Fianna Fáil and the Greens have slashed school budgets by a massive €2 billion in the Capital Expenditure Programme announced this week and this will have a devastating effect on schools and children, according to Fine Gael Education Spokesman, Fergus O’Dowd TD link.
O'Dowd said, "Once again, Fianna Fáil and the Greens are targeting the most vulnerable and it is children who will feel the pain of this massive cutback. The Revised Capital Expenditure Programme has actually slashed schools budgets by 40% when compared to the National Development Plan. To add insult to injury, the Government have attempted to hide this cut.
The NDP provided for €5.1 billion in funding to the school building programme with €4.5 billion going to the Schools Infrastructure Sub-Programme, €318 million going on curriculum reform and professional development and €252 million being made available for ICT in schools. However, the Revised Capital Expenditure Programme merged these three spending areas into one budget as opposed to breaking them down into individual budgets as was done in the NDP. The Budget in the capital expenditure programme was €3.1 billion, a massive €2 billion write-down from what was pledged before.
It is clear that Fianna Fáil and the Greens merged the spending areas into one budget in an attempt to hide the cuts but there is no way that schools across the country will ignore a 40% cut in promised funds."
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Competition Authority rejects Poolbeg complaints
This from An Irish Town Planners Blog ...
The Competition Authority has rejected a number of complaints by the Irish Waste Management Authority (IWMA) about the planned incinerator at Poolbeg in Dublin.
Dublin City Council said the Competition Authority had confirmed that 'there is no breach of Irish competition law' in relation to the Dublin Waste to Energy plant at Poolbeg. Four complaints made "have been rejected in their entirety by the Competition Authority,” the council said.
The IWMA said that the authority had stated 'one complaint merited further investigation at this time, one complaint was a matter for the EU Commission to consider further, three complaints raised future anti-competitive threats', one complaint was upheld, two complaints required further information for the authority to proceed further and one complaint 'did not give rise to competition concerns'.
The four main complaints rejected include -
* that the council and Dublin Waste to Energy Ltd entered into arrangements that could amount to a concerted practice in breach of the Competition Act;
* that the two bodies could engage in abuse of a dominant position to engage in predatory pricing for waste treatment;
* that the public-private partnership amounted to a State aid in breach of European law - and
* that there was a price-fixing arrangement in breach of the Competition Act.
The IWMA said that, with regard to some of the complaints, the Competition Authority “acknowledges that it does not have enough information to proceed further at this stage”.
A spokesman for Minister for the Environment John Gormley said - “We weren’t a party to the complaints, so we haven’t received the response at this stage”.
Dublin City Council assistant manager Séamus Lyons said - “We are delighted that the Competition Authority is the latest statutory agency to confirm that the Poolbeg Waste to Energy plant is fully within the law. It is also in line with best practice.”
Mr Lyons said the IWMA did not object to the Poolbeg plant in the 10 years it was going through the statutory processes, “when they had plenty of opportunity to make their views known.
"It is only since 2007 that the IWMA has sought, at every turn, to stop Dubliners from having the most innovative waste management system on a par with the best in Europe, with maximum recycling and minimum waste going to landfill.”
Link
The Competition Authority has rejected a number of complaints by the Irish Waste Management Authority (IWMA) about the planned incinerator at Poolbeg in Dublin.
Dublin City Council said the Competition Authority had confirmed that 'there is no breach of Irish competition law' in relation to the Dublin Waste to Energy plant at Poolbeg. Four complaints made "have been rejected in their entirety by the Competition Authority,” the council said.
The IWMA said that the authority had stated 'one complaint merited further investigation at this time, one complaint was a matter for the EU Commission to consider further, three complaints raised future anti-competitive threats', one complaint was upheld, two complaints required further information for the authority to proceed further and one complaint 'did not give rise to competition concerns'.
The four main complaints rejected include -
* that the council and Dublin Waste to Energy Ltd entered into arrangements that could amount to a concerted practice in breach of the Competition Act;
* that the two bodies could engage in abuse of a dominant position to engage in predatory pricing for waste treatment;
* that the public-private partnership amounted to a State aid in breach of European law - and
* that there was a price-fixing arrangement in breach of the Competition Act.
