Shankill Falls

Irish Banking Crisis

2008-10-13T22:21:00.001+01:00

(letter published in the Irish Times on 7 October 2008)

It is good to see that the chairman of Anglo-Irish Bank, Seán Fitzpatrick, still sees fit to offer the Minister for Finance advice on what to put in next week's budget. I'm glad he doesn't feel that the near collapse of his bank and the requirement for the taxpayer to bail him out should prevent him from suggesting that the best things for the country would be a cut in corporation tax, a reduction in children's allowances, a reduction in the state pension and restrictions on the medical card scheme.

Perhaps Mr Lenihan might also consider another suggestion for the budget - a tax on arrogant bankers.

Yours, etc,
DIARMAID MAC AONGHUSA, Shankill, Co Dublin.

"Until you want a Permanent Lift" - The normalisation of cosmetic surgery

2008-04-28T23:46:00.004+01:00

The current spate of ads from the lovely folks at L'Oreal for some goop called "Revitalift" has a lovely little phrase at the end of it. "Until you want a permanent lift". It's a classic - buy our polyfilla for the skin until it jus ain't working anymore and then it will be time to stretch your face surgically. It is clear by the use of the word "until" that that is the normal course of action for women (seems there is no solution for my male wrinkles) - and conversely if you don't choose cosmetic surgery you are somehow abnormal....

Wonderful isn't it?

Senator Harris proposes introduction of state murder.

2007-10-08T22:20:00.000+01:00

Good to see that unelected Senator Eoghan Harris did not waste anytime in getting his parliamentary career off to a great start. In his maiden speech he suggested that in reaction to the shooting of an unarmed Garda in Dublin the State should introduce the death penalty for those that kill policemen. The facts that this country has not executed any of its own citizens (in an official manner!) for 50 years and that we voted to make the death penatly unconsitutional and that our membership of the EU makes it introduction impossible did not get in his way. But better was to come from the Great Man....

"Even if we remove capital sanctions from those who shoot policemen there should be capital consequences for such actions. In areas where gang culture is now enshrined, such as Dublin, Limerick and parts of Cork, the Garda Commissioner should consider the strategic arming and training of policemen. The days of the unarmed bobby(!) patrolling the streets of this country should be over."
( From the Seanad Debates )

So, let's get this straight - he is suggesting that if we cannot have judicial execution we shoudl instead have "capital consequences" - in other words give the Gardaí guns so they can make the decisions on who needs to be killed. This is Harris on day one..... Roll on the next five years - they should be very entertaining.

Senator Eoghan Harris

2007-08-20T22:38:00.000+01:00

(letter published in the Irish Times on 7 August 2007)

Madam

Congratulations to Eoghan Harris on his appointment to the Seanad. No doubt his performance on the Late Late Show in the run up to the electionhad no influence on the Taoiseach's decision to appoint him and that itwas based purely on his outstandingly constructive contributions on everyside of the political spectrum over the last 40 years.

Yours etc,

DIARMAID MAC AONGHUSA, Shankill, Co. Dublin

The following response was published on the 9th August 2007.

Madam, - It is obvious from Diarmaid Mac Aonghusa's sour note (August 7th)that he is a man who sees no merit in change. While change for the sake ofchange is folly, to regularly re-appraise one's view of the ever-evolvingpolitical situation, and to do so in the public interest, requires a degreeof courage that is sadly lacking in most commentators. Thankfully, EoghanHarris is the rare exception. -

Yours, etc,
NIALL GINTY,
The Demesne,
Killester, Dublin 5.

A quick Google of Mr Ginty show him to be frequent letter writer and one who takes a conservative postion on all topics - it is no surprise to see him backing the ridiculous Mr Harris.

The letter was also attacked by the wonderful woman hater John Waters who reprinted it in his column (subscription required) on the 13th August. It would seem that Mr Harris has a great set of admirers.

Essential Dress?

2007-06-19T20:45:00.001+01:00

Essential Dress?, originally uploaded by ShankillFalls.

