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RTE’s summary of the Cabinet changes below. Quick reaction: Brian Lenihan now the rapid riser (to Finance) after years of being arguably under-placed in Bertie’s cabinets. But Cowen avoids the designation of an heir-apparent by splitting Tanaiste (Mary Coughlan) from the “great portfolios” (i.e. Finance and Foreign Affairs — Micheál Martin). Dermot Ahern arguably demoted and [...]
Fine Gael are criticising Brian Lenihan for a bit of news dumping today. The annual report of the Morris Tribunal into Garda misconduct in Donegal was released today amidst all the furore surrounding the ascension of Brian Cowen to the post of Taoiseach and perhaps Lenihan’s own promotion to Tanaiste. They have a point, this [...]
The Offaly Independent reports that a massive caravan of Offaly folk will descend on the Dail today to celebrate the election of Brian Cowen to the post of Taoiseach (at around 3.30pm - live on Oireachtas.ie)
“There`ll be a festive atmosphere,” Tom O`Donovan of O`Donovan Cowen Solicitors, a firm in which Minister Cowen is involved, [...]
It has been conventional wisdom that the rise in unemployment has primarily been related to the fall in the construction industry. The arguments of political and business leaders stress that the bulk of the economy is in good shape and we are simply going to have slower growth for a while.
Bertie revealed yesterday evening that he has been offered, or at least in discussion about, a role as an international conflict mediator over the course of his trip.
ON THE last day of his US visit, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern revealed that he had received approaches “at the highest levels” about a role for him in international [...]
The CSO figures for April’s Live Register were released this morning, with Exchequer figures due out later today. The numbers only continue with the trend seen in recent months as the number of people on the unemployment list tends towards 200,000.
The number is without a doubt a worry for the government. We will be hearing [...]
It would be foolish to completely rubbish the newly-announced plans to introduce road safety classes to Transition Year students as any move in that direction is a positive one; but the whole thing does leave you asking ‘is this it?’
Here is the five page executive summary of the report of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development looking at the management of the public service in Ireland. Once you wade past the quasi-diplomacy on the first page and a half, it’s a damning indictment of how the public service has been run, albeit one [...]
One of Bertie Ahern’s home stretch events today was to launch the Dublin Airport Authority’s plan for Dublin Airport City. Not to put too fine a point on it, this seems like one of the crazier proposals to have emerged over the last year, and symptomatic of much of what is wrong with governance and [...]
Paul Tansey wrote an impressive list of economic achievements during Bertie Ahern’s tenure as Taoiseach:
On Ahern’s watch, the Irish economy almost doubled in size, while the numbers at work increased by one-half . . The unemployment rate declined from 10.4 per cent in 1997 to 4.6. In the 10 years from 1987 to 1997, [...]
Early last week, when things were quieter and the world was still spinning, allegations and remarks were abound as they have been for some time. The evidence of Gráinne Carruth was being lamented as a bad day for Bertie in the newspapers as they executed their never-ending campaign of vicious and snide comment on the [...]
Brian Cowen released a statement in the last hour announcing his candidacy for the Fianna Fail leadership and succession of Bertie Ahern. It is interesting to see he was nominated by Brian Lenihan, a man widely tipped to have his eye on becoming the Brian Cowen’ to Brian Cowen and succeeding the next Taoiseach when [...]
The Live Register jumps 12,000 in one month, the biggest ever such increase for the third month in a row while the standardised unemployment reaches 5.5%.
International factors I hear you say? Then why has unemployment being falling over the past year in the EU and the industrialised world more generally?
Enda gets his place in the sun as the warm, loving, caring place that is the all-powerful blogosphere/interweb gives him some attention at Take Enda With You.
There’s little doubt that Brian Cowen will be the next leader of Fianna Fáil - be it after contest or coronation. The real power struggle seems to be for the Deputy Leadership / Tanaiste Portfolio, which will put the recipient in a prominent position for the next leadership race, whenever that might be.
Republicans Crossing Over to Democrats in Primaries
Intersting to note that almost 10% of Primary voters for the Dems are Republican voters. Where those votes go at election time will be crucial in deciding the race.
Gavin’s Blog Bertie Ahern addressing Congress
Gavin gives his take on Bertie Ahern’s final address as a statesman and the legacy he leaves behind. You won’t be surprised to note that Gavin is not unhappy to see the back of El Berto
Indymedia has a very interesting piece on Anti-Lisbon Treaty group Libertas, and their principal backers, Declan Ganley and Ulick McEvaddy. Well worth a read.
“Only one country in the world has eliminated the shortage of transplant kidneys. Only one country in the world has legalized financial payments to kidney donors. That country is”… Interesting piece from the Marginal Revolution. Hat tip to the Foreign Policy blog.
Hopefully they won’t burn themselves out. The Irish Pirate Review is only a few hours old, but is producing excellent stuff - their take on the de Rossa story is hilarious.