The IWMA said that, with regard to some of the complaints, the Competition Authority “acknowledges that it does not have enough information to proceed further at this stage”.
A spokesman for Minister for the Environment John Gormley said - “We weren’t a party to the complaints, so we haven’t received the response at this stage”.
Dublin City Council assistant manager Séamus Lyons said - “We are delighted that the Competition Authority is the latest statutory agency to confirm that the Poolbeg Waste to Energy plant is fully within the law. It is also in line with best practice.”
Mr Lyons said the IWMA did not object to the Poolbeg plant in the 10 years it was going through the statutory processes, “when they had plenty of opportunity to make their views known.
"It is only since 2007 that the IWMA has sought, at every turn, to stop Dubliners from having the most innovative waste management system on a par with the best in Europe, with maximum recycling and minimum waste going to landfill.”
Link
The Green party will oppose education cuts in Budget 2011 ... oh really?
I've started (what has turned out to be a very interesting) Politics.ie thread on this here. This thread is definitely worth a read just to see the bare faced denial that there have been education cuts from Green Party members posting on the thread ... even in the face of irrefutable proof.
Paul Gogarty has claimed the education cuts from Budget 2009 have been reversed. He also claimed that his support of these cuts made him "vomit continuously", And what of poor old Trevor Sargent? He says the education cuts "turns my stomach".
According to todays Irish Times Green Party leader and Minister for the Environment John Gormley made clear his party would oppose education cuts. “You can look at the renewed programme for Government and you can see there that there are priorities that have been put in place, for example education spending is extremely important,” he said.
Well I have some news for Mr. Gogarty, Mr. Sargent, and Minister Gormley... The education cuts have not been reversed. In fact, there were education cuts in the December 2009 budget, and there continue to be education cuts in 2010.
"Funding the University sector in Ireland" - The extent of the financial and operational crisis facing the university sector has been outlined in a stark letter sent to the seven presidents by Higher Education Authority (HEA) chief executive Tom Boland. He tells the colleges to brace themselves for an unprecedented range of cuts over the next year as the Government seeks to achieve €3 billion in overall exchequer savings. Colleges are advised to take “whatever action is needed’’ in advance of reductions in core funding.
Cutbacks in staff numbers and in the range of programmes on offer appear inevitable. The colleges have been told also they can expect no increase in student charges for the next academic year.
It is a bleak scenario. The colleges are being asked to manage record numbers of students with greatly reduced resources.
"30 disadvantaged schools to lose librarians" - It has been announced that up to 30 of the country's most disadvantaged schools are to lose librarian services that were granted in an attempt to boost literacy levels. Tánaiste and Minister for Education Mary Coughlan has confirmed that the contracts of many of the librarians working on the scheme will not be renewed over the summer. €9m has been invested to open the libraries.
"FF/Green Party announce 353 fewer SNA posts" - Minister for Education Mary Coughlan has told the Dáil that 353 fewer special needs assistants will be sanctioned following completion of a review of special education.
This document from UCD "Education policy choices in an economic downturn" outlines additional education cuts - “The economic turnaround has had immediate effects on education.” Professor Sheelagh Drudy says. “The December 2009 budget extended the cuts in education. The 2008 October budget set out a programme of cuts in services which included an increase in class sizes in primary and post-primary schools, and a consequent loss of teaching posts, cuts in the allocations to teacher professional development, cuts in higher education funding and cutbacks on a range of schemes designed to support disadvantaged and marginalised pupils.” Commenting on impact of the 2009 budget cuts, Drudy noted that, in addition to pay-cuts for teachers (along with all public servants), education cuts amounted to €134 million and included reduced funding for the Strategic Innovation Fund in education, further reductions in the allocations to higher education institutions, reductions in rates of student support grants and grants to Youthreach and VTOS, ‘rationalisation’ of teacher support services and ‘efficiencies’ in school transport.
The National Association of VTOS Co-ordinators - The loss of the maintenance grant for VTOS students doing PLC courses, uneven though it was, will make progression for our graduates more difficult
Further education cuts are outlined in the "Summary of Budget Measures 2010".