This wonderful sign is in the window of 'The Front Lounge' on Parliament St., Dublin. Not sure what an 'essential dress'; is but I'd like to find out. And I'm glad they are sorry for any inconvienence (sic)

Seems like I wasn't the only one voting for Boyd Barrett

2007-05-30T23:42:00.000+01:00

Well he nearly made it and if he had it would have been one of the few genuine surprises of the 2007 election. With 5233 first preferences (8.91% of the vote) he was in 5th place in this five seater constituency ahead of the Green Party's Ciaran Cuffe. As the counts progressed however, it became clear that although he did well on transfers from O'Broin, Quinn (and even O'Malley!) there was no way he could beat Cuffe on the transfers from the eliminated Fine Gael candidates.

Had he been elected it would have been at the expense of Cuffe who is a good TD and would have been a bad loss for the Greens. Considering the possible (although now seeming less likely) outcome to the negotiations on who will form the next government, Cuffe's victory may turn out to be vital if we we are to avoid another five years of FF/PD government.

For Boyd Barrett I fear this may have been his one real chance at election. He had a lot going for him this time - a successful local campaign to prevent a massive unwanted development on Dún Laoghaire seafront, a high profile anti Iraq war campaign and, just prior to the election, the "celebrity news" factor of him turning out to be the son of actor Sinéad Cusack who gave him up for adoption.

He is a great issues campaigner and he deserves some reward for his efforts.

Look like it's got to be Boyd Barrett in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown...

2007-05-18T21:31:00.000+01:00

With polling day approaching it's time to work out which of the crooks is going to get my vote and how I can manage to make my vote travel down the list most effectively.

To start with we can remove Fine Gael from the list. Three grey men running. Barrett (past his sell by date), Bailey (hardest working - but only for himself) and Regan (rich man's candidate and friend of super capitalist Peter Sutherland). In any case my poor dead grandmother would turn in her grave if I went with that lot - and her having been jailed in Kilmainham by them during the Civil War.

Then there's the Progressive Democrats' candidate Fiona O'Malley. Sorry, no way.

Fianna Fáil have incumbents - Minister of Education, Mary Hanafin and Barry Andrews. Mary is intelligent and honest but I simply don't agree with her views on the running of the education system - I want to see the churches removed from the system , she (and she is a social conservative) wants them to stay. The best part of Barry Andrews is that he is the brother of comedian Dave McSavage but that's not really enough.....

Labour are running two candidates - Eamonn Gilmore a sitting TD for the last 75 years and a neighbour of mine. Almost certain to be reelected and not a bad fellow...... except that about 15 years ago he called for the resignation of my father from the chairmanship of Bord na Gaeilge. And I have a long memory..... Their other candidate is Oisin Quinn, nephew of former Labour leader Ruairi and son of zillionaire Lochlann. Seems like a decent guy and will be getting a preference.

The Greens have Ciaran "Chemical" Cuffe. Apart from his little issue of being found to have a boat load of shares in evil American corporations that he had inherited from his mother, who was a sister of Bobby Kennedy's wife, he is a good guy and will probably get the number two. He is hotly tipped to keep his seat.

The Shinners candidate is Eoin O'Broin and to be honest I know nothing about him. He hasn't got a hope in this constituency.

And finally we have Richard Boyd Barrett. Anti War, Save our seafront, People before Profit party. With a slogan like that how could you avoid voting for him? He managed to organise the biggest march in Dublin for decades in 2003 just before the fantastically successful, er, liberation of Iraq and on a more local level he prevented a massive private development of apartments on Dún Laoghaire seafront. It's interesting to note that a lot of the other candidates are claiming that they are responsible for saving the seafront but it is not true.

Anyway he's getting my number one and I've managed to convince a few others to do the same. Paddy Power are offering 11 to 1 against on his chances - maybe worth a punt?

Irish Daily Mail exposes crazed atheist conspiracy

2007-03-29T22:19:00.001+01:00

Irish Daily Mail exposes crazed atheist conspiracy, originally uploaded by ShankillFalls.

What's this? Has the last bastion of truth and decency in Ireland discovered some despicable plot to convert our children into religion hating communists? Something has got to be done! Someone must stop them! Thankfully the anti-imigrant, anti-nationalist, arch conservative Daily Oirish Mail (or Oirish Daily Mail or whatever the hell they are pretending to be this week) is going to take action.

Well that's what I thought (well kind of) when I saw the front page headline in our local newsagent but when I took a closer look the actual story was a little less shocking. In fact Educate Together, the promoters of multi-denominational schools in Ireland, were simply having a launch of their "New Schools for 21st Century Ireland" campaign.

