering.

2) Second is broadband rollout, this affects consumption and participation with blogs and we ought recall what Richard Delevan told us on Saturday-broadband corrodes everything it touches. It can mobilise that critical mass required to garner momentum and strip away the sclerosis of old politics, making both old and new mobile and responsive.

There is a lot of interest (on my end and on the part of politicians) in live blogging. Following them around for a day may not seem all that fun but liveblogging the day brings to light what is truly being said on the doorstep and as Damien points out, we get to assess the time-poverty of politicians. I think it offers huge scope for all of our bloggers in all parts of the country.

What use can organised parties make of this? Is there a Howard Dein out their waiting to mobilise an entire party behind one or other cause? I dont doubt there is a few. Its more than intention though, he has to have luck and timing. The best response in this country has clearly been from Labour (close call with the Greens also good) though that could all change if the other parties got their act together. None have truly gotten on the bandwagon full-time. PDs are badly advised to consider this a waste of time, unless they are deliberately fostering that image of aloofness from the ~~heaving masses~~ body politik.

Categories: Blogging, Irishblogcon, Politics, Irishpolitics

The All Ireland. Another Kerry Victory

2006-09-17T22:49:00.000+01:00

Hur...Hic...Hurrah

Roy Keane - New Sunderland Manager?

2006-08-23T21:29:00.000+01:00

So sayeth the ever crap Rob Macafferty on Sky Sports.

And the excellent F365 Forummers, any chance of the ol Mackems singing "who was Mick McCarthy"? Just for the irony?

Didnt read the book, sure I remember him slagging Quinn off though

Categories: Roy, Keane, Soccer, Sunderland, Mackems

Wagging The Dog

2006-07-31T23:06:00.000+01:00

New blog on the block-not another politics blog!!!

I want to Write About the Leb

2006-07-30T17:36:00.000+01:00

I really do. Every night the heart and soul is getting ripped out of the middle east. Last night raises the horrors of past atrocities in Lebanon. We are seeing dangerous willingness to use massive, devastating force against civilians. Innocent women children and men. I refuse to accept that their proximity geographically to Hezbollah makes them in some way complicit. That was the same argument that the black and tans used to terrorise this countryside.

I, like others, want to link to the pictures of children being carried out of their homes, their beds. The last image of a life that has been snuffed out. I cant do it. Their deaths stand as testimony to the worst excesses of war. The complete destruction of the human spirit which occurs in both the victims and the soldiers. Human nature is completely deformed by violence.

Its madness, its criminal and it has to stop.

That we need more violence to ensure a "lasting peace" is both an abuse of logic, morality and language. You need peace to have lasting peace.

I was kindly quoted earlier for a point I want to reiterate over and over;

I think the following from the Beirut Daily Star should be borne in mind by everyone who is watching in horror the unfolding attacks on the civilians in Lebanon.

Lebanese civilians, who have absolutely no control over the events that are unfolding, and who once again find themselves in the eye of the storm, are now bracing for the very worst. Their darkest fear is that as they helplessly repeat the act of watching history unfold on their land, this time the promise of Lebanon’s resurrection will itself become history.

The soldiers have been taken by Hamas and Hizbollah. Now it is the citizens of both countries that are paying the price. Collective punishment is illegal under Geneva Conventions. In refusing to accept the premise that by simply being lebanese or palestinian one is a terrorist, we must accept that the path to peace lies nowhere near the escalation of violence.

Categories: Lebanon, Israel, Hezbollah, Qana

Question for the Arty Bloggers: Cultural Consumption

2006-07-14T23:11:00.000+01:00

Sounds like Im about to get arty and intellectual, well its a challenge to the genuine culture vultures of this blogosphere. Is culture consumed? Or is it existed. Personally I hate the notion of cultural consumption, as if it is some static bought-off-the-shelf commodity rather than the historical emergence of people, ideas, materials, life and contingency.

To all bloggers with an interest in culture etc (not just the ones above since they fit the number of words) I am challenging you serious types to give me a better answer.

EDIT: To satiate your curiosity, its inspired by the blurb for this article at opendemocracy.

Categories: Culture, Consumption, Ideas

Lebanon and Palestine

2006-07-13T14:22:00.000+01:00

I think the following from the Beirut Daily Star should be borne in mind by everyone who is watching in horror the unfolding attacks on the civilians in Lebanon.

Lebanese civilians, who have absolutely no control over the events that are unfolding, and who once again find themselves in the eye of the storm, are now bracing for the very worst. Their darkest fear is that as they helplessly repeat the act of watching history unfold on their land, this time the promise of Lebanon's resurrection will itself become history.

The soldiers have been taken by Hamas and Hizbollah. Now it is the citizens of both countries that are paying the price. Collective punishment is illegal under Geneva Conventions. In refusing to accept the premise that by simply being lebanese or palestinian one is a terrorist, we must accept that the path to peace lies nowhere near the escalation of violence.

Thoughts too with MacDara in the Leb.

This Deliberative Democracy Lark

2006-07-09T02:41:00.000+01:00

A while back I spent some time writing about deliberative democracy. A lot of what i was writing was prompted by the work of James Fishkin. The FT Magazine had a piece on his work bringing democracy back to the people and decentralising it in a meaningful and effective way today. If your not familiar with his work or notions of democracy beyond voting give it a go.

Im hoping for a longer post later on how we might use it in Ireland. Promises promises.

Categories: Deliberation, Politics, Democracy, Fishkin

Voter Worries in Mexico

2006-07-08T14:19:00.000+01:00

Greg Palast, of "The Best Democracy Money Can Buy" fame, uncovers worrying simlarities between Florida in 2000 and Mexico in the past week. Apparantly there is evidence of similar methods as were used in Florida to remove voters of certain class and background from the voter lists.

In a country with a history of 70-year one party rule and people who are capable of committing voter fraud to take power it is worrying that this should emerge in the only the second open contest for president. However Palast's uncovering of evidence of Washington involvement in the election in Mexico makes this seems a little more sinister that old elements of Mexico's ruling elite trying to secure power.

While it is still a little early to begin point fingers at Washington, this is definitely space to be watched.

Jeb's winning scrub list was the creation of a private firm, ChoicePoint of Alpharetta, Georgia. Now, it seems, ChoicePoint is back in the voter list business - in Mexico - at the direction of the Bush government.

As we found in Florida in 2000, my investigations team on the ground in Mexico City this week found voters in poor neighbourhoods, the left's turf, complaining that their names were "disappeared" from the voter rolls. ChoicePoint can't know what use the Bush crew makes of its lists. But erased registrations require us to ask, before this vote is certified, was there a purge as there was in Florida?

Notably, ruling party operatives carried registration lists normally in the hands of elections officials only.

There are signs of Washington's meddling in its neighbour's election. The International Republican Institute, an arm of Bush's party apparatus funded by the US government, admits to providing tactical training for Pan. Did Pan also make use of the purloined citizen files? (US contractor ChoicePoint, its Mexican agents facing arrest for taking the data, denied wrongdoing and vowed to destroy its copies of the lists. But what of Mr Bush's copy?)

Read the whole piece. While there is unease within the left over how to approach the USA, there is no way in the world anyone who is a supporter of democacy will support a foreign country helping incumbents to scrub those names who so desperately need to speak and be heard from the list of those eligible to vote.

There is another irony in this. Inequality in mexico is widely reported as among the worst in the world. While it may make sense in the short term to Mexico's ruling elite and the economic and political interests of the USA to support the elite over the increasing number of volatile anti-USA leftist candidates, supressing the voices of the poor in Mexico's slums only places a lid on a pressure cooker of resentment. Politics and democracy is about the betterment of a society through collective decision making. If the sizeable chunk of the poor who need the state to put in place the mechanisms to lift them out of poverty (and not simply build a conveyor belt to cheap unprocted work in the states) do not get heard then the anger in their number will only grow.

Protecting power and privelege will only work in the short term and with those on the ground being told that they just participated in free and open elections when they know that they were denied democratic existence and parity with rich voters, the only result will be revolt. Then we will see outpourings of opinion condemning the overturning of a democratic government which was never actually elected.

EDIT: Helpful piece from opendemocracy

Categories: Mexico, USA, Politics, Power, Left

The Cost of Corruption

2006-06-29T20:55:00.000+01:00

Frank at Internet Commentator was moved to respond to my earlier post about the manner in which West Dublin like other communities around the country were failed by the eighties. Frank takes issue with the causal relation between the corruption and the estates that were thrown up around the country. Perhaps I mis-represented my point slightly but I certainly do not hold that at the core, developers greed and action is sufficient to explain the outcome.

The role of the developer is explicit-to build and sell as many units as they possibly can. In that regards, land which is set aside for schooling, parks, amenities and community centres hurts the overall margin. It damages to profitability of the project and as a result is something the developer may not want. The only way to compensate for the lost land is to up the price of the remaining units, you are paying for services and the developer retains his profit.

Yet throughout the eighties there wasn't a great deal of money sloshing about the place. Not everybody could afford the added cost of better communities which had been future proofed against social decay. Since then the areas of deprivation have been precisely these areas of the country. There has not been the economic success there on the scale seen in other parts of Dublin and Ireland. The celtic tiger has passed by. There are many reasons for this but one must surely be the lack of coherent planning which would equip the large numbers of people moving into the estates to succeed in the future. No means of economic enhancement only insured that the lack of power to influence the market only continued.

While it may have been in the interest of individuals and communities to have provisions in place before the areas got flooded with cul-de-sacs and endless houses, they didnt have the purchasing power to effectively change the market. So they instead had to go with what was affordable in the short term. Here is where our other side of the coin comes in. Representatives of the public are elected to act in the public interest. At a local level the politicians are responsible for planning and development. What took place under the regimes of the eighties was a clear attempt to peddle influence and decisions for cash. The public representative had the power to place the onus on the developer to build amenities which future proof communties and prevent social disintegration.

A planners job is planning, their job is to expect hte huge population expansion that comes with cementing over most of West Dublin and to put in place plans and regulations which make this process as smooth as possible, not for the market but for the individuals who in ten or twenty years time will be living in the area with children and grandchildren. It goes without saying that in a high-density area the major issues will be crime and services. What was done (and as I mentioned earlier this is observation from the car window so do correct me if I am wrong) was that many thousands of houses were built which rested on a small central village to support community needs-the village was not reinforced or strengthed to cope with the demands of the exponential explosion in numbers.

The developer bought himself the rights to do as he wished with large tracts of the country. They did so becuase there was no other way to get things done. The cost of corruption is that it failed the communities of Ireland which elected officials to look after them. It goes on costing the state, the economy and most importantly the groups who live there.

When I argued that whatever was achieved in the areas around the country that were thrown up and then ring-fenced was done in spite of the political/developer class I did so with both parties culpable. Indeed if anything politics is more culpable. The developer has one agenda which we are all aware of. The politician is a person elected to counter the worst indulgences of developers desire for profit and think about the community needs.

Gavin's response to the market-emphasis of Franks post says it well "Did Korean people demand super fast broadband and then benefit from it, or did the government see the benefits in advance and force it on a market that did not see the potential positive future effects on the economy?" Similarly is it really the case that because those who moved into these areas didnt-or couldnt- demand amenities and services to be provided the fault lies elsewhere? I dont think so, we were failed by a political and developer class who walked all over the rights of the public. The politicians sold their public up the swanny. The developers built the boat.

Failed by The Eighties

2006-06-20T14:25:00.000+01:00

I was luck enough to drive through Clondalkin, Ballyfermot and Lucan yesterday. Lucky because it served to remind me that no matter how hard FF and the media soldiers try to deny it, Haughey and his clan on the Dublin councils sold families up the swanny. Im not going to patronise commuunities with their own social fabric and stories by pretending to know the whole area from a window of a car but even a cursory glance shows that whatever the people of these areas have achieved it was done without any help from CJ Haughey.

When the developers got their hands on West Dublin up went the endless acres of houses, nominal services were put into the areas. Small central villages were supposed to support huge numbers of people. The developers cared not one wit, nor the councillors who operated so cosily with them. Many may tire of hearing Joe Higgins (and Ciaran Cuffe alluded to it in an inteview for us here) over recent days lament how it was CJ and his FF proxies on the councils that sold his constituents up the swanny but forget it we shouldnt. Some of these communities have been handily removed from the eye of your average commuter. The Chapelizod bypass, Naas Road, N4 and M50 all take traffic away from these areas, gently suppressing them out of sight and out of mind.

That drive reminded me that throughout the reign of the developer and their friends, a reign not yet over, the lives of families were cast aside. The needs of a community replaced by inaction and greed on the political prioity list. We trust these people to deliver the basic needs of a community and instead they construct areas which provide barriers to social progress. These parts of Dublin and their corresponding areas around Ireland have bred scenes of desperate inequality and poverty (true often accompanied by crime, agression and anti-social behaviour alongwith it). Erected endless barriers to success for those who live there. Of course progress has been made in all of these areas. Local groups and community activists have invested time and energy to helping improve things on the ground. My sole point is that all that improvement came in spite of the actions of the politican/developer class not because of it. And who was it that was king of the hill?

Government Fails to Support Calls for Universal Broadband Provision

2006-06-18T01:43:00.000+01:00

Not sure if this missive from the desk of Labour's press office get mentioned online or in the press but is seems that our dearest government are reluctant to make amends for the whoring off of Eircom and support a European provision for the universal provision of broadband services*.

Some quotes from the press release;

"Last year the European Commission issued a proposal on extending the USO to include broadband internet services. Under the USO basic fixed line telephone services are available at an affordable price to all citizens. There is also a postal USO where all households and businesses are entitled to a postal delivery on every working day.
...
However information released yesterday to my colleague Proinsais De Rossa MEP from the European Commissioner Viviane Reding, indicated that the Government failed to make any submission on the development of a broadband USO. Rather they subsequently supported a decision on foot of this consultation process to exclude broadband internet services and mobile telephony services from the scope of universal service."

All bloggers and many more besides have their Eircom horror stories. The company has a terrible, and deserved, reputation for service issues and general couldnt be arsedness about the rollout of anything above telephony. Of course they are more than willing to drag proposals to unbundle the last mile-one of their few remaining assets (thanks Tony & Co.)-through the courts to delay the prospect of letting semi-decent company deal with the issues. The selling of the company with no provision for state/social input into the direction of telephony services in the state was a terrible error but one which could have been avoided. It was folly and shortsighted to fob it off.

If someone was going to run a company into the ground, cease the rollout of decent services and treat the customers like shit, while all the time stripping assets and burdening the company with mind-boggling debt and running off with the profit, why couldnt it be the state? At least the pension fund would be healthy.

Instead of atoning for and admitting the mistake, Dempsey true to character perseveres in stubborn intransigence. Wonderful.

* Which of course strips open that EU dilemma, it has the ability to parachute good law over shit government but also stands to parachute bad law over our will.

UPDATE: Thanks to Damien Mulley in the comments for pointing out that Labour didnt make any submission to the Commission on this proposal either. Glasshouses?