I'm not sure what planet Gormley and Gogarty are currently resident on, but the Green Party claim that "education will be protected" and that the "education cuts have been reversed" are clearly nonsense.
Keep on vomiting Paul.
Paul Gogarty has claimed the education cuts from Budget 2009 have been reversed. He also claimed that his support of these cuts made him "vomit continuously", And what of poor old Trevor Sargent? He says the education cuts "turns my stomach".
According to todays Irish Times Green Party leader and Minister for the Environment John Gormley made clear his party would oppose education cuts. “You can look at the renewed programme for Government and you can see there that there are priorities that have been put in place, for example education spending is extremely important,” he said.
Well I have some news for Mr. Gogarty, Mr. Sargent, and Minister Gormley... The education cuts have not been reversed. In fact, there were education cuts in the December 2009 budget, and there continue to be education cuts in 2010.
"Funding the University sector in Ireland" - The extent of the financial and operational crisis facing the university sector has been outlined in a stark letter sent to the seven presidents by Higher Education Authority (HEA) chief executive Tom Boland. He tells the colleges to brace themselves for an unprecedented range of cuts over the next year as the Government seeks to achieve €3 billion in overall exchequer savings. Colleges are advised to take “whatever action is needed’’ in advance of reductions in core funding.
Cutbacks in staff numbers and in the range of programmes on offer appear inevitable. The colleges have been told also they can expect no increase in student charges for the next academic year.
It is a bleak scenario. The colleges are being asked to manage record numbers of students with greatly reduced resources.
"30 disadvantaged schools to lose librarians" - It has been announced that up to 30 of the country's most disadvantaged schools are to lose librarian services that were granted in an attempt to boost literacy levels. Tánaiste and Minister for Education Mary Coughlan has confirmed that the contracts of many of the librarians working on the scheme will not be renewed over the summer. €9m has been invested to open the libraries.
"FF/Green Party announce 353 fewer SNA posts" - Minister for Education Mary Coughlan has told the Dáil that 353 fewer special needs assistants will be sanctioned following completion of a review of special education.
This document from UCD "Education policy choices in an economic downturn" outlines additional education cuts - “The economic turnaround has had immediate effects on education.” Professor Sheelagh Drudy says. “The December 2009 budget extended the cuts in education. The 2008 October budget set out a programme of cuts in services which included an increase in class sizes in primary and post-primary schools, and a consequent loss of teaching posts, cuts in the allocations to teacher professional development, cuts in higher education funding and cutbacks on a range of schemes designed to support disadvantaged and marginalised pupils.” Commenting on impact of the 2009 budget cuts, Drudy noted that, in addition to pay-cuts for teachers (along with all public servants), education cuts amounted to €134 million and included reduced funding for the Strategic Innovation Fund in education, further reductions in the allocations to higher education institutions, reductions in rates of student support grants and grants to Youthreach and VTOS, ‘rationalisation’ of teacher support services and ‘efficiencies’ in school transport.
The National Association of VTOS Co-ordinators - The loss of the maintenance grant for VTOS students doing PLC courses, uneven though it was, will make progression for our graduates more difficult
Further education cuts are outlined in the "Summary of Budget Measures 2010".
I'm not sure what planet Gormley and Gogarty are currently resident on, but the Green Party claim that "education will be protected" and that the "education cuts have been reversed" are clearly nonsense.
Keep on vomiting Paul.
Miclin answers my "10 questions for the Green Party"
User "miclin" has answered my "10 questions for the Green Party" on politics.ie. I would like to take the opportunity to challenge some of miclin's answers, and I'll do this over the next few weeks when I have more time.
My questions and miclins answers are as follows;
miclin - I'm going to quickly answer these questions from the above post. As I don't use this site and am v busy, if you have any follow-up questions, please send to miclinglas@gmail.com
I'll post again at the end of December after the next budget to list the legislation we've pushed through at that point (presuming we're still in power!)