Must have been a quiet news day over at the Mail's HQ.

Fine Gael in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown

2007-03-13T22:28:00.000Z

The competition between Fine Gael candidates in what was once their heartland is getting riciculous. There are now full size billboard posters of all three of the constituency, er, colleagues and in some cases (e.g. Booterstown DART station) they are facing each other across the platform. This is the constituency that once "boasted" three Fine Gael TDs - Seán Barrett, Monica Barnes and Liam Cosgrave but after the last election they were reduced to zero with the Greens, PDs and Labour taking one each and Fianna Fáil taking two.

The starter of this mini war was John Bailey a local Councillor who seems to have devoted his life and fortune to becoming a backbench TD. His van and various cars with his name and photo plastered all over them can be seen at all times in all areas of the constituency. He is the ultimate constituency man. This was followed by the Cathaoirleach of DLR County Council, Eugene Regan who, up until recently, has been satisified distributing leaflets claiming greatness for three reasons - an endorsement from former Taoiseach Garret "the good" FitzGerald, an endorsement from the former chairman of BP and ultra right winger Peter Sutherland and, bizarrely, the fact that he has recently become a Senior Counsel. I cannot understand why anyone would feel more encouraged to vote for someone who had promoted themselves to being a senior counsel - it is not as if some eminent group had appointed him - it is simply a procedure that barristers do to move on in their profession and hopefully make more money. The final entrant to the poster war was Seán Barrett the only candidate who has ever been a TD but who surely is getting on a bit for an, er, dynamic, er, young party such as Fine Gael.

The problem with all this expenditure is that because the election has not yet been called it is outside the remit of the legal spending limits thus discriminating against any candidate (from any party or independent) who does not have recourse to large funds.

This war between the Fine Gael candidates is ridiculous and does nothing to impress whatever potential voters the blueshirts might have had. It seems odd that they don't pay more attention to the most successful party leader they had in modern times (Garret) who was an expert vote manager and tactician and always managed to get Fine Gael more seats then their percentage of the vote should have given them.

Reaction to Moriarty Tribunal Report

2006-12-22T12:37:00.000Z

(letter published in the Irish Times on 21 December 2006)

Madam, - In light of the defence offered by Michael Stone for his recent attack on Stormont (The Irish Times, December 20th), is it not possible that the late Mr Haughey's political career was actually a piece of performance art? - Yours, etc,

DIARMAID MAC AONGHUSA, Shankill, Co Dublin.

(it seemed a lot funnier when I thought of it. But then I found that half the people who read it didn't get it - oh well....)

Elections

2006-11-10T11:55:00.000Z

(letter published in the Irish Times on 10 November 2006)

Madam, - With the climate change crisis, ongoing mass murder in Iraq and thousands of people dying every day from a lack of clean water we do not get many "good news" days. However, with the defeat of the Republicans in the US Congress, the Sandinista victory in Nicaragua, the election of a socialist to the US Senate and the dumping of Donald Rumsfeld, surely the 8th of November must qualify as one. - Yours, etc,
DIARMAID Mac AONGHUSA, Shankill, Co Dublin.

A good day for the forces of Decency and Democracy

2006-11-08T10:06:00.000Z

A "good news" morning....

Ortega wins the presidency in Nicaragua and the Democrats win the election in the US.....

Bono, Steve Jobs and Oprah

2006-10-16T23:45:00.000+01:00

I like Bono. The music's good. He pulls off the whole rock star thing well, the conerts are great and he does care about big stuff.

But this...
(from CNN.com )

Dozens of "(Product) Red" items will go on sale in the coming weeks by Gap Inc., [well known for their great work for the underpriviledged of the world] Apple Computer Inc.,[again, no record of any sort of work for the underprivileged] Motorola Inc.,[major defence contractor] Converse Inc.[don't mention those Mexican factories] and Emporio Armani.