Categories: Irishpolitics, Government, Europe, Broadband

Haughey Wasnt God

2006-06-18T00:44:00.000+01:00

In a shock break with the aura surrounding the funeral of CJ Haughey, the church-of-those-who-seek-to-recall-the-utter-shite-of-the-eighties-and-the-lies-CJ-fed-the-irish-people was moved to release a statement which reiterated that CJ was not God. With the impression coming from most fawning media quarters and the speeches being trotted out by government for the recent days that not alone did Haughey's shit not smell but that he didnt shit at all they felt the need to inject some reality into the piece.

A bit harsh, you say. Nonsense. Gavin has it spot on. The agenda here is a happy coincidence of media and government interest. Its mid-june and there is nothing happening for the media to turn into a sound bite. On the comedown from the A Case fallout they are looking for a quick fix. Haughey's legacy is the story which will run and run for as long as is desired and can be pounced upon with a minimum of forethought and consideration. That clear and present need coincides with ongoing goverment attempts to rehabilitate Haughey's career into the shining path of leaders.

Haughey respected public institutions? What about obstructing McCraken?
He served the people? When it suited.
Haughey was not satan, nor was he God.

He was a man who sought to pursue his own agenda and his own interest. He was ruthless when crossed and had incredible skill in legislating. He was a mixed bag motivated by personal advancement. He did good and he did bad. This whitewash swinging to nice-guy-charlie gently poking us into prosperity, leading the backward into the light and (were are never allowed to forget) giving free travel to pensioners belittles us more than Charlie could ever be accused of.

He was a man of great charisma with a liking for gettting is own way. He did what he needed to get his own way. They know it, no more of that.

Irishelection
Categories: Haughey, Irishpolitics, God

The Man, The Legend

2006-06-14T01:44:00.000+01:00

CJ has died and it seems that the startin gun has been fired in deciding on what he contributed to the state. Its as if his death is the cue needed for historians to begin analysing and surmising on the events of the eighties. Honestly, Charlies legacy has been picked over numerous times and unless (considering the whole death-libel relationship) something major crops up in the coming days there will only be the continuing tussle between those who see him as a demi-god and those who see him as a crook.

Haughey's career hasnt been fully put to bed but its not as if we have only got round to looking at his impact now because he is dead. There are historians who recognise that Haughey contributed by tightening belts, others who point to the fact that three elections and budget give-aways in the early eighties got us there in the first place and then some reports which suggest that he was less than kosher. The truth is a mixture of all three and its been thought about and opined on for ages. Contrary to what RTE, TV3, Matt Cooper and others might chat about there isnt much of his historical legacy left to fight over.

The final thing thats a bit of a pain in the knackers is that phrase-"His legacy? It will be to history to decide.". Well actually it wont. History isnt actually a person, much less a unified entity. It cant decide on many things. History will be the ongoing argument between those who look at the economics and those who point to the corruption and controversy. Like most events, history will have no homogenous uniform verdict on our former Taoiseach and saying he will is simply copping out cos you wasted your 3-odd minute report on clips of Haughey citing Othello and getting booed in Dublin Castle.

Like Iraq history will not vindicate. It is in no position to vindicate it will reflect conflict among those who report and opine on history who gather facts and counter-facts. It would of course be nice if that ideal that transcendent histroy descended from the clouds to impart on us simple Irish people the wisdom of the unified truth of the legacy of Charlie Haughey but it wont happen. It cant happen. History is a beautiful conflct of fact and philosophy.

its an attempt to grapple with facts as we find them, discern the nature of causality that has led us to where we are right now and then to arbitrate either morally, rationally or coldly on the event. Its all the more powerful for its humanity.

That aside overwith, I just wanted to make clear that before the media begin to congratulate themselves on letting history decide or on deciphering the code of Haughey's legacy they neednt bother with that or the glib pretence that they are doing that and not just filling airtime with peopel who remember the former Taoiseach in different ways.

The Conservative Nanny State

2006-06-14T01:26:00.000+01:00

Found this at the CEPR and about to get stuck into it, a free e-book by Dean Baker "The Conservative Nanny State".

I wont bore you with the blurb or recommend it till Ive finished reading it.

Heineken Cup Pictures

2006-06-08T11:42:00.001+01:00

I mentioned earlier that I was lucky enough to meet the holy grail as it descended to Tralee for the afternoon, finally got the photographs off the mobile and onto flickr. Here are a few of them.

Unsurprisingly people were going to great lengths to get a paw on the cup.

The Grail Itself, In the Provence where it belongs

John O Sullivan, Barry Murphy and Stephen Keogh, nice guys.

Ligind

Heineken Cup Pictures

2006-06-08T11:42:00.000+01:00

Talking With Iran Is a Good Thing

2006-06-01T12:16:00.000+01:00

The US Adminstration has begun to move toward the possibility of talks with Iran's government over the issue of nuclear production. This is and can only be a good thing. The US is the worlds most powerful state, militarily and economically. While the west and the world undoubtedly has an issue with Iran possessing nuclear weapons, very few of us are equipped to bring about, on an international stage, any form of peaceful resolution to this issue.

There have been numerous fears that the war drums were being beaten and a path being trodden to Tehran, where a bloodbath would ensue and possible set the course for history in the embryonic century which we are living in. That possibility has been lessened but not done away with.

The United State is an entity of love and hate but no matter what on a cool rational appraisal it is a state, the state, with power in the global system. If it is threatening force with a state, one would expect there to be some dialogue before such an ultimatum is acted upon. The move to talk carries strings of course but the prospect for the Iranians of the first official discussion with the US since the Embassy siege should serve as incentive enough to comply with the demands liad down.

Personally I dont think this is the time to revel in the notion of the US getting taken down a peg or two but a time to revel in the possibility that the march to war has taken a detour through reason. The US is the most powerful state in the world and it is clear that only with the US operating at the top table could the EU3 and Russia achieve any progress of note. This move presents an opportunity for opening up a path to peace across the broader middle east also, should both the US and Iran put in place the background which is condusive to positive dialogue and engagement.

And on The Seventh Day

2006-05-30T01:41:00.000+01:00

The clouds parted and so descended from the heavens a most majestic beast. The sky filled with light over the small confines of the rugby club. A great hand lowered into the realm of men. Finally after years of waiting a great wait was to be completed. His great hand lowered toward the realm of mere mortals, in it was the holy grail.
Would you believe he has a Tralee accent and the Holy Grail is not some dodgy bird but actually the Heineken Cup.
"Alryt boys, heres the cup like and a few players too." Nice one.

Spent yesterday in the company of the Grail which was escorted to Tralee by Barry Murphy. Fun was had and pictures taken on a phone which doesnt like my computer. If i ever figure out how to get the bloody things on to my laptop you are all gonna see them. Until then my heart and soul are still aglow at having been in the presence of something so special. C'Mon Munster.

Hello And Welcome Back

2006-05-24T21:08:00.000+01:00

The eagle eyed among you may have noticed that ive been finished since yesterday, I am free of the beast for another year. My plan for saturday worked a treat. 4 essays in 1:15 arrived into the pub at 3:20 to catch Stringer going over for the try. Given that it was ballsbridge the place was thronged with red jerserys and limerick accents. It was like a slice of home.

There wasnt a dry eye in the house at full time and rightly so. The passion, determination and mental strength that pulled this team through coupled with the almost supernatural link with the following are rarified aspects of sport in this age. We were both honoured and privelaged to see the men from Munster reach the highest point of their careers in an almost karmic manner. Returning to Cardiff was about exorcising demons and proving that this team was not built from passion alone but from the very stuff of legendary rugby sides. The professionalism and talent that coursed through that side, even the underrated backline, are the difference between the Leicester final and last Saturday.

Monday mornings exam passed thankfully and I returned to my bed. Tuesday's exam too was fine and Im confident that my August is free. But my weekend belongs to the boys in red. Thank you lads, though you dont read me probably, for the most emotional years of sport and I hope its not over. Personally I feel there is a Phil Mickelson in this team where once the duck is broken there are three or four majors in them. They now know how to finish the deal, the experience of getting to the top and earning every single inch will stand to them.

The development players are coming along well, Murphy (though injured) Dowling, Manning and the two lads off to Leinster are all in the squad on development contracts. Add to Saturdays team the following factors- a fully fit Marcus Horan, fully fit Paul O Connell, Alan Quinlan, possibly Cullen if they renew the contract, fully fit John Kelly, Murphy and Chris Wyatt from Wales. Youll excuse me if I think the future has a bit more red in it.

And if I'm right, it wont be long before the munster bloggers come together and sing the online praises of the boys in red. Stand Up and Fight? More like Come and Get Us!

Ahern Supports One China Policy

2006-05-20T12:16:00.000+01:00

Its not often I get to bring the issue up on this blog, but today's Irish Times reports that Dermot Ahern has given assurances to China that it will oppose Taiwan's application for observer status at the World Health Assembly. The Chinese regulalrly stipulate that recognition of Taiwan is off the agenda in order to do business with China. This stems from the time of the cultural revolution when the Chinese KMT Nationalists went into exile o the island. Taiwan was claimed by the KMT (in contravention of the rights of native inhabitants) as the true Republic of China, independent of the mainland. China however has always seen Taiwan as a renegade provence and done all that it can to limit sovereign expansion of the state.

The USA has traditionally acted as guarantor of the sovereignty of Taiwan with a series of US Army bases on the island, one of which I happened to reside in for a while. The military infrastructure in Taiwan defies belief. Rumours abound of the degree to which Beijing has plans for invasion. Missiles aimed at strategic targets and areas of northern China reconstructed to exactly resemble bases, cities and towns in Taiwan. Its a surreal scenario, especially when one considers that on the ground the people of Taiwan and China are inexorably linked economically.

Since the mid-90s Taiwan has experienced boom-time and been forced to move up the value chain. Factories have been moved across the straight and into mainland China. Taiwanese factory owners maintain R&D bases on the island while taking advantage of the production environment on the mainland. So despite governmental differences, the people on the ground are pragmatic as ever. Until the KMT got kicked out of office and President Chen began making independence noises. Disrupting the status quo was perhaps not the best idea. However it is guarantees of security from the United States, a position I fully support, that keeps Mr Chen from triggering a cross-straits war.

Ill be honest, I think that Ahern's slavish utterings in the Irish Times represent the worst of all possible worlds. China and Taiwan are not "one China". Taiwan has worked itself into a position of relative prosperity. Its social protection is impeccible, its community spirit is inspirational and its smoggy, grey skies stand as a great reminder to how hard it is on the environment and intensive on capital it is to drag countries up by their bootlaces. All that has been achieved is done against the constant background of Chinese intervention. Its is a non entity, dressed in the names of Chinese Taipei and Seperate Customs Territory of Taiwan. Yet it exists, its people exist and Taiwan is a country rightly proud of its achievements.

George Bush is unlikely to be allowed get too cosy with China and it seems unlikely that Congress will support a draw down of American positions in Taiwan for reasons of Taiwanese sovereignty and American strategic interest.

Ireland is a country that ought empathise with Taiwan, open economy, intensive growth, standing in the shadow of colonial masters, proud of their democracy. Yet instead this government has sided with a Chinese obsession of defining Taiwan back into the mainland. Such a policy is in contravention of notions of self-determination and sovereignty. We are simply standing by so as to line our own pockets.

I have lived in China and it is indeed an amazing place, the people are amazing and the unfolding story there is nothing our wetern paradigm could ever hope to comprehend. Yet Taiwan and China are different in kind. Taiwan is an ever developing democracy an intelligent and unique part of the world. Ireland should have more respect for this country and not cowtow to a one China policy.

Im not arguing that this turn into an either your with us or against us issue, certainly there is room within an international community for criticism of the ongoing shoehorning of Taiwan into the PRC. The state is entitled to its own status and its own place at the international table. There is not one China, there is hte PRC and ROC. Ireland can and should happily work with both and lead calls within the International community for the false dichotomy of either or to be dropped. Ahern's willingness to disregard the status of the Taiwanese is a disgrace to Irish sense of solidarity and a disgraceful bout of self-interest. Self interest which in this case can happily live alongside concerns for recognition of the freedom, independence and equality of the Taiwanese people and its democratically elected government.

Some random thoughts im afraid, exam nerves preculde me from making too much sense.

Categories: Taiwan, China, Ireland, Diplomacy

C'Mon Munster

2006-05-20T10:45:00.000+01:00

Stand up and fight. Ive got a knot in my belly and study is rapidly becoming a futile exercise. For my readers in Cardiff, it seems that you are to be treated to the joys of the Evening Echo over there tonight, with a full match report and all.

I wonder if TCH paid for the lad who shout EEECHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOO on Patrick Street to go over aswell, feel just like home then.

Ends Not Means

2006-05-19T21:28:00.000+01:00

An interesting post from Michael White at the Guardian blog, his general assertion regards the treatment of individuals in society. Discussing the coverage of murders of young boys from ethnic backgrounds, he notes the decline of stereotypical reactions and the emergence of seeing people as individual.

Does the public reaction in the Prince case matter ? Yes, just as it did in the cases of Damiola Taylor and, belatedly, Stephen Lawrence, who was eight days older than one of my own sons. The killing of Christopher Alaneme, murdered in Sheerness, aroused much sympathy. The more we see other people as real people, rather than stereotypes, the more our common humanity can assert itself.

Its an interesting notion he is tapping into there, particularly in terms of political and social theory. One of the forms of Kant's categorical imperative being "that we should treat people as means rather than ends" suggests that the notion of cosmopolitanism is alive and well. I wonder though, in light of the Afghan protests in our own fair land and the general politics of immigration and identity how much there has been a shift toward the intuition of people in our polity as ends, as beings in themselves, people of awareness, consciousness full of experience.

Clearly White's thesis has an element of idealism to it, what he seeks to posit is a vision of a global polity, where we come to see others not as extentions of a discreet homogenous entity (Asian, Muslim, French etc.), but as an individual. Like most idealist exhortations it has two readings, as a literal end to be achieved or as a point of criticism representing the possible condition of society and using that to critique what currently exists.

On the first reading, it is hopelessly early to begin to assume that because the media generated an outcry over the murders of Damilola Taylor and others that society en masse has generated a mentality of openness to otherness. That the rage of the London Evening Standard and others has begun a reaction in the wider public to come toward the Kantian ideal. I am sceptical of the degree to which media lead opinion (and am of the opinion that the ones run for profit tend to follow it). It is neither in the presses interest nor other interests that members of society come to see potential others, potential differents, as beings in themselves, beings of history and story and behind it all individuals.

Such a shift in mindset would see the natural degeneration of nationalist politics in that the exchange between the new other and the existing member of society is a two way street. Feeding into the realisation of commonality, of lack of difference comes the jettisoning of previously held convictions of my own difference, my 'irishness', my 'whiteness', my 'Europeanness'. It is difficult to sustain the suggestion that society has come to a point where this is beginning to happen from the reaction to a number of high-profile stories. Those stories were genuinely tragic, they represent a natural compassion in human beings, a natural empathy.

We are sensitive beings, capable of immense compassion toward others, the issue being that those traits require time and exposure to build up, neither of those are things society has a lot of these days. The general need for stereotypes is as a means of experience. We build up general stereotypes so as to spend less time on the engaging part of living and more on the reaction. Stereotypes help to bypass what is the ethical process of deliberation and judgement and allow for thequick determination.