OceanFrog (OF) - Why are the Green Party denying the the peoples of Donegal, Waterford and Dublin South their right to a by-election? It has been many months since these people have been without their allowed level of representation ... why do the Green Party keep voting against holding these 3 by-elections?
miclin - I'd imagine they vote against them because they expect that opposition parties will win all three seats, making the government more unstable and reducing the amount of legislation from the pfg that will pass before FG/Labour have their turn. A slimmer majority would hand power to the independents and rebel FF backbenchers. Basic legislation like the road safety act wouldn't pass in that event. There is no legal requirement to hold by-elections before the next GE. I have no ethical problem with say Waterford 4 seater being represented by 3 TDs. They had 2 FF TDs now they have 1, so what?
OceanFrog (OF) - Why are the Green Party delaying on the referendum on children's rights? Why has John Gormley refused to meet Fregus Finlay to discuss the proposed referendum?
miclin - JG spends half his time meeting deputations from various special interest groups. I have previously heard untrue claims from people such as the hunting lobby that he had refused to meet them. I would take what Fergus Finlay says with a pinch of salt given that he is or was a senior Labour party spin doctor. The childrens rights legislation is important to get right and not rush through.
OceanFrog (OF) - Where is the ban on corporate donations promised by John Gormley?
miclin - The national convention in March mandated that this legislation be passed by Jan 2011. I can't see this happening. FF, FG and Labour all rely on corporate or union donations so why would they vote to cut off their blood supply? Government might fall on this issue. A FG/Lab govt wouldn't even consider banning corporate donations.
OceanFrog (OF) - Why have the Green Party appointed unqualified Green Party members to State jobs after promising that all such appointments would be openly advertised and transparent. Elizabeth Davidson was appointed to the board of IFCO (Irish Film Classification) ... was this position openly advertised, and is Elizabeth Davidson qualified for this job in any way? Elizabeth is just one example of this ... there are many others. How is this different to the gombeenism of FF on "Planet Bertie".
miclin - Under the current system, there are over 6,000 political appointments from the judiciary to state boards. I take your point, but Green appointments have been only made to a handful of these positions. The renewed pfg contains a commitment to reform this system to become more transparent. I was impressed that JG's archrival's wife was appointed to chair the DDDA. In the case of IFCO, the requirement is for a jury member type person to classify films. Film classification is entirely subjective and reflects the opinions and biases of the censor. The greens hare happy to have someone who holds their liberal worldview rather than a conservative backwoodsman telling us what we can't watch. Davidson has a background in education and I'm sure is well capable of classifying a film as any normally intelligent person could do.
OceanFrog (OF) - Shannon - Has there been even ONE inspection of US military flights passing through Sahnnon? Who knows what is coming through Shannon?
miclin - I doubt it. The deal on Shannon as I understand it is that no military flights would be allowed for non-UN mandated operations. As the current post invasion Iraq and Afghan operations have UN backing the issue does not arise. As regards CIA rendition flights, I don't know what progress has been made. There is a cabinet subcommittee supposed to decide on how to proceed. I'll ask them next time I see them.
OceanFrog (OF) - Tara - The argument was made by John Gormley and co. that it would cost €200m to buy us out of the contract with Eurolink, and that if we spent that money, it would be €200m less for our public service? How come we can now hand over multiples in billions to zombie banks and its ok?
miclin - The M3 was too late to stop. Not only was it contractually agreed to, it was under construction by the time the Greens entered government and had passed every legal hurdle. It was also a very popular project with the locals in Meath and had some safety benefits. On the plus side, the new windfall tax on rezoning combined with the new planning act will make it unattractive to overdevelop the junctions with unsustainable car dependent housing (the real reason for the project in the 1st place). Also there's still a chance that the UN will designate Tara a UNESCO heritage site, restricting any further development of the area.
miclin - I don't follow your reasoning that because the bank recaps have cost billions that money no longer has any value and we should throw it around.
OceanFrog (OF) - Why have the Green Party supported the longest summer break for the Dáil since 2003 (12 weeks in total)? The longest summer break of any country in Europe, and most democracies in the rest of the world.
miclin - In my opinion more legislative work is done when the dail is outside of session. What the opposition do during the recess I don't know.