Portions [er, what portions?] of the product sales will go to The Global Fund, an organization that fights AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
"Some people won't put on marching boots, so we've got to get to people where they are at, and they're in the shopping malls," Bono said in a phone interview. "Now you're buying jeans and T-shirts, and you're paying for 10 women in Africa to get medication for their children with HIV." [oh sweet Lord, save the world by buing more crap - no need to protest that something might be intrinisically wrong with the system that caused this]
The Gap, which will debut its Red line in stores on Friday, will donate half the profits to The Global Fund. [will be interesting to see the figures from these guys]

Apple will contribute $10 [Wow, Ten whole US dollars - about €8.25 - thanks Steve] from the sale of each new red-colored iPod nano. The model, priced the same as its $199 cousins, goes on sale Friday.

After visiting the Gap, the duo walked along Michigan Avenue to an Apple store and picked up the red iPod, the first music product from the Cupertino, California-based company designed to raise money for charity. [Apple couldn't have paid enough for this endorsement so they must have been pretty pleased that they had to pay nothing (oh, except that $10 per $200 ipod that has been made for them at the factory in China that those nasty do gooders caused all the fuss about. ]

The two also stopped at Armani and Motorola stores.
"Shop 'till it stops," said Bono as he walked out of the Apple store clutching bulging shopping bags. [sigh]

So far, the (Product) Red initiative, which began this spring in Britain, has raised more than $12 million for African AIDS programs, said Doug Piwinski, a spokesman for (Product) Red.

With Apple's iPod alone, The Global Fund stands to raise millions of dollars. During the holiday quarter in 2005, Apple sold 14 million iPods.[yes but that was when it was a hot product - it's not now] The iPod maker also plans to donate some [some?] proceeds from a $25 iTunes Red gift card to the organization.

"I love the fact that Bono is trying to do something about this problem," Apple's CEO Steve Jobs said in a phone interview. "I've never been to Africa, but you don't have to go there to know there are a lot of people dying of AIDS there. In a small way, this is something we could do about it." [Steve Jobs is one helluva an ass. This whole thing is such a joke compared to uncool Bill Gates who is giving $500,000,000 to research a vaccine to elminate malaria. The whole Gates thing is on a different scale. He's giving away everything and Jobs is giving nothing and admitting that he's never been to Africa but he just loves the way Bono is trying to do something. How patronising is that].

"We've moved from the philanthropy budgets to the marketing budgets, and guess what, there's no comparison in size," Bono said. "We now have some of the most creative people in commerce -- Steve Jobs, the marketing people at Gap and Motorola -- all working for the world's poor. That is so so cool."
[Oh dear Bono. The "creative" people who work in marketing at the Gap don't give a f**k about the Third World. They care about brand image and the only time they stop getting children to make the clothes is when protesters catch them at it and expose them. Please don't endorse these people. They are beneath contempt.]

Aer Lingus: The madness just keeps on coming

2006-10-16T23:15:00.000+01:00

It only took two weeks after the flotation of Aer Lingus for the first takeover bid to occur. The offer from Ryanair of 2.80 per share (after a flotation price of 2.20) has brought about a hysteria that would be laughable if it were not so sad.

The behaviour of the Government and our so called oppostion in the guise of Olivia Mitchell has been bizarre. It seems that they didn't quite understand that if you privatise a State asset that there is a reasonable chance that other people may wish to buy it. Ryanair are being demonised as the Great Satan when they, rather than undervaluing Aer Lingus as the Board of that company stated, have in fact offered a significant premium over the value the previous owners of the airline put on it. The actions of both the pilots and the unions in using pension funds to invest in the sahreas in a bid to stop this takeover makes no sense from a commercial point of view. If they had wanted to prevent a takeover they should have done so over the last couple of years - it's too late crying now. The result of what they are doing will only undermine confidence in the company and, if they are successful in gaining over 50% of the share between the Government, the ESOP, the pilots and the union, will make the airline very unattractive to any other investors. This will cause the share price to drop and, since it is pension fund money gone into this, the cries will be heard about how they must be saved from their own folly.

It should be fun to watch over the next few months.... I stand by my claim that the sale of the airline will be regretted.

And his response......

2006-09-14T14:09:00.000+01:00

I think we'll leave it at that....

(published on 14 September 2006 in the Irish Times)

Madam, - Congratulations to Diarmaid Mac Aonghusa (September 8th) for his robust and articulate response to my earlier criticisms of his support for government involvement in semi-state companies such as Aer Lingus.