As such they are indespensible to modern life. We cannot, for all of the idealism in the idea, do away with stereotypes without doing away with our models of engagement with the world. This is where the second element of the idealism is more effective. What the picture offers is an ideal from which to begin to examine our own current status. The stripping of stereotypes to make way for individual intuition and perception is indeed laudable but what are the wider conditions needed to facilitate this. Personally I doubt that more of the same from the Standard and others is sufficient to bring it about.

Could we even begin to imagine a world where our perception was consciously uncoloured by stereotypes, which render what we see dead and lifeless at the point of encounter? What would such a society look like? Those are the more interesting implications of White's short submission. While we may from time to time (as in the case of Taylor) catch a glimpse of common humanity, unity among diversity, its the exception rather than the rule.

That exception, that position of idealism is perhaps a way of engaging with what we have, exploring difference and coming to think in terms of difference and undertanding rather than sameness and utility.

That is but one interpretation of Kant's second formulation and one response, I am sure you have instantly read this and written it off, or agreed, as a stereotypical piece of _________. That is precisely the point its addressing. Socially.

Leinster Baiting

2006-05-19T17:25:00.000+01:00

Got this in the email, not sure how many of you have spotted it so here is some good old fashioned Leinster baiting;
Dear Lynnster supporter (all 16 of you),

Where to start? Ok, in no particular order then ( bit like your forwards
display ):

1. Thanks for taking out Toulouse for us - nice gesture, we really appreciate

it.

2. Love the way you and your journos raised yourselves higher than God over
the last 3 weeks - loved even more taking you back down to earth Sunday

3. Thanks for selling us most of your ticket allocation - and you were surprised

when you saw the sea of red? You just don't get it, do you?

4. Thanks for the fabulous weather on the day - perfect for Lynnsters running
game!

5. Thanks for losing by such a margin that there can be no " what if's" over

the next 100 years

6. Special thanks to Felipe for spectacularly losing the head when rattled
by Dennis

7. On behalf of my friends in St John's Ambulance, thanks for a wonderful
opportunity to put our Heimlich manoveurs to the test, although next time
could you phone in advance to specify that there will be 15 chokers, not
just the usual 2 or 3 - you nearly caught us off guard there.

8. Thanks to Girv the Swerve for recapturing his form of last 3 seasons at\n
just the opportune moment. It was a close run thing but cometh the hour,
cometh the choker......

9. Thanks to Brown Thomas for cancelling the sale - at least there were some
Lynnster supporters in their home ground for their biggest challenge ever\n
( oops, nearly forgot about Perpignan 2003 - refresh my memory, wasn\'t that
a 30 pointer as well? )

10.Trevor wants to thank Guy for the pass ( how can you have a guy called
Guy on your team and expect to be taken seriously ?)\n

11. Ronan wants to thank \' Big Mal\' for thinking we were playing tip rugby

12. Thanks to Reggie for his standard knock on in a promising attacking position
- you can always rely on Reggie

13. We\'d like to thank the fella in the second row with Mal for not turning\n
up at all - another super Lynnster Southern Hemisphere investment - does
anyone know his name or if he actually touched the ball?

14. Thanks to Checks and Knoxy for getting the Lynnster boys to actually
believe that they could beat Munster - makes the victory all the sweeter!

TO THE FAITHFUL AND THE BRAVE, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE

To The Brave and The Faithful

2006-05-19T11:01:00.000+01:00

Nothing Is impossible.

Happy Munster Day.

Browne Goes Munster Red

2006-05-18T22:45:00.000+01:00

Ha Ha he is red already, yes i get it, but I actually mean to turn your attention to his special show tonight on the forthcoming matter of reaching the Holy Grail.

Brendan Foley, Michael Corcoran and others wax lyrical about the privelage of being from the best part of the world. The show is live from Shannon RFC. If you have been looking for something to wind you up further before you step aboard your carriage to Cardiff, this ought to do the trick.

The show can be listened to once its been posted here.

Some omens for you all, Heineken sponsor both European Cups. In the one on Wednesday the team in their away kit lost. Hopefully the real Heineken Cup will generate the same outcome.

The match with Leinster brought Munster fans out into the open of the blogosphere so a question for you all; what superstitions are you engaging in before the match? Jersey not washed since start of season (a friend of mine)? Pop your pre-match or during the match superstitions in the comments.

Categories: Munster, Rugby, HeinekenCup

Dick Roche goes Nuclear

2006-05-17T16:27:00.000+01:00

Not a fan of nuclear myself until all else has been tried and exhausted but with regard to Tony Blair's CBI speech last night which has Dick Roche hot under his collar;
Lenins Tomb

TB: "The facts are stark. By 2025, if current policy is unchanged there will be a dramatic gap on our targets to reduce CO2 emissions, we will become heavily dependent on gas and at the same time move from being 80% to 90% self-reliant in gas to 80% to 90% dependent on foreign imports, mostly from the Middle East, and Africa and Russia."

Where, exactly, does the Prime Minister think uranium comes from? Organic farms in Wiltshire?

Irishelection
Categories: Nuclear, Blair,

Red is Gonna Get You

2006-05-16T11:42:00.000+01:00

Nice piece by Frank Keating in the Guardian on Heineken Cup Final on Friday, my favourite;

"I once asked front-row commander and all-time Limerick legend Keith
Wood to define Munster's basic tactic. Keith thought long, then came up
with perfection: "All-out pandemonium based on demented harassment of
anything that moves."

Elsewhere, keep an eye on the Limerick Blog for regular daily build up to the match.

Pope Intervenes (again) In Gay Marriage

2006-05-13T22:24:00.000+01:00

Interestingly coinciding with my reading of Richard's post on Ruth Kelly Opud Dei and fitness for office, the Pope has announced it's the duty of Christians everywhere to oppose moves towards the recognition of homosexual marriage.

I think this wholly contravenes ideas of an open society in many ways. Homosexuality cannot be defined out of existence because the state refuses to recognise it. What the church chooses to do is neither here nor there. If the state is indeed the preserver of freedom and security then it must open up public space for the recognition of an event which occurs in private, the happy loving marriage-like existence of homosexual couples.

While marriage as church recognition of relationship is entirely within the papal prerogative, I see no scope for a society that supports freedom of conscience to deny the freedom of two people to engage in an open and loving relationship. Like most things, sweeping reality under the carpet serves not to diffuse any issues over difference but to take them indoors and let them go unrealised.

This chestnut crops up regularly out in the Irish Blogosphere, I wont go on at length but you can read more, on both sides.

Feck Off Cup!!

2006-05-13T17:37:00.000+01:00

Every year the press and tv sports departments happily forget themselves. They forget that this time last year two teams came together to compete for the most prestigious trophy in the world TM and played out a miserable encounter with a smattering of goals and interest.

This year I refused to be sucked in. "No way," I thought to myself, "am I going to fall for the usual hype and subject myself the usual dour end of season fare".

Self confidently tucking in to a meal of comparative politics and Rationalist philosophy, I felt content. I had beaten the system and it felt bloody great. Switched on the telly while having a bit of a tea-break to the beeb. 93:41 Liverpool 3-3 West Ham. Just caught the replay of Gerrards goal.

Bollix.
Categories: Soccer,

In the Cutting of Cheese

2006-05-13T12:20:00.000+01:00

Knives suck. Use unflavoured dental floss and robert is your mothers brother.

Fancy Blogging Tools

2006-05-12T23:58:00.000+01:00

Im probably the last person to have come across this [non-tech bloggers always seem to say that, we sell ourselves short ;) ] But its a pretty sweet Firefox plugin that allows me to post to any of my blogs from the comfort of the bottom half of my Firefox Window.

It saves posts and supports Wordpress and categories and all in all is pretty sweet. Performancing its called, be aware that the metrics are pretty pants though. Still a big fan of statcounter.

Categories: Blogging, Tech

Nearly Home

2006-05-12T23:53:00.000+01:00

Its been quiet round here of late, what with the general study and preperation for exams and trying to get Irish Election up and running, i am pleased to say that I am nearly home. With four exams in four days out of the way and a bit of a break before a double header on Wednesday, I found a bit of time to return home and dust down the place.

Exams are going well for those of you who are subsumed by worry over my general wellbeing, they tried to break me down but failed. Study also seemed to help which was an odd occurence. Still five to go but the back is broken on them now.

Wednesday is a double header but the real sickener is the Leinster supporting bastards put my exam on Saturday 20th May at 2-5. Well news for them, im going to squeeze four essays into an hour and a bit and hop down to the heart of Leinster rugby for the second half. I would dearly love to be travelling over especially after the monumental events of the semi-final. The match and the crowd were a testament to the passion and fraternity of following Munster. The fans and atmosphere were only bettered by the inspiration of the Munster team.

To any blogger/technophile who is heading over please please please take good photos, or movies if you feel so inclined. It
would make a Munster fan in the pale very happy.

Categories: Rugby, Munster, Blogging,

Fresh Amnesty Report Confirms Illegal CIA Practices

2006-04-05T12:47:00.000+01:00

From EU Observer comes news of an Amnesty International report;

"In the report "USA - Below the radar: Secret flights to torture and 'disappearance'" published on Wednesday (5 April), Amnesty claims to have registered over a thousand flights that can be linked to the US intelligence organisation, the CIA."
...
"Using these privately contracted planes, the CIA has exploited a legal loophole that allows private aircraft to land at foreign airports without having to inform local authorities – unlike government or military planes -, the human rights watchdog states.

Amnesty also claims to have records of another 600 flights made by planes used temporarily by the CIA. "

Full report is here

The Election Site

2006-03-30T21:35:00.000+01:00

Both Copernicus and Dick raised some issues about Irishelection.com over on a thread at backseatdrivers. While i dont want to get Irish Election sidetracked into a great deal of navelgazing on the front page, I think debate is healthy and will only make irishelection a better site in time for the event itself.

A few issues that are being talked about:

1) Is the site too loosely focussed on Irish politics and getting bogged down in posts about general news items?

2) Does the site need a set of criterion for articles to be cross posted and by extension and editor?

3)Is the current set up too opinionated? Ought it focus more on the hard facts and let the opinion come out in the comments?

Im sure readers and contributors have opinions on this-let me know.

Update: New Contributor Colm Bracken has a few ideas-"Ideally, it would be nice if contributors addressed election issues and not get sidetracked by peripherals. Let's talk health, Fianna Fail, white papers, manifestos, social housing and the like."

We Ought To Do More Than Vote

2006-03-28T18:41:00.000+01:00

From Irish election:

Lets face it, being a citizen in Irish society is not the most difficult. Every five years we are invited (not forced) to go to the polls and cast our vote. To what extent however should voting in a General Election be seen as the measure of participation in democratic society. Ought Irish people do more than elect representatives?

This is a question as old as the hills. A recent report from the Democracy Commission at TASC (PDF) discussed a number of issues reagarding participation in Irish Democracy. Our current model see us vote while under the impression that to some extent all politicians are the same and it is only rarely that our will is to be found in Government or Legislative outcomes. The interests of louder bodies are heard first, the wealthy are listened to more, business comes first, these are refrains not only of the left but of all sides of society. Should anyone feel Im being too harsh check out Mahon or Irishcorruption to diabuse yourself of the genuine concern behind this assertions.

"It does require, however, that people can have their say on matters that affect them."

I think that in principle we would all agree that the true spirit of democracy lies somewhere in the median between the full-bodies representation we have at the moment where our autonomy and deliberation is outsourced to politicians for five years and the Athenian model of direct deliberation where all 4 million+ Irish people descend on Kildare Street for three days a week.

Aristotle defines the citizen as "one who shares in the administration of justice and the holding of office". Where justice ought be read in a wider sense of social justice and the division of goods as well as the common usage of justice. On such a model of citizenship the population of Irish democracy radically reduces from 4 million to some couple of (tens of?) thousand or so. Many however would condemn such a model as wholly unworkable, in today's society we have large populations and the need for quick decisions and workable systems of government necessarily excludes the vast majority from some sort of involvement with the running of state and society.

I disagree and believe that it should not be so. The Irish are in the luck position to have a large amount of wealth generated in the last few years, we are bursting with technological nous and other forms of intellectual strength. There are few logisitical reasons why Irish democracy cannot be more accomodating to the idea of popular deliberation.

Dr. Iseult Honohan of UCD School of Politics and IR (in the report) suggests "two dimensions to active democratic citizenship, status and practice. Legal status grants certain rights, such as equality before the law, freedom of speech and association, etc., and certain duties or obligations, such as obeying the law, paying taxes, etc. In this sense being a citizen is essentially a matter of laws, and of ﬁxed rights and obligations. The practice of citizenship on the other hand involves such things as participating in self-government, sitting on juries, informing oneself about the democratic process, supporting the public good and defending one’s country, and refers to people’s attitudes and behaviour."

Active democratic citizenship is the involvement in more than voluntary social and local schemes, it is the retaking of institutional government by the idea of popular involvement. I will even fall short of arguing for popular veto but certainly the capacity is with us for more active democratic citizenship. The active forii for public deliberation and engagement now exist only on the periphary (boards.ie, blogs etc) and there is little or no statutory observation given to the debate. Indeed such debate often lacks the legitimacy of having a mass of people arguing positions.

Before I go further, I ought address why popular deliberation ought be considered a good thing. The current trend in political discourse is to maximise freedom arguments and to see the state as thief in chief. Perhaps there are elements of this argument that ought be heard, considered and then accepted and rebuffed yet the counter trend to see in the state the expression of another vital and essential element of the human social consciousness is one which offers such an idea oxygen. For those of us who eye the state as provider and expect of it, the state too needs reform, it ought be more open and suceptible to the intervention of the people even those who would see it done away with. There is a public sphere, a popular forum for discourse the realm of social action, it simply is. To ignore it is to bracket an equally vital component of political society and to argue away elements of being.

The condition of the public realm deteriorates when we, as components and actors in it, are alienated from control or input over it. The decision reached by the most people has by definition considered the most opinions and most options. The enabling of the popular sphere ought not be seen as crude tyranny of the majority for it is not intended as a simple referendum on each issue. It is a complex means to achieve an active and engaged population capable of approaching a problem from thier private perspective and also of empathising and contributing to the broader social narrative.

A population does not reach that state simlpy be being abandoned to their own compartmentalized space, active exposure to ideas, history and life in general ought be included. The educational system which currently equips our kids so capably for the private industry of their choice needs to address its deficiencies in the skills needed to negoitate and build an active and vibrant public sphere.

Where we see democracy as the outsourcing of our autonomy and interests for five years at a time falls prey to the marxist dictum that you are simply electing a different set of oppressors. I personally feel that the people need the right to ask questions of their own and have a hand in deciding the fate of a people. Not a national/exclusionary people but a people that is a polity, a cosmopolitan society of equals.

Back to our report: "Democratic deliberation aims to ‘reinvigorate our understanding and practice of democracy in a pluralist and complicated world through emphasising democracy itself as a process that requires constant deliberation or dialogue'".