OceanFrog (OF) - Secret Ministerial rotation deals - Why was a secret deal put in place to rotate Green Ministers after 2.5 years in Govt? Why was Eamon Ryan excluded from this secret deal, and why did he not know about the deal (he has claimed ignorance many times).
miclin - 'Secret ministerial rotation deal' is merely a pejorative term for cabinet reshuffle. A proportion of govt business is necessarily done in private such as cabinet meetings. Cabinet appointments are always privately made and non-transparent. The taoiseach picks someone for god knows what reason. I'm not sure what you expected the greens to do differently - hold an open competition for cabinet posts?
OceanFrog (OF) - If secret deals like the above exist, how can we be sure that other secret deals don't exist? Were secret deals done on Tara and Shannon? Why did Eamon Ryan not know about these secret deals between John Gormley and Bertie Ahern? What else don't we know? How can the Green Party still claim to be open and transparent whilst doing deals that GP members and GP Ministers don't even know about?
miclin - Could well have been done, I don't know. Transparency isn't a binary attribute.
OceanFrog (OF) - Why has the Irish EPI index dropped 10 places since Minister Gormley has been in charge. We were 10 places higher when we had Dick Roche in Minister Gormley's seat!
miclin - If you have some analytical skills and an interest in the Irish environment then why not find out for yourself? At first glance, I can see that there are more countries in the more recent EPI survey than in previous surveys, so the rankings will naturally be affected. Many environmental factors like biodiversity don't change dramatically from year to year, so I would start by examining which variables Ireland went down on in the most recent index to draw any conclusions. It is a fair question, though.
OceanFrog (OF) - Where are the Electoral, Tax and Dail reforms?
After the JO'D affair, the greens got agreement from FF for a reform of the expenses system that means you can view TDs expenses online, TDs have to sign in, vouched expenses. Corporate and income taxes have been kept low while consumption taxes have been maintained with a raft of new unpopular green polluter-pays taxes enacted or in pipeline.
miclin - As regards electoral reform, the electoral commission findings are due in the next couple of months. I wouldn't hold out much hope for electoral reform by this or the next dail. There have been many electoral commissions and reports in the past.
OceanFrog (OF) - Where's the GMO Legislation?
miclin - Just last week the EU has decided that member states will be allowed to decide to ban planting of GMO crops. I don't know if legislation is required for the agreement to make Ireland a gm-free zone. Contact Ciaran Cuffe's office if you want to find out further as they are the ministry dealing with this topic and I believe they are working on it now.
OceanFrog (OF) - Where is the ratification of Aahrus?
miclin - We had hoped to have this done in the spring but further legislative and regulatory changes are still needed before ratification is possible. There is more time to do this now that various pieces of major legislation passed at the end of the last session and I know it is of particular interest to JG.
OceanFrog (OF) - Where's the National Transport Strategy?
I don't think lack of strategy is the problem in transport. The most recent was 5 yrs ago: transport 21. Expect the new strategy to be an evolution of this with cycling and walking treated as valid transport methods. The strategy will be published for public consultation later this summer and finalised in the autumn.
miclin - The National transport authority has been set up as a result of enabling legislation in the Dublin transport authority act 2008 and the public transport regulation act 2009. This replaces the DTO and allows for a link between urban planning and transport infrastructure planning. Also a new licensing regime for public transport services has been created to replace the decades old former legislation.
miclin - Metro North will likely be approved by ABP in the next fortnight. I am hoping it will be contractually signed off before the end of the current dail when FG would cancel it. The interconnector railway order app has been submitted and will hopefully get through planning faster than Metro North. I doubt it will be signed off before the next govt. I have great hope for the reform of the Dublin Bus network as a result of the Deloitte report. The first set of reorganised bus routes is due in the next few weeks. RTPI is going live now and will complete by end of 2010/start 2011. Same timeframe for integrated ticketing.
miclin - Dunboyne rail will open this year as will Luas cherrywood. Luas saggart opens early next year. I expect that the extension of rail to Navan will be signed off earlier than expected following delays in metro north and the interconnector. Also dempsey being from navan may help!
My questions and miclins answers are as follows;
miclin - I'm going to quickly answer these questions from the above post. As I don't use this site and am v busy, if you have any follow-up questions, please send to miclinglas@gmail.com
I'll post again at the end of December after the next budget to list the legislation we've pushed through at that point (presuming we're still in power!)
