Omerta everywhere. Omerta between the feisty blonde bombshell, the Lady Appleby of Ireland‘s civil servants, Julie O’Neill and Transport Minister Noel Dempsey. Omerta between Sir Humphrey Appleby himself, Dermot McCarthy and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. Omerta between the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) and its downtown Shannon office. In every instance, one party knew that Aer Lingus …
Monthly Archive
for: ‘October, 2007’
ESB To Refund 100,000 Overcharged Customers
Up to 100,000 of the ESB’s small customers are to receive refunds for overcharging following an investigation by the industry watchdog, the energy regulator. The regulator has ordered the ESB to repay all customers who have been overcharged by more than €5 under a flawed and systemic ESB method of charging customers.
Civil Servants Should Not Filter Information To Protect Ministers
The Aer Lingus affair was debated in the Seanad again yesterday. I argued that what Aer Lingus does is not the business of politicians; it is out in the private sector. However, the Byzantine manoeuvres of civil servants, supposedly to protect their Ministers, does concern us. When the Seanad debated the issue in the past …
Stay Out Of This Property Prison
Only 8 days left. 8 days to subscribe for 10 years of imprisonment. Saturation advertising has hit the airwaves. Eddie is everywhere. Reports from the provinces confirm that Eddie Hobbs and his band of property buccaneers in Brendan Investments are only attracting a handful of star-struck punters to their countrywide road show.
The Ostriches Gabble Glibly; But The Risks Ahead Remain
On Thursday, the Seanad debated the IDA and its record of attracting investment into the country. Minister Michael Ahern and Senator Ivor Callely spoke for the government. Their speeches reflected an enormous confidence in the future. I do not know whether or not that is misplaced, but there is a danger about being too smug …
Competition, Weather Take Pratt By Surprise
Last week Maurice Pratt, somehow still in command at C&C, came out of hiding to soothe the market in C&C shares. The interim results were brutal. Pratt headed for RTE’s Morning Ireland. He was desperately hoping to put a brake on the slide. The disaster in cider sales was due to the “awful summer we …
What Has Happened To The Auctioneering Bill?
For some time now, I have been labouring under the illusion that the Seanad is a chamber for legislation to be introduced and debated. However, when I looked at the Order Paper for the House this morning, I noticed not one item of legislation was to be discussed. It is not as if there are …
Wanted: Two Political Patsies To Manacle Mannion
Joe O’Toole, my independent colleague in the Seanad, stuck his tongue firmly in his cheek last week and suggested that the two, as yet unknown, new directors of Aer Lingus should be questioned and ratified by a Seanad committee. Good suggestion, but it has as much chance of being accepted by the Government as has …
Government Reaping Whirlwind Of Its Own Fudge Over Aer Lingus Decision
On Wednesday, statements were made in the Seanad on the Aer Lingus controversy. I told the House that the government was in difficulty over the issue because of its decision to fudge the privatisation of Aer Lingus by keeping a large stake in the company. Thus, it would, we were told, still be under effective …
Spin, Inaccurate, Flawed… But Enough About Eddie’s Prospectus
I want to say sorry to Eddie Hobbs. It was last Sunday week. Eddie was in a hot snot. I had burrowed right up the great man’s nose. In a previous posting here, I had dared to question Eddie’s latest property product. Happily, I was out walking the Wicklow hills when Eddie charged onto RTE’s …