Indeed bringing the majority of the people along with the thinking of a state encourages greater strength and pride in the democratic integrity of a state, not mere resignation at the futility of casting a vote every so often. Indeed when such resignation is dominant and futility the most common feeling, there are truly crises of legitimacy.

Some of the commissions ideas are off the wall, most will only work with a sustained root-and-branch commitment to enhancing democracy in this state. Deliberative polls, citizen juries, Preferenda(sic). Indeed an eyecatcher is the idea of a popular bill, submitted to the legislature or the people for consideration with the required number of signatures. California here we come.

But the issue at heart is not the means but the principle, today's Ireland can sustain all sorts of deliberative arrangements that bring the people much closer to power, bring decisions much closer to the ground and make scrutiny not an indulgence or a play thing for the opposition but an inbuilt part of the system. I believe a commitment to a more expansive democracy, democratising the public sphere and re-forming government is a good thing for the Irish people.

The increased vitality of debate, interaction of citizens and recognition of mutual interdependence is at once the logical extension of democratic thought and the taboo of representative democracy. Sure we agree to elect others to decide for us, but what is wrong with working alongside those who represent us on issues of great importance?

Many would say we were radical to pursue some economic policies in the 80s leading to the Celtic Tiger, well let us be radical about social inclusion and the reenforcement of the public sphere. Deliberative democracy ought be firmly planted high on the agenda for the next election.

Fair Play to Health

2006-03-28T00:12:00.000+01:00

Dpeartment of Health now using RSS feeds. Quality stuff. E-Government at its finest, now if they could only sort out provision issues.

What a Charmin Regime

2006-03-22T22:21:00.000Z

Amnesty bring news of the Belorussian regime in full flight;

"Many detentions are reportedly accompanied by beatings. Of particular
concern are minors, who are not detained by police, but, after their age
has been checked, are reportedly pushed from the buses in which other
detainees are being held before being transported. Some allege that they
suffer injuries as a result of being pushed from the buses."

The National Question

2006-03-22T13:05:00.000Z

As you can see from below, the interview which Frank Neary has started with Killian Forde

(SF Councillor) and which will continue through the week, focussed on issues of globalisation and the new economy that has taken shape in the preceding 20 years or so. And there are a vast number of people out there in the community who would say that this is correct and proper. Its time that Sinn Fein moved on from myopic nationalist rhetoric in favour of entering the broader political discourse and talking economy, health, welfare, society etc.

I must say I would be one of those people. However, one cant help but notice the emerging noise from Peter Hain's office, and matching noises from Bertie, that the Northern Assembly must be gotten back together again. Like the king's horses and the king's men they work their hardest to put humpty dumpty back together.

The dilemma over the Northern Assembly is probably only taxing a rather small number, at most a sizeable minority, or Irish citizens. Yet perhaps it ought interest a larger number. Consider what I feel are two of the crux examples over the recent past;

1. The Love Ulster march which led to the Dublin Riots. A group of, admittedly unsavoury, loyalist marchers came to Dublin to march in protest and rememberance at loyalist victims of the troubles. The move to come to Dublin had major potential for furthering peace. We had a loyalist group recognising the centrality of Dublin in the issues which affect Northern Ireland, if it came off the Irish negotiating teams would have a huge plank to add to their arguments in favour of continued devolution.

As we all know such positive potential never got actualised. The march itself was ransacked and turned into a day of mayhem. It was done, we are to believe, to keep the loyalists out of Ireland. Yet from the same corners comes talk of a united ireland and being a nation once again. I doubt Im the only one to see the dissonance taking place between words and actions.

2. The attempts to get the DUP and Sinn Fein to sit down together. While this seems more tangentially related, it is key. Sinn Fein's best hope of being in power in the next two years lies in Stormont. They know it and want it. The north offers a chance for them to prove their capacity for delivery on the bread and butter of government. Right now its an opportunity being denied by Ian Paisley and the DUP. So in the face of DUP intransigience comes the alternatives.

Peter Hain talks of a shadow assembly, bereft of executive powers and little more than a talking shop. Dont get me wrong in a talking shop Paisley is better off, all talk and no delivery. Bertie too. Sinn Fein talk only of full powers in accord with the Good Friday Agreement and no one really looks like they are goign to come to an agreement.

So what am I bloody posting on, simply this: Ought the national question be at the center of the next election?

It has been a long time since talk of the north dominated (to the exclusion of all else) the election discourse. It has been mooted that from that formative period, where parties divided on the issue of the North, we have moved closer to a more open model of politics, embracing left-right divisions and so forth. Yet the demons of the Dublin Riots live on, there is little evidence to suggest that we as a body politics have put the issues stemming from partition behind us.

Is there a case for a once and for all discussion on a final resolution of the Northern Question at the next election. We have all of the major players involved, the major attitudes represented and the space for an open engagement with the electorate. An electorate who are far more nuanced in their approach to the northern issue that comes with time and history.

I suspect that whether the politicians or the electorate like it or not, the North will be a major issue, the question is will it be positively brought up, considered and engaged or passively foisted on the election from outside. There are still demons in the closet and perhaps its time to get rid of them.

Categories: IrishElection, NorthernIreland, Politics, SinnFein, Comment

Irishelection and Irish blogs in the Irish Times

2006-03-21T01:58:00.000Z

The Irish Times on tuesday is set to carry two pieces on blogging, the first is a look at the phenomenon of blogging in irish politics and whether it will go the US route, i know that most bloggers have their own reservations on that issue and will doubtless pick over the article tomorrow.

The second and far more important *ahem* is the inclusion of a piece on irishelection.com in the paper. Adam Maguire was good enough to write a piece on the site, profiling it and sending it on to the Times. They liked it and we struck lucky.

Also check out irishelection.com its a brand new site with a brand new feed.
The project was started on Friday night and the credit for the template and the amazing content (see PartyNews and an amazing Archive) must go to Simon. Without him we would still be in the dark ages.
Cheers.

Irishelection in Irish Times

2006-03-20T22:51:00.000Z

Adam Maguire, as an enterprising journalist, has managed to get irishelection.com into the Irish Times tomorrow (Tuesday). I have no idea how it is going to look or what it might end up saying. All I can say is thanks to Adam for working on this and getting us famous.

Those of you who link to irishelection might change the address to http://www.irishelection.com as it will be soon hosting a newer and upgraded version of Irish Election.

We are still looking for contributors by the way, if you fancy it just email me progressiveireland[@]yahoo.ie

Again thanks to Adam, once again blogs make it into the Irish Times, Damien has beaten a path we might be following ; )Irishelection

Paddy's Day, A Match Against the English for Silverware and....

2006-03-17T03:34:00.000Z

Im only thinking of one thing, April fools day.

Today is the day all people of all colours and in all places decide they like the way we drink and do so in our honour. Tomorrow is the day that the Irish are led into the bowels of the great oppressor to try and secure some silverware in the Triple Crown or, unlikely, the Six Nations Championship. The atmosphere will be intense, with the collective Irish sentiment still lingering over the stadium like a chinese smog. There will be little that can lift it if we win and little that can lift it if we lose. On Saturday all will be Irish, simply because its more fun.

Yet I cannot focus on such a close object without going cross-eyed. Cross-eyed with excitement and cross-eyed with worry. For soon April fools will be upon us. Munster will be trotting out in the Quarter Finals of the Heineken Cup, the roar of the best fans in the world will ring out and all will be well again in the world. While Perpignan fans tend to be bad travellers, we can never know about the team. So we need all hands on deck.

Saturday needs to yield a clean bill of health to the munster participants. Paul o Connell is going to give 150% as usual, all we can do is hope he gets out unscathed. For some Irish, this will be a longer weekend than anticipated, for others it will be revelling as never before.

Once we get through Saturday unscathed, then the party begins and on April 1st the games return.

C

Green Election Manifesto Launch

2006-03-17T01:39:00.000Z

Well that is perhaps a tad of an overstatement. The initial phase of the Green's 50 Steps programme is launched today. There are two major things to bear in mind;

1. The plan itself

2. The contrast in tone, content and rhetoric versus the alterative government.

1. The plan is set to be released in 50 stages over the course of the next election. Its an interesting tactic in and of itself, maintaining a certain momentum, profile and also placing education at the center of the Green campaign over a long period.

The eyecatcher is a promise to invest the guts of E1 Billion in education in the first year of government, oh dear oh dear says Micheal, here comes another bust-time tax and spend leftie-communist government. Only that those crafty Greens are talking big. They reckon a targetted programme of spending 1 billion euro can be done without necessitating any additional taxation.

Dan Boyle: "There are a number of mechanisms by which the tax take can be raised without increasing the headline tax rates. In any event we anticipate that the additional investment in education will actually save the taxpayer money in the longer term,"

Good stuff though, they decided not to bother specifying these mechanisms until Stages 23 and 37 [or thereabouts ;) ] They argue that the funding will go to specific intiatives, designed to tackle some of the education systems deepest problems.

'"But let me stress, it is not simply about money, it is about looking at the areas where urgent change is needed and if this needs additional investment, so be it. Key areas where additional spending will be needed include adult education, implementation of the McIver report recommendations and school building projects."

So the Greens have decided that there is much to be done and much ground to be gained in the "qulaity of life" issues. I agree, for the majority of people in this country quality of life issues represents the deepest failure of politics. Some may say we expect too much, I disagree for even if our expectations were drastically lowered, the satisfaction of those expectations is still unlikely. The people of Ireland are responsive to big ideas, argued coherently and backed up with costings. If they can do it and show they can, then perhaps they will succeed in creating the bigger narrative framework so lacking in the "alternative government".

On a sidenote: Clever Trevor argues that this plan makes huge sense if one considers the E500,000 a year spent per young offender in prison.“Although this party is committed to putting an extra one billion euro into education, the reality is that this Green Party initiative would actually be an investment and save the country money in less crime, more equity and a better quality of life for all our people.”

Which is fair enough, though I smell an area ripe for money to be taken from and respent on education. While the policy is nice and shiny now, wait until FF and PDs get stuck in.

2. The contrast between the Green approach to this election policy and that of our nascent Coalition in Waiting couldnt be sharper. I voiced my own dissatisfaction at the tone of the FG/Labour managerialist strategy yesterday. When one thinks of two issues- managerialism and Education-I know which one is more associated with politics and which less so. The Greens can run and make decent ground on quality of life issues if the coalition leave it too late to take the lesson from Rip off Republic and begin to construct a more grabbing idea. They could too focus on better quality of life (which doesnt have to = state provision) focus on drawing the represented closer to the representatives.

The Green party are at their best when they are talking positive talk. As lefties they excel in it, and also like good lefties get carried a way just a bit. But the route they are taking in independence is the route that Rabbitte shunned. If it proves the better path, then FG and Labour may rue the missed opportunities early in this campaign.

Breaking News say the plan is to release this one a week over 14 Months, does anyone think this is an effective way of drawing policy together? Or simply a gimmick for sustained publicity ultimately offering little to the debate on education

Irishelection

Fair Play to Her

2006-03-15T20:43:00.000Z

Rachel from North London was mentioned here recently, when he father (a man of God no less) was treated rather shabbily by his MP and Home Office Secretary Charles Clarke. Following on from that I just wanted to update- both her and her father have been invited to attend a meeting with Clarke in the near future, Rachel is hoping to get answers to why there hasnt been a full pulic inquiry into 7/7 yet.

We watch and wait.

Categories: 7/7,

Preparing for Government

2006-03-15T19:46:00.000Z

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Frank is unimpressed with the hullabaloo over yesterdays joint document by the government in waiting. The document was released to highlight the oppositions proposals to tighten up on government waste if /when (I'll use if for ease) elected next time round. The new campaign is looking to underwrite the clearly professional tone that Fine Gael and Labour are trying to strike in time for the upcoming election.

All of the image is on professional, capable hands, waiting and preparing to take control of the country from the spendthrift madmen and incompetent oofs of the present administration. Im sure very few voters would dismiss out of hands concerns over the manner in which the government has spent our money over the last two terms. There have been some very high-profile blunders, higher-profile relcalcitrance over the follies (Martin Cullen, I see you shuffling down the back).

All of this is well and good, it just so happens that yesterdays announcement is not how I would forsee a prospective government laying the ground work for their election. Attacking the government over PPARs, and its ilk in the infrastructure sectors is, to my mind, a monumental folly of tactics at this stage in the game.

I agree with most FG and Labour people who argue that it is way too early for policy, Frank will have to wait and see what emerges on that front. If a policy is good, the government will steal it. If its bad, then it speaks for itself. Instead FG and Labour are prosecuting an image strategy which presents them in press releases as the "alternative government", discusses their "preperation to govern" and posits them as managerially capable. However the flaw in this image is that over the 5 governments in the last 20 years, Labour and Fine Gael have been in one together and Labour in one with Fianna Fail.

My own feeling is that the opposition have still failed to learn the lesson of Eddie Hobbs' Rip Off Republic series. Eddie Hobbs managed to tap a river of feeling that was running through the country, he popularised it and without and solid policy proposal managed to secure the attention of over 600,000 irish people. He elucidated emotion that was running rife in the electorate. The opposition (by virtue of a pre-existing website) fell in behind the momentum almost as taken aback as everyone else that it had taken on a life of its own.

The lesson here is not that the government need to be attacked on managerial issues, they are to be attacked on issues of principle." The government wasted money and we will manage it better", was what was heard yesterday, in the long run who will remember. Instead there is huge room for Labour and Fine Gael to construct a broader, wider principled narrative. Not a sanctimonious, patronising principle but one which goes back to first principles and over the coming months constructs a dialogue on the principles of irish democratic government, principles governing public policy, broader themes which can bring the people living in the communter belts back into the fold, themes which offer genuine choice to the electorate.

What yesterday suggested to me was a collapes into the age-old paradigm of irish politics of Fianna Fail and anyone-but-Fianna-Fail. Matters of principle and policy can come second to the primary issue of management and personality clashes. The irish electoral market has long since moved on, with a much wider electoral market facing us next year. The electorate can be interested and involved in wider deliberation by drumming up dialogue on the fundmentals. The priniciples which need to ground a coalition of Labour and Fine Gael, a commitment not to broad meaningless phrases (prosperity, goodness, lollipops) but commitments to "involvement", participation, a fair deal for voters, a more responsive government.

Government begins and ends with the people, it represents the interests of the public at large. A Fine Gael Labour pre-campaign strategy should be focussing on framing the debate in broader terms which relate in very real ways to the lives and perceptions of irish people today. We have shambolic public serivces, moderate interest from government in putting the commuter first, moderate interest from government in dealing with housing issues.

Of course my own prescription seems muddled enought, but from a starting point of discussion of democracy, citizenship, rights and respect, Im sure that a bigger and better narrative could be built up. One premised on the interests of citizen, the quality of government and the primacy of dialogue and openness. Consistent discussion of managerial projects (Accountancy and Social partnership) are necessary but are nuts and bolts to a bigger picture that FG and Labour are yet to paint.