Mr Mac Aonghusa is entirely correct in pointing out that pension deficits are not exclusive to the public sector. Unfortunately, he fails to understand the difference between pension deficits in the public and private sectors.

Pension shortfalls in the private sector are an internal matter for the staff and management of such companies. However, public sector pension deficits are a problem for the taxpayer. Once again I reiterate my original question which Mr Mac Aonghusa failed to answer: Why should the average man on the street be asked to fund the financial mismanagement of semi-State dinosaurs?

Due to rising fuel costs and the cyclical nature of the airline industry it is inevitable that Aer Lingus will in the future face difficult times. Does Mr Mac Aonghusa suggest that the Government should have waited until Aer Lingus was at a low ebb before offloading it? Or does he suggest diverting taxpayers' money away from essential services to prop up an ailing Aer Lingus if that is what is required at some future point?

Mr Mac Aonghusa's support for government investment in semi-State bodies came on the very same day that another one of these dinosaurs, the ESB, announced a 19.7 per cent price increase to consumers. This is the same ESB which last year paid its chief executive, Pádraig McManus, a salary package of €478,000. This is the same ESB where employees have benefited enormously from concessions made in the partnership process. Again, every one of these concessions and wage increases has been made possible by the private sector.
Why do companies such as Ryanair absorb rising fuel costs whereas the first instinct of the semi-state sector is to raise prices?

Mr Mac Aonghusa accuses me of being "wedded to an ideology". In this instance he is entirely correct. I unashamedly believe that one sector of the workforce should not be asked to subsidise another sector. This is sadly the circumstances that the private sector taxpayer currently has to endure.

Privatisation of semi-state dinosaurs is the only remedy for this social injustice.

Yours, etc,
BRIAN GEOGHEGAN,
Temple Manor Grove,
Walkinstown,
Dublin 12.

The response.... (well I had to!)

2006-09-08T14:33:00.000+01:00

(letter published in the Irish Times on 8 September 2006)

Madam, - Brian Geoghegan (September 6th) criticises my letter of August 30th for "economic stupidity" and refers to my "outdated mindset" (whatever that might be). But his letter is factually wrong on almost all points.

His suggestion that the pension deficit facing Aer Lingus is a result of the "incompetent financial management of this semi-state dinosaur" may sound convincing, but it ignores the fact that pension deficits are an international problem faced by very many large companies (including British Airways, which was privatised 20 years ago).

His claim that any business leader in the private sector who presided over such irresponsibility would be jettisoned by shareholders is also wide of the mark, since the reaction of most of these companies has been to simply, cancel or curtail the pension benefits owed to their workers. I know of no company that has sacked its senior management as a result of its pension deficit. The idea that Aer Lingus has been financially mismanaged is very odd, particularly in view of its success in recent years when it generated large profits and expanded its route network while many other airlines were suffering massive losses.

The truth is that pension deficits are a result of poor stock market performance since that is where pensions are invested. Whether they have been invested there by a private or a state-owned company is irrelevant.

Mr Geoghegan calls for my "mindset" to be challenged as the "reality is that privatisation works" and "delivers value and efficiency for the average man on the street". Does it really? What example of the privatisation of a large national asset by our Government has done that? Need we be reminded of the disaster of Eircom? Surely nobody could consider that a success for Ireland. Its lack of investment in infrastructure - a direct result of putting shareholder value ahead of the country's strategic interest - has resulted in us having one the lowest broadband uptake levels in the EU along with some of the highest charges for basic phone service.

It is not I who am "wedded to an ideology" but Mr Geoghegan, who believes that everything except the services that he decides are essential should be privatised. I believe that the possible merits of any privatisation need to be examined individually for each semi-state organisation so that each decision can be made on a sound economic and strategic basis, not an ideological one.
Mr Geoghegan's claim that "the only other countries involved in the state ownership of airlines are Cuba and China" is simply untrue. State ownership of airlines is still widespread, ranging from 100 per cent ownership of companies such as Dermot Mannion's previous employer Emirates Airlines to smaller holdings in companies such as Air France-KLM.
Selling Aer Lingus for a few hundred million euro would be a foolish move and one which I believe, like the sale of Eircom, would be deeply regretted in coming years.

- Yours, etc,
DIARMAID MAC AONGHUSA, Shankill, Co Dublin.

