Irish Election - Coverage of Irish Politics, News and Current Affairs

As if Bertiegate didn’t have enough tentacles already, the Irish Times reports (subs. req’d) on Albert Reynolds putting another cat among the pigeons with his reflections on the events precipitating the collapse of his government over the Brendan Smyth affair.  Albert’s remarks provide valuable context on Bertie’s thinking in late 1994, but also need to [...]

McDowell warns about prison contraband

Their first joint announcement of the campaign seems to reiterate what has gone before (just in case you forgot). There is now a two horse race (something the last few days seems to have confirmed) between competing coalitions. The choice now is much harder for the voters.
It seems that Enda has hit the country and [...]

The Indo sounds the first real note of realism so far this election by asking the very pertinent question “what if there is a down turn?”. We noted earlier that the Green Party went with a 4% average estimate for growth in the coming years while FF are also below 5% on [...]

Labour have just launched their latest campaign video, “This is Bernard” , as part of their campaign for safe and secure communities. And I don’t like it.

This morning we got two further announcments from the two major parties and Sinn Fein launched their transport policy;

To highlight their community policing proposals and the anti-social behaviour theme they have been running for a while, Labour have launched their latest youtube video. This is Bernard;

The Irish fear crime with as much passion as they love property: no strange wonder, as both are based on speculation.
When it comes to irrational behaviour why hold back? Once you’ve committed yourself, make the tackle and hang the cost. And across the main political parties, regardless of the font size and headed [...]

[MP3 from lofg.com]
- O’Callaghan & ors v Judge Alan Mahon & ors [2007] IESC 17 (30 March 2007 - Judgement of the Supreme Court, delivered by Denham J.)
- Mahon Tribunal: Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments
- Owen O’Callaghan v Mahon tribunal case: Quarryvale hearings to resume in April (The [...]

The Fine Gael take on criminal justice has always worried me a bit. Mainly just from Higgins. But yesterday another thing popped up that shows me why Fine Gael in government would be slightly scary. From Irish Times.

He [McDowell] rejected a Fine Gael proposal allowing courts to admit evidence even if it had been [...]

Well auction politics or poker politics, it is all academic. He saw the opposition, by equalling commitments on the standard rate (down to 18% - originally Labour), the pension (€300 over the five years of government - originally PDs), lower the higher rate of tax (down to 40% - not as much as the PDs).
And [...]

Since becoming the third pillar of opposition (after the parties and the unions) Madam Editor has lambasted the government over many issues. This morning’s editorial is once again deeply concerned at how legislation seems to be subordinated to the interests of reelection. Referring to the Criminal Justice Bill 2007 which is due to hit second [...]

… for the election. Michael O’Neill is set for release on May 17th.

The Dail is to see two seperate pieces of legislation today, designed to shut off the loophole which Labour pointed to last week. Fine Gael have a private members bill in the Dail specifically making the “grooming” of a child for sex/pornography a criminal offence, while the Justice Minister has tabled emergency legislation designed to [...]

This is one thing that I didn’t get around to commenting on last week but as John Waters is talking about it today I might as well throw my two cents in on the matter. Bertie at the Inauguration of the Structured Dialogue with Churches, Faith Communities and Non- Confessional Bodies meeting.

Yes that is true call a tribunel of inquiry everyone one in this state is now dodging tax. How you ask well it seems thata some of our semi-states are dodging tax
Reports today claimed the ESB, An Post and Aer Rianta have been moving profits to so-called mailbox companies in the Netherlands for nearly [...]