Categories: Irishpolitics, Comment, Labour, Fine, Gael, Election2007,

Worst Drink in a Can

2006-03-15T01:51:00.000Z

For me, right now it has to be this can of Guinness that i am drinking. It is absolutely rotten. Like all cans of Guinness I consume, I wonder why the hell I bought it. In my defence i have since stopped and this is the one from the back of the fridge.

It got me thinking though, others love cans of Guinness-so what is your worst drink in a can (alco or non)?

I know if i want a nice can of Guinness, the Murphy's can fits the bill in an odd quirk of irony.
Guinness cans-muck. With a widget.

Categories: Guinnesscansareshit, Drink

Bloglines and Blogger

2006-03-14T23:57:00.000Z

Mostly blogger but both of these guys are really pissing about today. Half of bloggers feeds wont load and the other half wont allow me access to the webpage.
Sometimes.......

Go Prepare for Government

2006-03-14T23:32:00.000Z

Just popped round to the Labour website to fix the RSS feed for their press releases and I spotted the motif for the forthcoming party conference.

Im sure Labour are unworried by the horrible history that such a phrase condures what with them "returning to their constituencies and preparing for government"(see 1981).

Hopefully they wont be as long in preparation as the Liberals.

Categories: Irishpolitics, Comment, Labour

Free Irish Times Feed

2006-03-14T17:28:00.000Z

Folks, Simon over at tuppenceworth found the most amazing little site, Feed43 it's called.
Anyway he asked someone to do a feed of Eircoms breaking news for him and I obliged my services for a while since it beat studying.
Then he challenged me to do the same to this page that carrie s the Irish Times' biggest stories of the day for free.

Lo and behold you now have yourselves a walking talking RSS feed for free Irish Times content.

Your welcome, if your really feeling in my debt, I like alcohol as a gift.

The drawback to feed43 is its feeds only reload every six hours, but for the Irish Times feed thats all you need. Breaking news sites, not so handy. Im looking to convert some of my faves into RSS now. God Ill never study again.

Update1: Jeez this is massive altogether, Ive added the press feeds from the major political parties to the links over at irishelection, Yup thats the major parties direct to your RSS aggregator. For some its no good but for anoraks...now you have no excuse for not being informed.

More to come, dont be shy in suggesting sites that might need a bit of treatment.

Categories: Blogging, RSS, Media

Rights Based Legislation for Teachers

2006-03-14T15:22:00.000Z

[I just want to move to the top the challenge to Irish blawggers to open a debate on rights based legislation in ireland, I mention it below so read on]

Last night on Questions and Answers, the TUI raised the issue of their recent survey of pupil behaviour among secondary teachers.

[from De Paper]
Half of the 1,200 teachers who took part had seen unacceptable bullying or cruelty to students by their peers in the past week alone, and one-in-five had seen it in the shape of unacceptable physical violence.

Teachers themselves are under constant threat of being victimised, with the survey finding that about one-third had very recent experience of their property being damaged or being verbally abused by students.

It shows one-in-five teachers are at the receiving end of threatening or intimidating behaviour on a weekly basis and 8% said unacceptable sexual innuendo or harassment had been directed at them by students in the past week.

On the show representatives of the TUI called for "rights based legislation" for techers, which would guarantee the safety and authority of the teachers to some extent. While the government has a record of being reluctant to put up rights based legislation, on issues which might be of far greater importance, there is always merit in tackling an issue like this case by case.

Ive got no experience in the legal framework of rights based legislation, though I would like to see some of our legal commentators throw a few cents into the jar on the need for rights based legislation in Ireland (in general and also for the disabled, teachers and minorities e.g.)

However, I wonder about the current state in which teachers find themselves in. The Irish Times and Examiner carry the news that the forthcoming task force report on education looks likely to stop short of radical legislation to curb behavioural issues.

The TUI are demanding minimal considerations from the state it seems, last night on Q and A (above), the TUI representative wanted to have teachers affirmed in their work, mandated the power to act fairly and proportionately and codes of behaviour. Im guessing this stems from the fact that nearly 80% of students can get a suspension overturned and with each success the teacher sees their standing diminished further. Rights based legislation in this case is needed (according to the TUI) to redress the balance in favour of the institution against the onslaught on the misbehaving hoardes.

It seems fair enough, we might agree that teachers get afforded rights based legislations (leading to cementing of status, recognition of roles and entitlements etc), they are facing serious problems in controlling classes. Perhaps, but for the government and governments in general, rights based legislation is suspiciously viewed as a slippery slope.

It was only last year that the government decided that there was no possibility of rights based legislation for the disabled which would enshrine in law the entitlements of the disabled and the responsibilities of the state toward the disabled community. OF course the TUI are not only calling for the rights based legislation, they want to see some new disciplinary measures brought in with the task force report.

A "sin-bin" or school within school (depending on your stance) is top of their list, basically getting the trouble makers out of class and cooling them down while preparing them for reintegration. Many would find such a notion worrying ("school ghettos") and agree with the task forces failure to recommend the idea to Hannifan. So what is to be done?

The unfortunate thing about this is that the teachers are caught up in the middle of a wider phenomenon, one that Blair, Fine Gael and the Mail like to call anti-social behaviour. The debate about school behaviour slots into this wider template of youth out of control in our society and what to do about it. The response to school discipline has to be an integrated and educated response to the needs of our youth.

While perhaps the Magill editor and his cohorts might prefer to see increased parental responsibility and discipline, even hinting last night at a regret at the loss of old school discipline, I dont think any solution can be seen in such a myopic fashion. Parental discipline is no longer the byword for a good slap and lockdown in your room. From a younger and younger age, parental control is going out the window.

Of course we flirted for a while with the notion of ASBOs to keep kids off the streets and out of our hair, a band aid tactic intended to take the heat out of the then looming crisis in "respect" another of Blairs buzzwords.

Tony Gregory was talking the night before on the Week in Politics (here), he made the case for community based programmes in the estates that were thrown up without a thought to facilities or youth in the last 30 years. The creation of programmes which help to channel some of the energy and frustration is not only desirable but essential in the broader response to school discipline and social discord.

Im pretty sure that at this stage Ive digressed all over the shop. A single blog post is not the place to begin to solve some of the largest issues to face Irish society. Youth from certain socio-economic backgrounds, certain sectors of our community and certain areas of the country are being cast adrift. Dealing with discipline in schools can take the usual route of bolting stable doors, legislating away the problem from the front pages of the Irish Media or it can get to grips with the issues on the ground, the expanding sense of social nihilism (hattip: Copernicus) and the ongoing erection of the barriers between us and them.

All children have the right to be educated, education has to be the best and surest route up the ladder. This requires a motivated and protected group of teachers, given the right tools for the job and the necessary support to help kids out, but it also requires that kids end up in school without a massive nihilistic chip on their shoulder. Its hard to get rid of the feeling of being cast adrift in your own country once it decends upon you.

There are many different strands that feed into what is manifesting itself as the next Daily Mail crisis. Any serious response must recognise not just a role for the parents but a role for the state, media and broader popular opinion in recognising the need for enabling attitudes and projects to get our support. Parents have a role, as it is with all these situations, but the bigger picture needs to be taken account of also.

Returning, finally, to the initial issue of rights based legislation for teachers, the argument for their protection and valuation is great. Teachers ought be affirmed in their work since it is of paramount importance to the development of an inclusive and progressive society. Rights based legislation has the potential to be a great enabler on the way to such a society, but it cannot afford to be overused, or misused.

I wonder does the recourse to rights based legislation for teachers set the bar too low for the enactment of the legislation to protect groups within society? If there is no other way then im sure I wouldnt have a problem supporting it. However I must say that issues of school discipline need to be seen in a wider context. Youth are all we have and irish youth in an era of unrivalled prosperity ought be able to expect opportunities and facilities among the best in the world.

Categories: Irishpolitics, Comment, Education, Youth,

Thomond to go to 26,000

2006-03-14T14:10:00.000Z

Great news for Munster Rugby fans as the IRFU confirmed today that talks with local residents in the area have been completed successfuly and Thomond is likely to go to 26,000 capacity stadium.

There was a worry that the pershing cold of Musgrave park was to become home to Munster Rugby but thankfully the residents of Limerick pulled through in the end and Munster can remain in their spiritual home.

Cant wait for that first Heineken Cup game at a bigger and redder Thomond Park, though i doubt the expansion will make getting tickets any easier. I wonder is the expansion likely to alter the feel of the ground, I know some soccer teams in the UK encounter such a problem, but I have to feel that fans like Munster's will make an atmosphere wherever they are put.

Categories: Rugby, Munster, Thomond, Limerick

I Hate Studying

2006-03-14T12:44:00.000Z

With a passion, since I left secondary school I am incapable of sitting still for longer than ten minutes to study for an exam. Perhaps it a result of only having to study for exams once a year.
Whatever it is, I simply cannot sit down and concentrate on this revision business. Love reading, dont mind essays, but its the revision that really gets me.

So here I am posting this instead of studying.

C

John Bolton on Iran

2006-03-13T23:58:00.000Z

BBCs Hardtalk had a 30 minute interview with John Bolton tonight (Monday night). Its available here though for 24 hours only I think.

Some interesting bits and pieces, dealing with Iran, Darfur, UN reform and the Human Rights Council and a grilling on Guantanamo/Abu Ghraib.

While its little different to what we may have read around the place, a thirty minute face to face does have its advantages in giving the impression and feeling lost on print.

Categories: Media, US, Bolton,

Of Interest to Bloggers

2006-03-13T22:35:00.000Z

Might be the forthcoming launch of 'Comment Is Free' by the Guardian. Its being billed by them as:

"...a major expansion of Guardian comment and analysis on the web. It is a collective group blog, bringing together regular columnists from the Guardian and Observer newspapers with other writers and commentators representing a wide range of experience and interests. The aim is to host an open-ended space for debate, dispute, argument and agreement and to invite users to comment on everything they read.
The blog is updated regularly through the day, with best blogs featuring on our pick of the day. We also carry all the comment from the Guardian and Observer newspapers, giving readers the chance to comment on these articles directly for the first time.

Comment is free is the home of If, the cartoon strip by Steve Bell - Britain's most celebrated political cartoonist - making its debut on Guardian Unlimited after 25 years in the paper. Dan Chung, our award-winning photographer, also has his own photo-blog. And we regularly podcast Guardian and Observer political and cultural debates."

The site only appears to have gone live in the past while (from Pickled Politics), but is intended to host a wider range of commentators than the Guardian's own comment page. Its a pretty intriguing experiment in group blogs and new media. One which is choc-full of potential in theory. I and I'm sure other bloggers too, will wait with interest to see what comes of this major meeting of MSM and Bloggers.

The press Gazette also carry some interesting insights into the legality and difficulties of a major media organ opening up to comments from all sorts.

What do you reckon bloggers, ought we start beating down the doors of our own establishments to look for an Irish version of this meeting of the minds? Or is it another Pajama Media in the offing?

Categories: Blogging, Media, Commentary, Guardian

Of the People, For the People...(?)

2006-03-13T22:25:00.000Z

From Rachel, comes the rather disturbing story of one Charles Clarke MP. Home Secretary Clarke was in his Norwich constituency recently talking to constituents, who happened to inclued her father in the crowd. Ill copy the rest here, do read it.

My dad, who is a parish priest and honorary Canon, read my draft article on Forgiveness ('The F-word') last night, and it so happened that he was going to to a clergy meeting this morning at Norwich Cathedral where the special guest was the Home Secretary Charles Clarke .

Clarke is my father's MP.

Clarke, in his speech to the assembled clergy, made much of the fact that he had spoken to the PM ''only yesterday'' and the PM was at the time considering the problem of an angry Sedgefield constituent about the closure of a school. Clarke remarked upon this system of top executives still being MPs and responsible to their constituents, how unusual this was compared to most Parliamentary systems. You lucky people, even though I am the Home Secretary, I am still also your M.P and here to help with all your little problems and enquiries. Etc.
He didn't actually say ' you lucky people'', Dad said, but that was the inference. Dad was pleased that he could finally ask his M.P, Charles Clarke, the question he has been keen to ask for some months. Dad waited eagerly to ask his question; he had already written to Clarke in December 2005 with his question. But Clarke had not replied.
Dad was therefore very keen to be part of what was advertised in the meeting notes as ''30 minutes of reflection'' after Clarke spoke. (In these meetings, ''30 minutes of reflection''means ''30 minutes of debate''. But it a clergy meeting, so they all ''reflect'', rather than shout and argue. It's more dignified and godly, see. )
Unusually, according to Dad, on this occasion there was not a debate and questions from the floor, as is usual with these meetings at which Clarke was the special guest today: there were instead only 3 questions which Clarke answered at length, the questions seemed to Dad to be pre-prepared to give Clarke an opportunity to talk about things like prisons and police in a self-congratulatory way.

Dad was not able to ask his question, the last question finished and it was announced that there would be Eucharist in 2 minutes. Dad was very angry that ''the Eucharist was being used as a filibuster.'' And still he had not had a chance to ask the question that was by now burning him up inside. It was time to break bread together; people began to leave the room.

My father tells me he at this point left his seat and strode up to Clarke, because he wanted to ask his question, and he said,

''Congratulations on fixing the meeting so that nobody can ask questions! You will have heard about Rev Julie Nicholson who is so angry she cannot forgive the bombers who killed her daughter on 7th July , well, I have a question, my daughter was feet away from the 7/7 Kings Cross bomb, and she and some other surivors have said they are not angry with the bombers, but with the Government, because there was no public enquiry. Why is there no public enquiry?''

Charles Clarke looked at my father ''in a very nasty way'', and then he said to my father

'' Get away from me, I will not be insulted by you, this is an insult'.

And he stormed past, and Dad was so upset he could not share Eucharist with this man,

and my father left the cathedral in despair.

Dad has cheered up a bit now, but he was almost in tears at being so insulted by Clarke when I spoke to him: he did not think he had insulted Clarke at all.

Why is it an insult when the father of a bomb survivor, a gentle man of God, who has never caused trouble in his life, asks for a public enquiry? Why is his question not answered?

You can write and ask Charles Clarke yourself, but I do not expect he will trouble to reply. If he does, can you leave a comment in my blog? My father , and I , and many other people would very much like to hear his answer.

While Clarkes action is by no means a gauge of the attitude of all or even any politicians, it does say something about the sorry and disconnected state of some Democracies when representatives feel aggrieved at having to answer to constituents in an open fashion and not just behind the privacy of the ballot. I worry that Clarke's attitude is part of a wider pattern of attitudes in the political class that sees itself as the Guardian elite rather than at the employment of the people.

Categories: UK, Democracy, 7/7, Clarke,

The Hamas Dilemma

2006-03-13T22:11:00.000Z

Its been a while since I sat down and read news, any news, or blogs for that matter. So this afternoon I wandered over to alertnews to find some of the stuff that doesnt make Reuters front page (its particularly good on Africa etc).