I suffer from Economic Stupidity.

2006-09-06T23:11:00.000+01:00

I am not sure if there is a cure or even a treatment. The diagnosis was given to me in a letter to the Irish Times in reply to my letter on the sale of Aer lingus. The letter was written by a Mr Brian Geoghegan. Now surely it couldn't have been the Brian Geoghegan, could it?

In any case, the letter he sent is below complete with misspelling of my name..... (he's not the first one to do that!)

Madam, - Diarmuid Mac Aonghusa's letter of August 30th is a classic example of the economic stupidity that surrounds the issue of privatising semi-state companies such as Aer Lingus. Without realising it, Mr Mac Aonghusa clearly illustrates the argument in favour of privatisation.

He says the sale of Aer Lingus is "sad and pointless" because the revenue raised by a share flotation will be absorbed by the "costs of funding the pension deficit". If Aer Lingus is not privatised then this significant pension deficit must be paid for by the taxpayer. Does Mr Mac Aonghusa expect the taxpayer to foot the bill for the incompetent financial management of this semi-state dinosaur?

The fact that such a large pension deficit was allowed to develop is in itself strong enough argument for privatisation. Any business leader in the private sector who presided over such financial irresponsibility would be jettisoned by shareholders, and rightly so.

The outdated mindset of Mr Mac Aonghusa needs to be challenged. The reality is that privatisation works. It delivers value and efficiency for the average man on the street. The private sector is the dynamo which is driving our economy; it should not be expected to carry economic dinosaurs such as Aer Lingus. And it should not be held to ransom by the vested interests of unions who represent public sector workers at the expense of the private sector.

Mr Mac Aonghusa's letter shows the folly of those who are wedded to the ideology of state ownership. The government is required to provide essential public services such as health, education, policing, etc. However the supply of a tradable commodity such as air travel is best left to the efficient private sector where the need for profit ensures that there is no room for the inefficiency and waste that are now the defining feature of our over indulged public sector.

It is worth mentioning that the only other countries involved in the state ownership of airlines are Cuba and China. Not exactly shining examples of progressive nations.

Yours, etc, BRIAN GEOGHEGAN, Temple Manor Grove, Dublin 12.

Decision on sale of Aer Lingus

2006-08-31T11:01:00.000+01:00

(letter published in the Irish Times on 30 August 2006)

Madam, - The news that the Government is to proceed with the sale of Aer Lingus is a sad and pointless end to a State-owned company that has served the country well since its foundation in 1936. It is very unclear why they have chosen this path as there is no demand for it from the voters, the employees or the unions and there is no commercial reason for it. It seems that the "wag the dog" syndrome that seems to affect Fianna Fáil is taking place and that the PDs' economic policies are in complete control of the Government of which they are but a small part.

The reason that is given for the sale is that Aer Lingus needs financing to expand its fleet. This may be true but as has been pointed out before, the EU does not have any objection to member states making investments in commercially viable operations such as Aer Lingus. What it does not allow is subventions to prop up uncompetitive, loss-making companies.

As a private company its only responsibility will be providing "shareholder value". It will have no other reason to exist and if the best way that "value" can be provided is by selling out to a larger airline and becoming a feeder for its long-haul services, then that is what will happen.

Likewise if more money can be obtained by asset-stripping the company through property sell-offs and the sale (after a polite delay) of the Heathrow slots, then that is what will occur.
The amount of money generated by the sale is very small when compared to the Exchequer surpluses of recent times and the State has absolutely no need for it.

The costs of funding the pension deficit and the ever-present consultants who will advise on the sale will probably take up most of it in any case.

If anyone is unsure as to the outcome of this debacle then they should only take a look at the last time a major national asset was sold off by the Government. And didn't that work out well for everybody?

Yours, etc,

DIARMAID MacAONGHUSA, Shankill, Co Dublin.