I found a few articles that underlined what is coming to be an alrmingly complex paradox to add to the already dense web of paradox and conflict at play in the Middle East. First up the news that Simon Peres on Sunday held informal meetings with PA President Mahmoud Abbas. This, to me, is good news, the talks represent some pragmatism on the part of Isreal which realises that despite Hamas relations with members of the PA who support a 2-state solution must be maintained and strengthened. At least I hope they do, for in the future you can be guaranteed that even relations with Abbas will become strained or irrelevant as the full impact of the Hamas victory comes into play in domestic and regional politics.

"This was not a political meeting," a senior government source said. "They discussed building a special emergency fund for humanitarian aid for the Palestinian population."

While I know a great deal of people have issues with welfare dependency, I think in this case it has to form part of a wider plan to help reassure Palestinian society and restabilise the PA in order to facilitate the ultimate creation of a Palestinian state. However the key issue here is not that Isreal is willing to create a fund to dole out Aid in the long run such an approach is not the best way in which to ensure peace. If the dependence on aid goes on longer than necessary it become self defeating and creates a social psychology of resenment and does not allow Palestinians to promote their own welfare.

But Israeli government officials have said Israel would not stop humanitarian aid from reaching the West Bank and Gaza. "(The meeting) was to establish what has been agreed upon in previous talks and to continue to keep the channels for humanitarian aid open," the senior Israeli government source said

Which is again a good thing as relations need to be maintained between parties on both sides who might be able to bring about a 2 state solution.

Setting aside the issue of whether Aid in the long run is feasible, we come to the crux of the paradox now facing our policy makers in the west. Its the news that Hamas found warm welcome in the arms of the hardliners in Saudi Arabia on a trip to ensure that funding for the PA will come from somewhere.

While it is clear the west faces a huge issue in ensuring Hamas recognises the Israeli state, it runs the risk of turning rhetoric about a terror state into fact by letting Hamas run to the arms of the Saudi backers of Islamic extremism. Its not simply Saudi that is waiting to underwrite another territorial conquest for extreme islam but Iran seems intested in underwriting its neonationalist strongman image in Palestine. There are accounts available of the manner in which most of the modern terror organisations still thrive on the funding available from Saudis and from territorial cannibalisation (the Afghan drug trade eg.)

The money trail is a fundamental aspect of dealing with terrorism and the potential to create a shell state which lines the war chest of terror organisations. Such is now the crux of the paradox facing the EU, US and others.

Do they hold their noses and continue to offer assistance to the PA while pushing the two state solution (during the terms of Hamas and whomever wins the forthcoming election in Israel) or withdraw funding on principles which are pretty sound but run the very real risk of turning Palestine into a very real terror state. The current Hamas regime is without doubt to be populated with men and women sympathetic to suicide bombers. Yet Hamas has managed to keep suicide bombings down during the recent ceasefire.

I would personally prefer to see funding continued in the short term by EU and US agencies while a strategy could be drawn up to ensure the continued existence of the PA which would not be reliant on the funding of fundamentalist fruitcakes.

The best outcome would surely be one where Hamas was brought to the table to endorse a two state solution but in the likely event of having to settle for less we ought be aware of the full impact which our decisions might lead to.

Is it a case of principle needing to triumph over pragmatic considerations or can a solution ride the uneasy paradox and compromise between values and safety. While I dont endorse any underwriting of the efforts of Hamas to attack Israel, I realise that the insitutions of Palestinian democracy are in frail health, they must be built up to cope with a transition to 2-states and also to keep at bay the extremism likely to be funded by Saudi and Iran.

Can we afford to lost Palestine too? That it seems is the question, and grappling with the issues at the heart of that question is not a nice prospect for western policy makers.

Update: Im aware that many of the characters who as members of the PLA would benefit from having a state are like this woman. I dont agree with her politics and neither, I suspect do the EU or the USA. Is the alternative (cutting the cash) worse in the long term, that is the question. To which the answer has to be yes.

Categories: Israel, Hamas, Palestine, Aid, Politics,

Blog Awards

2006-03-13T12:37:00.000Z

I am gutted to have missed the awards, was hoping against hope that I might be able to go but alas it was not to be, having said that, it looked like a mental night. Full credit to Damien for the amazing work. He deserves all the credit and plaudits that can be heaped upon him.

Colm has got a variety of great links for others who are trying to get a flavour of the night.

Well done to the winners, especially the ones i voted for.

Again well done to damien. Amazing work.

C

Fundraising for a Good Cause

2006-03-09T21:24:00.000Z

Gavin has a very personal plea on his blog for his readers to contribute for a fund in aid of his cousing victor who was seriously injured playing rugby for Longford FC.

He has asked that all bloggers link to the story and where possible make a donation to help with the care and rehabilitation of Victor who is now paralysed from the neck down as a result of a Rugby injury.

Victor was on the news today to highlight the fact that there will be around 200 at the Ireland Scotland game in landsdown to raise funds.

Gavin, I dont posess a credit card (the joys of student life) but you can rest assured that I will be donating through the bank and I encourage all of you to do the same.
You can contribute via paypal on Gavins blog or you can giro:

Ulster Bank, Longford (a/c no 54437094, sort code 98 60 30).

UN Reform

2006-03-08T11:27:00.000Z

Kofi Annan released the lastest in his series of proposals to overhaul the UN yesterday. The report itself is here, and his press release here.

Havent had a chance to read it, or anything else for that matter-up the walls till the weekend- but a reuters report suggests that its not all sweetness and light.

UN Staff are concerned about what they see as outsourcing and job losses in New York, while EU and US are pretty happy, LDCs and poor countries suspect that the budget cuts and efficiency savings are going to come out of projects from which they directly benefit.

On top of all this, most diplomats seem to be preturbed by the potential for uprooting the current balance of influence (and power of sorts) in the latest reforms, which clearly worries those at the top of the influence pile. If it goes through there will be a spate of Gala parties in NY Diplomatic quarter as countries race up the greasy pole.

Cian
Categories: UN, Reform, US, EU, LDCs, Politics,

Gardai had Prior Knowledge of Omagh - Labour

2006-03-01T14:13:00.000Z

Browsing through some of the Party press releases online, I came across an interesting piece from yesterday by Joe Costello. (I looked through yesterday's transcripts and it seems that it was Pat Rabbitte who brought it up in Leaders Questions'.)

"Today in the Dáil I questioned the Taoiseach about fresh claims that an informant, relocated by Gardaí under the witness protection programme, had given his handlers prior information relevant to the Real IRA’s plan to bomb Omagh."

It seems that the PSNI representatives, "on Wednesday the 22nd last, the outgoing Assistant Chief Constable of the PSNI, Sam Kinkaid, accompanied by his successor and by Superintendent Baxter who has led the Omagh bomb inquiry, made clear to the Omagh families their view that both MI5 and the Garda Síochána had had relevant information which was not passed on to their service and which, taken together, would have placed them on a much higher state of alert."

The information is said to have come from a Donegal car theif, Paddy Dixon, who was stealing cars for the Real IRA operation. His Garda handler voiced the allegations on the bombing and a body was set up to inquire into the affair. The inquiry report was never published nor publicised but was seen by Enda Kenny and Joe Costello

[from Costello]
I said I was struck by the consistent and apparently congenital inability of that committee to query the official Garda version of events in any case where it differed from that of Detective Sergeant White, whereas every hole was picked in the case put forward against the Garda authorities.

While the press release is not clear enough for simply old me to understand, it seems the inquiry was looking at the process of getting the information that was in the posession of Dixon's handler, Detective Sergeant White, to the top of the tree and on to the North. It is clear that this didn't happen and the PSNI seem to blame the gardai for this. If I am wrong about the nature of the report, I am open to correction but it seems to be the thrust of the release that this is what is was about Gardai cooperation and intelligence gathering with regard to Omagh and the PSNI.

[again Costello]
The present position is that the PSNI has made conclusions in its inquiry that run directly counter to the Nally report and its findings.

Clearly there exists a number of serious questions around the intelligence in the run-up to the atrocity north of the border

It is surprising enough that the Nally committee was able to reach the findings it did without interviewing Paddy Dixon, the Garda informant at the heart of this affair. It is even more disturbing that the PSNI felt the need to make it clear again last week that they still wish to interview that man.
...
The Nally report has not put an end to it. The police services of two neighbouring jurisdictions, which ought to have the closest co-operation, are now at loggerheads on the matter.

Costello has a point that all sides of the border and the Irish sea made an unqualified commitment to ensuring the highest possible standard of justice for the families of Omagh. The allegations he makes are serious, the report as it stands looks remarkably like some form of one-sided work intent of covering tracks as much as uncovering truth.

If this is so, and it is important to stress the unpublished state of the Nally Report, then it is clear that a further and more open approach must be taken as a debt of honour both to the Omagh victims and to our own process of justice. In a Republic the role of law must be above reproach to continue with the legitimate rule of law.

Bertie's responses in the Leaders Questions of yesterday are at the bottom of this page and the following page:

The Taoiseach: ...However, it has been the view all the way through that any information given to the Garda by the security forces was acted on long before the explosions. I cannot be certain of the facts but the relevant security information was acted on long before 15 August 1998. The bomb that was in preparation at that time was intercepted. I do not say the Deputy is talking about a different issue but the information was passed to the Garda by MI5. The information was acted on and the bomb that was in preparation was intercepted. It has been my understanding that the PSNI and the chief constable do not believe the account given by Sergeant White
...
To be clear on the matter, if Sam Kincaid was talking about the information that was given to the Garda by MI5 - I cannot be certain that is what he was talking about - that information was acted on and the bomb that was in preparation was intercepted and dealt with.
...
It appears there are two issues. The Deputy says that Sam Kincaid said his sources did not give him information and my information has always been that the information we got was acted on. I do not believe there was any other information. That was my understanding.

There does indeed to be two issues, anyone who reads the transcripts gets the impression of two men at cross-purposes. Sam Kinkaid's allegation as reprinted is that the Gardai had information, seemingly different to that in mind by Bertie Ahern, which was not passed on and would have contributed significantly to dealing with the Omagh Bomb.

While there is a great deal of fog at this point, the allegations by the PSNI and Labour are serious enough to merit further clarification on the events and certainly if there is a case to be answered after that a full inquiry.

Bertie's reply was not sufficient considering the scale of the allegation, he wasn't informed of the question before hand so at this point he must get the benefit of the doubt that he was genuinely confused. However, I would like to see some clarification of the position of both Kinkaid and the Government on what was known and whether it was passed on. It is implied that Dixon's intelligence is linked to the successful attack not the one which Ahern says was foiled on the intelligence of the Gardai.

The two were at cross purposes yesterday but cannot afford to remain so, for the credibility of our force and also the justice that the Omagh families deserve.

This allegation about the Gardai follows reports last week in the Sunday Times of the MI5 deficiencies and coverage by the SDLP and Slugger. So far its the first explicit attempt to enquire into the exact Garda role in this.

Categories: Northernireland, Irishpolitics, PSNI, Omagh,

Opposition Slam Metro Plan Deadline

2006-02-28T23:15:00.000Z

From RTE:

The Department of Transport's plan to have the Dublin metro up and running by 2012 has been criticised by Opposition parties.

Fine Gael has said the 2012 completion date is unrealistic if not impossible.

The party's transport spokeswoman, Olivia Mitchell, said Mary O'Rourke had promised in 1998 that the metro would be finished within seven years. She said Martin Cullen's timetable looked as unrealistic.

1) Its their job to do this, while at the same time providing reasons.
2) The reason is that Mary O Rourke promised it and it still isnt finished. Well Mary promised it, yes, however in between it was shafted for the two unjoined Luas lines. The reason for its non-completion is that it wasn't started. Thats of course the governments fault for bad judgement but not entirely an accurate point in drawing the inference from the available evidence.

C
Categories: Metro, FineGael, Irishpolitics

What I Learned Today...

2006-02-28T23:08:00.000Z

The Speaker of the Iranian Parliament is an opium addict;
[From Persian Journal:]

Nuclear dossier is merely a pretext for exerting pressures on Iran by the US, said Majlis Speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel here on Tuesday.

Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel (known as "gholam shire'i" for his addiction to opium) told Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy Yuri Volkov that Iran's peaceful nuclear technology poses no danger to regional and global security.

Which I'm sure reassures all of us who seek a peaceful resolution to the current nuclear standoff.

There was a song by The Streets which encouraged us all to imagine the "worlds leaders on pills", all love tonight, tomorrow I dont know ya.

Cian
Categories: Iran, Education, Opium,

Profile Change

2006-02-28T16:22:00.000Z

Ive decided to ditch the ol Red Rover pseudonym, its getting quite old hat.
Anyway il be working on a first name basis from now on in case y'all are getting confused.
Cian

Happy Pancake Tuesday

2006-02-28T15:31:00.001Z

To all of you who aren't at home with mammy this evening, i feel your pain. So i thought i would share with you my own recipe for success on the pancake front. This is not pulled from my previous post's object but purely my own.

300 mL Milk
2 Eggs
150 g Flour
1Tsp Vanilla Essence
3Tsp Drinking Chocolate Powder
Some oil/butter

If your using a food processor (recommended):
Whiz the wet ingredients.
Then add the dry ingredients in about three or four stages, whizzing between each addition.
Turn into a big jug and give a bit of a stir.
You can use some extra milk to get the bits out of the bottom of the food processor

If your using cave-man tools -like me.
Beat the eggs and milk together.
Sift in the flour in three stages, folding in the flour well before adding the next amount.
Finally add the vanilla essence and drinking chocolate.

Again turn into a big jug.

Heat your pan, put in a slice of butter (unsalted is best, if your using salted use some olive oil). Leave all the butter melt and then add it to the batter, this prevents the need for oil before each pancake.

Use a non stick pan, on about full heat. Let the pan get good and hot, then add in the mixture, it needs your own judgement to figure how much, depending on whether you like thick or thin cakes. If thin swirl from the center outwards for a nice thin crepe.

If the pancake doesnt flip or breaks in the middle you need more flour.
If it stick then you need a)more butter in the mixture or b) oil before each new pancake.

Dont forget your lemon, sugar, berries, maple syrup, banana, nutella or any other.

Away with you, no excuse now.

RR
Categories: Cooking, Pancakes, Yummy

Jamie Olivers New Cookbook - E25 (An ethical dilemma)

2006-02-28T15:15:00.000Z

Ingredients - E10
Being the prat who gets sacked for putting it on the internet before publishing...priceless.

Just got a copy of the naked chef 2 in my inbox. It claims to be his new book, The Naked Chef 2 emailed out by a staffer at his publishers to a friend and promptly zooming around the internet, I havent a clue myself.

Of course this presents a moral dilemma, one familiar to all those who use the web, to share or to protect Mr. Olivers good copyright? Modern day ethics doesnt come much more cutting edge.

Arguments for and against in the comments. (I have no intention of posting it online but since you all know its about now im sure your familiar with google.)

RR
Categories: Jamie, Oliver, Copyright, Ethics,

Rerunning the Love Ulster March

2006-02-27T23:41:00.000Z

Good idea.
Great message.
Democratic tolerance needs to be practice.
Perhaps a little more police preperation.

But.
Wont happen.
Sadly.
RR
Categories: Riots, Dublin, Irishpolitics

A Pragmatic Call

2006-02-27T18:46:00.000Z

By the EU on funding for Hamas. The stark choice is further violence being funded by an ever increasingly powerful Iran, or maintaining fiscal ties that bind over a government that needs to be brought to the negotiating table. While their positions are absolutely wrong and need to be changed, withdrawing funding now would only have deepened a crisis that has festered for far too long.

European diplomats earlier indicated that despite Hamas' victory, an immediate withdrawal of EU funding was not an option, as this would mean a break-down of the Palestinian administration, which is feared would be followed by chaos and fresh violence.

RR
Categories: Hamas, Palestine, Politics, Comment

Sneaky Poll Numbers

2006-02-27T16:00:00.000Z

The only reason to buy the Post yesterday was its tracking poll, it happily decided most readers will have no interest in the riots. Im sure the Editors were rewarded with the circulation figures for yesterday. Anyway the latest installment of the SBP tracker poll series, from now till election day, showed little news.

Two up for Fine Gael, two down for Fianna Fail and the smaller parties trading single point gains and losses. Pat Leahey breaks down some of the numbers but I have a number of thoughts myself.

It should be clear to all that at this point in time and rather long into the relationship the Fine Gael and Labour romance has not grabbed the public imagination. While FG continue to post gains on their 2002 all time lows, I feel this is little more than the return of their 'natural vote' to the fray. Heaven knows the myriad of reasons they moved off in 2002 but the natural level for FG support is around 25%-29% in recent times. Its breaking beyond that level that will do the business if the opposition are to get bums on seats in the cabinet office.

Labour similarly have been flying static for so long now you must wonder what they are going to do to increase support. Well simply put, it seems that the Labour TDs have had to adopt a common strategy of underlining government failings rather than engaging in some positive principle positioning. As McDowell noted yesterday, Joe Costelloe has a default setting on his typewriter which starts all press releases with Michael McDowell should resign. Its clearly not a working strategy and creates a standard of policy debate which is abysmally low. There is clearly little to be won by the infantile "decapitation stragegy" especially with a real campaign so far off. Instead of creating nice soundbites which will perhaps entice the electorate to consider the opposition as a prospect they are peddling the likes of Burton, Costelloe and others to hammer home a point the electorate dont want to hear "government bad...were good".

While its an argument many might agree with, its being made in the wrong way. All controversies seem to end in the same dialectical slagging match. Bad for politics and bad for prospects.

I dont buy the serious policy argument, Labour and Fine Gael are right to keep powder dry.
Observe what Hobbs did in September last year. He took cases and made his point, he may have taken the mikey out of government but he never had to make explicit the association between bad government and the way things are, something an inept FG and Labour are constantly resorting to.

The government seem to be equally as issue-laden from the numbers, Bertie's recent come and get me plea to labour suggests that there is a great deal of internal number crunching going on which suggests that this incarnation of FF government may be at an end. Thats not to say he wont get his three in a row.

McDowells own recent intervention which intimated a readiness to cast nets far afield following this election seems to certify the numbers that the leaders are getting. They are not and may not be good enough to form a third lasting marriage. All is still undoubtedly to play for, it is clearly Fianna Fail who have come back to the pack since the pack has hardly upped its game to any real or serious standard.

It may looks like two teams slugging it out now, but come the final results I wouldnt be surprised to see some crossing over and switching of loyalties. Half of labour find being in bed with the dead hand of FG to be too much, too stifling and perhaps a vote-loser.

If anything this poll underlines how parties are not in fact gearing up for an early election but conducting business as usual bereft of imagination and choc full of name calling and silly claims.

On SF, their one point gain is much of a much ness, over the next four or five months we will se the serious results of IRA decomissioning, political moderation, social activism and the inevitable backlash against all hues of republican over Saturdays riots. I am thinking that SF still have a lot of support left to gain, those chumps from Saturday rarely cast a vote, yet now they have a party moderately able to represent some ideology close to their own, if it can be called that. This moblising of 'fresh voters' is what will, if it happens, drive Sinn Fein into the mid-teens. From there it's anybodies guess.

I dont think small parties and independents will hold the same sway as before, the lack of big numbers for the big two suggests that it may be a good mid-teen result that will gift the balance of power to Labour or Sinn Fein (or the PDs if Tom Parlon is to be believed).

RR
Categories: Election2007, Irishpolitics, Comment, Polls,

Afternoon Listening

2006-02-27T15:12:00.000Z

Just a quick note to all of you, the excellent Sean Moncrief is away this week and his replacement is none other than Senator David Norris. I encourage all of you to listen it, its compulsive radio. You can listen online here.

So far its the most dramatic intonation Ive heard on radio for ages.

RR

Sneaky Poll Numbers

2006-02-27T15:00:00.000Z

Get Rid of John Waters or Kevin Myers

2006-02-27T00:52:00.002Z

Or both, and give Twenty Major at least one column a week.

So to recap - Rangers fans hate Celtic fans. Celtic fans hate Rangers fans. Rangers fans want to march, Celtic fans oppose. Police presence minimal, handiness of weapons and missiles optimal, scumbag count, high. Result - trouble. Quel surprise.

UPDATE:
Also on the topic of new commentators, welcome Copernicus' midnightcourt with a massively salient point at this juncture:

Gay Mitchell made the excellent point that these bastards are doing this shit in certain communities on a constant basis. Of course that's perfectly tolerable to our incredibly complacent government and bourgeois Tygger society as long as our leafier burbs aren't affected. Stand up the boys in the camel-hair coats and their chums in the construction industry who ghettoised swathes of the population in a process of self-enrichment in the 70s and 80s.

This is a deeper and more persistent problem for many than a one night stand on O Connell street. Not an excuse but a point of fact to be borne in mind by all of us hoping to figure out some remedy to the cycle of violence.

RR
Categories: Dublin, Riots, Youthinkyoursotough

Riot Madness

2006-02-27T00:47:00.000Z

I spent the weekend in the far reaches of the universe, away from a computer and reliant on RTE for news of the riots. I have at once to agree with Richard Delevan, if Newstalk mobilised a host of reporters and got to grips with a real story which was important to Dubliners and the country at large, which I hadnt realised they did, then RTE ought to be ashamed of themselves. Its not like there was even an irish team playing yesterday to justify the decision to go with sport ahead of the serious analysis needed of a serious and impactful incident. The people outside of a select distance of Dublin were sold short of their license fee as sport (if it was so important) could go to MW/LW and coverage initiated on FM.

I am disappointed in the decision of the national broadcaster to go with the programming they did and as a listener beyond the pale for a day, feel let down. And if it werent for the poll they are carrying today, the Post are equally as bad, selling readers short.

I feel that the bloggers in the irish sphere, were suffering no such issues however as the breadth and quality of coverage is incredible.

The lads who decided to defend the honour of our nation against the vile pillaging hordes of "PROTESTANTS!!!!"..."ULSTER PROTESTANTS!!!!!"..."THE WORST KIND"... were idiots. Our nation needs only defending from the persistent nastiness that seems to succour so close to the vile and reactionary forces at the margins of Irish republicanism. There is not a snowballs chance in hell that yesterday could be classified as political action. Last time I looked, so much of our politics owes its life to some of the figures adorning O Connell Street. Great men, leaders of men, but above all honest men.

Protest is one thing, a running battle against an "enemy" who retreated to their buses and a Garda force paradoxically charged with protecting the spectators as much as the marchers is outright thuggery. I wasnt altogether surprised to hear the first reports of looting (first heard in the country round five or six o clock thanks to the overtime put in at Montrose). I might have found an issue or two with the parade if I really tried, and to be honest, I have taken no notice of it since the time it was mooted by that lad Willy something or other.

Obviously these lads hadnt thought about the marches either, simply outlawed their right to march. They may not agree but the government of the day and ultimate guardian of our rights (though some may dislike it so) deemed the right and eligibility of this march to proceed. So proceed it should have. If for no other reason than to underline our plurality, and forge a new chapter in the path to peace and reconciliation. As Saint has so correctly argued, that test is failed (and hes right about the rest too, great post).

Yet it is clear that this state is not the homogenous unit of tolerance we would all agree it needs to be, ought to be. Dick has provided ample evidence of this. There is still a vast community of disaffected and marginalised Irish people. Men and women who condone violence against others in a manner which serves only to promote further violence, this was not some romantic revolt against to occupying forces. In this city, they are visitors. Here to make a point and seek to make a petition to our politicians. We ulitmately hold power over our governments decisions so we can be assured our views will be taken into account. We may seek to make the opposite case, but at all times we must seek to make peace. The irish on all sides of the border, for irish they be, must live in peace. Without peace all is lost, we are cast back to the Hobbesian state of nature, a war of all against all.

Thankfully yesterday's riot was akin to one hand clapping. It left people injured, shocked, apalled and reflecting on our own society, but it was not a riot of two sides. There was only one side intent on rioting yesterday and to the shame of all of us, it was neo-Republicans.

Do you know what would have really prevented all this? ID cards.

RR
Categories: Riots, Dublin, Republican, loveulster, Sheerballsologythelotofit

Hiatus (And some anti-terror news)

2006-02-20T19:59:00.000Z

For a week of two, absolutely no time on my hands at the moment so il try to get back up and running as soon as possible.

Before I go i would encourage you all to read the disturbing abuse of legislation over in the UK, apparantly the team behind the "road to Guantanamo" movie showing at the Berlin film festival.
Craig Murray broke the news here, while Blairwatch and Talk politics follow up here. Lastly The Lip fills in the gaps (required reading).

Im sure this bodes very well for the enforcement of the "Glorifying Terror" clause to the recent anti-terror bill.

Under the threat of “prolonging” my detention, I cooperated in allowing her to go through my wallet. She took detailed notes on all its contents. All of my bankcard details were noted down, as were the details on other people’s business cards I had in my wallet. I was searched for objects that I might use to “hurt” the officers. However this took place about halfway through the interview after I had been with the interviewer alone for some time.

While searching through my wallet she asked me whether I intended to do more documentary films, specifically more political ones like The Road to Guantanamo. She asked “Did you become an actor mainly to do films like this, you know, to publicise the struggles of Muslims?”.

She also asked me what my political views were, what I thought about “the Iraq war and everything else that was going on”, whether the Iraq war was “right” in my view.

She then asked me whether I would mind officers contacting me regularly in the future, “in case, for example, you might be in a café, and you overhear someone discussing illegal activities”.

Disturbing stuff, and a further nail in the coffin of a popular-supported war on terror. And it seems that the right-now airing of Obornes documentary (C4 Dispatches) on the spinning of terror is likely to generate further opposition for this prosecution of a "war on terrorism".

I understand that the initiative of glorifying terror is commendable but is it really enforceable in a real world devoid of the double speak and double thinking that dominates the pr-led governments in our (post)modern democratic societies.

Anyway, i gotta dash but il try to get back soon, also good luck and well done to all finalists in the blog awards.
RR
Categories: Terror, UK, Guantanamo,

Sean Haughey

2006-02-19T22:27:00.000Z

After an insane week of actual work, dipping in and out of news yielded but the bare bones of political coverage. How in the name of (nondescript divine entity) does this qualify for coverage? Ok I get that both the political correspondents and Sean himself were outwinked by the master of winks and nods, indeed by the sounds of it Haughey may have been led to get his hoped up. In the end Bertie appointed someone else. This is NOT a shock, the guys cabinet arithmatic is never going to be predictable nor understood.

Saint has it right, not for the first time, the guy is taking this opportunity to grandstand, knowing full well that a bit of grandstanding is the only real key to getting a promotion next time round. You only qualify by bleating louder than the other maligned backbench TDs who dont fit the electoral math and/or have the right story.

Some of the best work pol cors could churn out this week was a sob story for some guy who didnt get a promotion, kicked up a fuss and didnt leave. He didnt leave because he is up there for the next promotion. An honest assesment of this "saga" would tell politically interested readers that on a grand scale this matters not one jot. The government will not fall, policy won't chage and we will hear little from Haughey near-term. Policy in the department affected is unlikely to get altered much. Overall this has little or no seismic impact. Yet for some reason the job of scrutinising government/political discourse is dominated by this non-story.

Personality politics is a fact of life, it sells more papers, ads or whatever. This really is scraping the barrel though, there are hardly any personalities to speak of.

[aaahhhh that feels much better.]
RR

Categories: Irishpolitics, Media, Comment, Venting

Humour, My British Friends...

2006-02-16T22:58:00.000Z

Had to put this up, watching the ol' newsnight tonight on BBC2 and I had to laugh out loud. Paul Mason (Business Correspondent) was doing a piece on the Services Directive (more on which anon), in the style of Euro-trash. Surreal in itself.

End report and return to Kirsty Wark

"We now go to the British answer to Antoine de Caunes, Peter Mandelson"

Oh the mental images. Du Caunes in the Commission and Mandy on C4 late on a Thursday....

RR
Categories: Humour, Mandelson, EU, Eurotrash

More Cartoon Mayhem

2006-02-16T20:32:00.000Z

You have to laugh, whatever your politics.
From pickled politics.

Incidentally, is the whole Cheney shooting business so much hype and so light on news that all and sundry must implore us to imagine it happened to others?
Richard wonders what if it was the other way round? While the Washington Note wonders what if it was Al Gore in that Fox interview seat after a hunting accident?

Perceived injustice all round then.
RR

Categories: Humour, Shooting, Cheney, Prescott

Irish Election

2006-02-14T08:07:00.000Z

Just a note to mention to all of you that the Irish Election group blog is up an running.
With contributions from 19 Blogs and counting it is the go-to place for coverage of the irish election.
Its located here, with feed here.

This afternoon we are expecting a special guest post to sort-of inaugurate the blog so keep an eye on that.

If any of the other bloggers out there want to get involved, your all more than welcome just email me(address below).

Go, on check it out, you know your curious. And perhaps a little enamoured.
RR
Categories: Blogging, Election2007,

Bertie: "Anyone for Government?"

2006-02-13T23:37:00.000Z

It caught my eye as soon as I walked into the newsagents yesterday (hurrah from advertising), but yesterdays story in the Tribune about Berties openness to offers surely rocks the boat.

Bertie opened up the opportunity of a coalition with Labour should the maths of the next election make it necessary.

Just a few thoughts, FFs internal polls must be suggesting that there is a hell of a close shave coming up at the next election and that the current PD/FF setup may have to be jettisoned for Bertie to achieve his longstanding goal to be third-term Taoiseach.

Second, the relationship in the second term between the PDs and FF has not been the same since the removal of Kildares finest to Brussels. Since then Macreevy has been annoying folk in the EU while the PDs have been on the losing side of a large number of policy clashes. The relationship between them is bound the be put under strain when the minority party is seen to be sidelined (over the Airport e.g.), ineffective (Harney in Health) and/or a tad wild (McDowell).

The PDs have also been courting all comers which could ultimately lead to the odd conversion of the teams to FF/Lab and FG/PDs.

Bertie is playing the right game in terms of getting Labour into bed by appealing to the Unions. They have for a long time been men Bertie has nurtured ties with (since Labour minister in the 80s and before). They know he is a man with whom one can make a deal, and perhaps he is right that Union leaders do often cast votes FFs way. However they are also intertwined with the very essence of the Labour party and can stand in the position of king-makers come election day (although not to the extent of the Unions in thte UK Labor Party).