And so farewell then Aer Lingus, you served us well

2006-08-28T21:55:00.000+01:00

Today our fantastic Minister for Transport confirmed that the Government would be privatising Aer Lingus. I do not know why they are doing this. I can only assume it is the tail wagging the dog syndrome that Fianna Fáil suffers from and that the PDs policies are forcing them into this. To reiterate what has been pointed out by many better than me before:

The EU does not prevent investment into State owned companies where that investment is commercially viable and therefore the Government is perfectly entitled to fund fleet expansion if it wishes.
The amount of money that the airline will be sold for is pocket change compared to the amount of cash at the Government's disposal. The county's loaded - we do not need it.
The Government is going to have to fund the pension deficit
The airline industry is very vunerable to changes in the political and economic climate and yet Ireland, as an island nation, requires a full air service no matter what the oil price may be or no matter how much lucicrous fear mongering is going on about flying at the time
At some point (and probably not too far into the future) Aer Lingus will be purchased by another airline and subsumed into it becoming a regional feeder for its master's services. Aer Leprechaun awaits.
We already have a "free market, low fares" airline and it is the most successful in the EU. Aer Lingus will not be able to beat it and Mr. O'Leary has already stated that he intends to crush Aer Lingus as soon as it is privatised.

The whole thing is madness. Martin Cullen is the worst Irish Government minister since Conor Crusie O'Brien.

Sunday Express - Racist, Diana obsessed, Tory supporting rag

2006-08-20T23:07:00.000+01:00

Sunday Express - Racist, Diana obsessed, Tory supporting rag, originally uploaded by ShankillFalls.

This is the perfect edition of the Express. A racist lead story that supports the Tories, and the opportunity to win a portrait of dead Diana...... And to think - there are Irish people who buy this rag and seemingly do so without shame...

Handcream and matches? This madness has gone too far....

2006-08-17T10:19:00.000+01:00

From a BBC Report *

"Meanwhile, a woman who sparked an alert on a flight to the US was reportedly suffering from claustrophobia.

The woman was detained by police after causing a major security alert when she became unruly after a panic attack, and was found to be carrying handcream and matches.

The jet, bound from London to Washington DC, was diverted to Boston's Logan Airport, escorted by two F15 fighter jets. "

At what point are we going to end the madness of scrambling fighter jets everytime somebody farts on a plane. The delightful Michael O'Leary is right about the over the top security at British airports - making old ladies carry their handbag contents in clear plastic bags isn't saving anyone.....

* http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4800615.stm

Mao - Worst Restaurant in Dublin?

2006-07-07T10:09:00.000+01:00

Against my better judgement we went for a supposedly quick meal to the "Mao" restaurant in Dún Laoghaire last night. Now, like any real western male, I am deeply suspicious of Asian food - no potatoes, too much rice, eating with sticks, etc - but this was not the cause of the problem. The problem was that the food, drink and service were so bad that we just walked out of the place having waited for 45 minutes for our main courses. The starters (well mine anyway) was the most tasteless piece of chicken that could ever have existed. The wine was undrinkable and managed to give me a headache within about 2 minutes of taking my first, and only, drink from it. The waiters were extremely successful at the avoiding eye contact game however they did manage to notice when we got up to leave. The only thing I will say in their defence was that they apologised and did not expect payment for what we had eaten and drank. And to think there are so many nice places to eat in within a short distance of there - what a waste of time.

Gooooooooooaaaaalllllllllll!

2006-06-27T22:52:00.000+01:00

Gooooooooooaaaaalllllllllll!, originally uploaded by ShankillFalls.

The scene in the Italian bar close to my office after Italy scored their penalty with the last kick of the game in their World Cup second round match against Australia. Felt sorry for the Australians........

Never get the builders in.......

2006-06-12T17:18:00.000+01:00

We did. It was a mistake. Our builders, who will be named and shamed once the project has been finished, haven't quite lived up to their many, many great promises. Sigh.

Eurovision Winner?

2006-05-23T15:44:00.000+01:00

Eurovision Winner?, originally uploaded by ShankillFalls.

An unfortunate error in the Department led to the wrong press release being posted on the website. Mr Kennedy did not win - he came tenth. The PR reads..

20/05/2006

O'Donoghue congratulates Kennedy on record Eurovision win for Ireland John O'Donoghue, T.D., Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism congratulated Brian Kennedy on his success in the Eurovision Song Contest with his own composition "Every Song Is A Cry For Love".

Minister O'Donoghue said: "I wish to extend my congratulations to Brian on his marvelous win for Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest in Athens tonight. He gave a wonderful performance and in the process extended Ireland's record number of Eurovision wins to eight. Everyone should be very proud of this excellent achievement."