If it turns out that the only feasible coalition is Fianna Fail and Labour Pat Rabbitte may have to fall on the sword he planted in Mullingar. However he may not. While the Labour voting public is widely seen as being split over coalition with FF, the activists tend to favour Rabbittes attention to detail and organisational ability over the other contenders (who are often termed 'weak' in that department). Still the press have a key role in this regard and would crucify a man who has, never explicitly but nonetheless, ruled out government with FF.

Whether or not an FF/Labour coalition would achieve anything, have any merit or even be something to talk about is a post for another day. At the moment though, the fact that both governing parties are casting about for partners suggests that things are deteriorating in Cabinet Office.

*Michael D. refused to be drawn on his own candidacy next year. This suggests to me, that some in the party have been told to "go home and prepare for government", while Sinn Fein are pariahs there will be a large role for kingmakers on 12%-19%.

RR
Categories: Irishpolitics, Comment, Labour, FiannFail, Coalition, Election2007

Sunday Brunch

2006-02-12T23:04:00.000Z

Only driving to dublin is worse than getting the train. So I arrive before you wrecked and weary. I havent listened to Sunday Brunch yet but I am familiar with parts of it. So a coy plug to all of you to go download and have a listen.

Kevin and I were drafted in to do some dissecting of the Danish cartoon row.

Below is a transcript if you wanna have a go, Id be more than happy to entertain you.

The editor of the Danish newspaper was right to publish the cartoons because he was free to publish the cartoons.

That much is about s as far as this debate has gotten. The Danish editor did indeed have the right to publish these and any other cartoons. He has the right to publish any article he likes or picture he likes. He also had the right to a free and fair prosecution if his publication of any of the above falls foul of libel laws.

That the editor had freedom did not for one millisecond place any imperative on him to act. It left him the option to publish or to spike the piece, like it does all editors. I don’t object to freedom of expression. In this case I think its place at the heart of the debate is questionable.

The editors were indeed free to publish these cartoons; it is not however in that freedom that one defends them. They are not simply expressions of freedom; they make serious claims about the nature of Islam and of its followers-freedom of expression does not put the cartoons above the possibility of being wrong.

These cartoons are deeply offensive, even barring the depiction of Mohammed. If Jesus was caricatured with a crusader’s helmet, sword and flag, pillaging a near eastern village, I think there would be a great deal of furore. The depiction of Mohammed with a bomb on his head feeds this idea that we in the west are on a collision course with Islam which is seen as an inherently violent religion. It provokes varying degrees of anger from the worlds Muslims while at the same time rallying support around the freedom to do so.

Such a collision course is in this case a fabricated one. Since these cartoons should have been published and roundly condemned as being wrong-headed. The depiction of Mohammed is an issue for Islam to deal with; the false and stereotypical depiction of Muslims by our media is one we should examine.

The decision then to republish in the name of freedom of speech suggests that >the moral content of the cartoons is irrelevant, Muslim objections to the moral content equally irrelevant and that the principle of freedom of expression at the heart of the issue. I disagree with such an assessment.

The right to free expression was clearly present in the first instance of the Jyllands Posten publishing the cartoons. What ought to have followed is an evaluation of the cartoons by both communities.

The freedom was underlined by their publication, what hasn’t been addressed was whether it was the right thing to do.

Instead there was a rush to divide the issue into 'us and them' positions of freedom and tyranny.

This action puts the cartoons above reproach. The resulting persistence in propagating the cartoons again places the content above criticism at the expense of defending the principle.

The Muslim community has a right to be angry. There is no doubt that all violent protest is to be condemned and it’s deeply damaging. Yet it is worth recalling that a vast majority of the worlds 1.5 billion Muslims were not on our TV screens this week burning flags or embassies.

I think the decision to republish was the wrong one; it was an unnecessary propagation of a series of offensive and ignorant cartoons. Being free implies the responsibility to reflect on ones actions and perhaps sometimes not use the freedom.

If I were an editor I wouldn’t have published these cartoons and certainly wouldn’t now republish them, but it is in the hands of the editors that the right must stay. The media should be free and fair.

Categories: Podcasting, Blogging, Politics, Cartoons, Islam, Mohammed

Flying Car Baffles Aussies and Googlers

2006-02-11T13:04:00.000Z

Reading over at Piaras Kelly about attempts to manipulate Google Maps to some nefarious end, I recalled this story from a while back.

SMH reported that googleearth images from Perth seem to show a car hovering above the ground with its own shadow underneath it. The image is on the right here.

Now before you go all mad and spooky:

"The intriguing image was reported last week by the British IT news website, The Register

One the the website's readers subsequently visited the very spot and sent in photos showing that there were no unusual structures there that could explain the phenomenon.

Other sceptical readers wrote in insisting the image was an optical illusion and was either a bus shelter, a pergola, a hole in the ground. One said it was obviously "Harry Potter and his friends on vacation."

Still, there is no need to let facts get in the way of a good story. The car was gone by the time the reader got there since his orbital window had closed and he was due to return to Omega 5 to file his report into human behaviour. This report is part of the build up to the invasion of earth, and were it not for google earth we would never have seen it coming.
RR
Categories: Googleearth, Humour, FlyingCar

Plus Ca Change... Eu Constitution Returns

2006-02-09T15:23:00.000Z

Its been mooted for a while but it seems that Brussels really was intent on taking one from Bertie Aherns playbook and simply knuckling under for a while before going on as before. It seems that Estonia and Belgium are revving up to ratify the EU Constitution that it seems no one wants but are going to get anyway.

Is it right that a document such as this can be passed with little or no recourse to Referenda? Is it so important as to require popular support? This travels to the heart of the idea of representation of the people by legislators. Are we simply electing officials to exercise their best judgement on a topic with no requirement to consider our view, or do they require a mandate in certain important circumstances?

Does it really matter that the process seems to be unwanted by the people? I would like to think so, but the signals from Brussels suggests that lessons have not been learned and EU Government has not been forced to reflect on its role and status in broader EU society. Having been soundly rejected in France and The Netherlands and likely to be so in UK and elsewhere the message was to return to Brussels and get your house in order. In a move Bertie would be proud of they did the latter, said the former had taken place and went on as intended. While that might suffice for running a state whose electorate are docile enough, it doesnt do for a European project at all.

People dont often care to know what goes on in governance, they care to know that once in a while their opinion can be heard and on all else its a-pint-of-whatever-your-having-yourself. The prospect of doing more work and putting together a coherent plan with a decent central message and theme seems to be too much for a bunch of tired and lazy politicians/bureaucrats who are growing unused to dealing with a citizenry on a European level.

This constitutional move and the contents of it are unlikely to alter such a situation and bring the EU closer to public accountability and scrutiny. I am safe in the knowledge that I can vote on this issue, and may now choose not on the content but on the tone of the politics, however I would prefer to see the EU learn from an election defeat far more than it seems to learn from a victory in a national assembly.

Democratising a body as diverse and insular as the EU is no mean task, yet a simple ethos of public accoutability that moves beyond the Burkean paternalism would be a great place to start. Those of us sympathetic to the EU are as ostracised by this decision as those who are opposed to its existence.

This is not going to help talk of democratic defecits etc.

RR

Categories: EU, Constitution, Politics, Comment, Democracy

Bolk(Frank)enstein Directive

2006-02-09T00:30:00.000Z

Some news from Brussels via EU Observer that the fabled services directive has been put through the ringer at the EU Parliament. Members of the EPP centre-right grouping and Socialist groupings came to some agreements over the proposed directive to be sent back to the Commission for rewriting before presentation to member states.

Some of the compromises seem set to sooth the anxieties of Unions around Europe who have been playing the social-dumping card for all that it is worth. The main points of concern are the scope of the bill (will it extend to public services and public services provided by private operators) and also the now infamous 'country of origin' principle.

On the former, it seems that there is a rough compromise where outright public services seem to fall beyond the remit of the directive while the status of private services in the public realm are up for debate. According to the report neither side seem certain where private service provision in public services falls. However there seems to be clear ring-fencing of the status of public services.

Meanwhile the "country of origin" principle is to be reformulated.

Under Wednesday's agreement, the country of origin principle would be reformulated.

The new version states that while companies have the right to offer their services in countries other than those where they are set up, the member states hosting them must remove all the current obstacles the firms might encounter.

"All the rules which are discriminatory, unnecessary or disproportional must go," said Ms Gebhardt.

Referring to the infamous example, she said "It would mean that a Polish plumber could offer his services in France, without extra demands by French officers on his equipment, material or qualifications."

Self-employed plumbers or other professionals could sell their services at a lower price than their colleagues from the hosting country.

On the other hand, companies sending their workers abroad to provide their services would be obliged to follow the hosting country's minimum labour, social and environmental rules, in a bid to avoid "social dumping."

The vote is due for 16 Feb on the compromise so eyes on that one. FT helpfully provides a QandA on the whole shenanigans though it seems that compromise will end up sealing some form of deal.

Its not all sweetness and light however, members of the centre right seem a tad disappointed;

"We have been discussing with several of my colleagues that what is coming up as a proclaimed 'compromise' is actually a back down from our part, as with so many exemptions from the directive, it might end up quite empty and useless," commented the Czech centre-right MEP, Zuzana Roithova.

Its widely seen as a compromise position encompassing the main points of both sides. Seems to be for the best, the original country of origin position was as unworkable as it was wrongheaded. For the rest we shall have to wait and see.

RR
Categories: EU, Services, Politics, Comment, Bolkenstein

Bertie is a Rare Orchid

2006-02-08T18:34:00.000Z

Having some time on my hands and overcome with curiosity, I dropped by the Oireachtas website to peruse this mornings Leaders Questions. Well was I rewarded. Its unlikley that TV will show the scenes from which the following transcript is taken. I extract some of it here but really you must read the whole thing here.

I find that without pictures, the transcripts take on a rare, often chaotic format and when reading them the whole scene as it presents to the minds eye descends into farce. If they keep up the quality of this they may yet get RTE2 to commission a sit-com, it will be better than some of the shite they air.

Joe Higgins is asking a question on social housing provision, take it away Joe:

Ceann Comhairle: The Deputy should ask a question.

Mr. J. Higgins: Does the Taoiseach accept that, in reality, social partnership is now another flag of convenience to curb workers’ wage demands? In the context of the partnership talks, while private capitalists are allowed by the Government’s policies to gorge themselves obscenely with speculative profits and tax breaks as crucial public services such as health and education go short, does the Taoiseach believe that the 18 so-called investors, who set up a speculator’s company in the Caribbean to scam €309,000 per year legally from the tax fund in this State deserve to be called partners, or would the term “parasites” come more readily to mind? The Taoiseach has facilitated them. I read in yesterday’s Irish Examiner that after——

An Ceann Comhairle: It is not appropriate to quote and I ask the Deputy to confine himself to questions.

Mr. J. Higgins: I am asking a question. While I will not quote, I read in the Irish Examiner that after the Taoiseach’s recent visit to Singapore, they named a——

An Ceann Comhairle: It is not even appropriate for the Deputy to state what he read in the Irish Examiner. He should simply ask a question.

Mr. J. Higgins: Very well.

Ms McManus: This is ridiculous.

An Ceann Comhairle: The purpose of Question Time is to elicit information from the Taoiseach, not to impart information to the House.

Mr. M. Higgins: In Singapore, this would be a criminal speech.

Ms McManus: This is simply censorship.

Mr. J. Higgins: Yes. However, they named a new hybrid orchid in the Taoiseach’s honour. They called it “Mokara Bertie Ahern”.

Mr. Rabbitte: How can the Ceann Comhairle rule this out?

Mr. J. Higgins: It must have been sponsored by developers and speculators, as the Taoiseach has certainly been a true cara to them.

Ms McManus: A delicate flower.

Very good, we like flowers, it gets better, Joe finally decides to ask a question of the Taoiseach after two more attempts, relating to PAYE conditions and housing. Bertie asserts: "there is almost over-capacity in the affordable housing market, where people are not switching or——"

And here we go....

The Taoiseach: Through affordable housing, social housing and the voluntary housing sector, the issues discussed in social partnership have improved the situation.

Ms McManus: It certainly helped the landlords.

The Taoiseach: I have provided comprehensive figures in this respect.

Mr. Stagg: We got two in County Kildare from the entire package. Despite all of the building in County Kildare, we only got two.

An Ceann Comhairle: Deputy Stagg should allow the Taoiseach to speak.

The Taoiseach: Half of Dublin is moving to County Kildare because the houses are——

Mr. Stagg: They are not moving into social housing or affordable housing.

The Taoiseach: They are moving into affordable housing.

Mr. Stagg: Not at all. We only got two. I received a report yesterday.

The Taoiseach: The county has extremely good affordable housing.

Ms Lynch: It should be good as it took five years to build.

Ms McManus: Let them eat cake.

An Ceann Comhairle: The Taoiseach, without interruption, please.

The Taoiseach: There is some extremely good affordable housing in Kildare, which is much cheaper than most places, to that county’s credit.

Mr. Rabbitte: The Indian visit was not good for the Taoiseach. He is out of touch with what is going on.

An Ceann Comhairle: I ask Deputy Rabbitte to allow the Taoiseach to answer Deputy Joe Higgins’s question.

Mr. C. Lenihan: The Opposition wants to ruin the economy.
The Taoiseach: The Deputies do not want to accept we are building 80,000 houses and that through Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the affordable housing initiative, more than 11,000 sites have been generated.

Mr. Stagg: That is because investors are vying for tax breaks.

The Taoiseach: They do not want to say this is having a significant impact and they do not want to give credit to the affordable housing initiative, which is very unreasonable. They want to take issue with the ESRI and they do not want to recognise that this year’s budget was the most progressive in the history of the State.

However, I agree with Deputy Joe Higgins on one point, which is that the high rate of salary paid to ordinary workers is a competitiveness issue. I hope he is not against that and that he does not want to return to the old days of——

Mr. J. Higgins: The fumes from that orchid must have gone to the Taoiseach’s head because he is delirious, as he said yesterday about the Opposition. He is wandering in a——

Mr. C. Lenihan: The Deputy is a rare orchid.

Mr. Kenny: I heard a report about a flower called after the Taoiseach. Shelley wrote: “Full many a flower that is born to blush unseen, and waste its sweetness on the desert air”.

Mr. J. Higgins: Gray wrote that, not Shelley.

Mr. C. Lenihan: Be careful of the cankerous rose.

Mr. Kenny: I am not sure in a political sense if the Taoiseach epitomises the orchid. When the people get an opportunity on the next occasion they might perform a painful process called an orchidectomy. Deputy Devins can explain what that means.

Someone really should bottle Conor Lenihan and sell him on Nassau Street to Aran Jumper wearing tourists. Im not sure if any or few of you find that funny but reading it earlier I nearly burst. Images of a strained Conor Lenihan getting the soundbite in, youd think he has learned once before.

How many orchid references can you spot in there?

At least we know they have their fun too.

RR
Categories: Irishpolitics, Dail, Comment