OceanFrog (OF) - Why are the Green Party denying the the peoples of Donegal, Waterford and Dublin South their right to a by-election? It has been many months since these people have been without their allowed level of representation ... why do the Green Party keep voting against holding these 3 by-elections?
miclin - I'd imagine they vote against them because they expect that opposition parties will win all three seats, making the government more unstable and reducing the amount of legislation from the pfg that will pass before FG/Labour have their turn. A slimmer majority would hand power to the independents and rebel FF backbenchers. Basic legislation like the road safety act wouldn't pass in that event. There is no legal requirement to hold by-elections before the next GE. I have no ethical problem with say Waterford 4 seater being represented by 3 TDs. They had 2 FF TDs now they have 1, so what?
OceanFrog (OF) - Why are the Green Party delaying on the referendum on children's rights? Why has John Gormley refused to meet Fregus Finlay to discuss the proposed referendum?
miclin - JG spends half his time meeting deputations from various special interest groups. I have previously heard untrue claims from people such as the hunting lobby that he had refused to meet them. I would take what Fergus Finlay says with a pinch of salt given that he is or was a senior Labour party spin doctor. The childrens rights legislation is important to get right and not rush through.
OceanFrog (OF) - Where is the ban on corporate donations promised by John Gormley?
miclin - The national convention in March mandated that this legislation be passed by Jan 2011. I can't see this happening. FF, FG and Labour all rely on corporate or union donations so why would they vote to cut off their blood supply? Government might fall on this issue. A FG/Lab govt wouldn't even consider banning corporate donations.
OceanFrog (OF) - Why have the Green Party appointed unqualified Green Party members to State jobs after promising that all such appointments would be openly advertised and transparent. Elizabeth Davidson was appointed to the board of IFCO (Irish Film Classification) ... was this position openly advertised, and is Elizabeth Davidson qualified for this job in any way? Elizabeth is just one example of this ... there are many others. How is this different to the gombeenism of FF on "Planet Bertie".
miclin - Under the current system, there are over 6,000 political appointments from the judiciary to state boards. I take your point, but Green appointments have been only made to a handful of these positions. The renewed pfg contains a commitment to reform this system to become more transparent. I was impressed that JG's archrival's wife was appointed to chair the DDDA. In the case of IFCO, the requirement is for a jury member type person to classify films. Film classification is entirely subjective and reflects the opinions and biases of the censor. The greens hare happy to have someone who holds their liberal worldview rather than a conservative backwoodsman telling us what we can't watch. Davidson has a background in education and I'm sure is well capable of classifying a film as any normally intelligent person could do.
OceanFrog (OF) - Shannon - Has there been even ONE inspection of US military flights passing through Sahnnon? Who knows what is coming through Shannon?
miclin - I doubt it. The deal on Shannon as I understand it is that no military flights would be allowed for non-UN mandated operations. As the current post invasion Iraq and Afghan operations have UN backing the issue does not arise. As regards CIA rendition flights, I don't know what progress has been made. There is a cabinet subcommittee supposed to decide on how to proceed. I'll ask them next time I see them.
OceanFrog (OF) - Tara - The argument was made by John Gormley and co. that it would cost €200m to buy us out of the contract with Eurolink, and that if we spent that money, it would be €200m less for our public service? How come we can now hand over multiples in billions to zombie banks and its ok?
miclin - The M3 was too late to stop. Not only was it contractually agreed to, it was under construction by the time the Greens entered government and had passed every legal hurdle. It was also a very popular project with the locals in Meath and had some safety benefits. On the plus side, the new windfall tax on rezoning combined with the new planning act will make it unattractive to overdevelop the junctions with unsustainable car dependent housing (the real reason for the project in the 1st place). Also there's still a chance that the UN will designate Tara a UNESCO heritage site, restricting any further development of the area.
miclin - I don't follow your reasoning that because the bank recaps have cost billions that money no longer has any value and we should throw it around.
OceanFrog (OF) - Why have the Green Party supported the longest summer break for the Dáil since 2003 (12 weeks in total)? The longest summer break of any country in Europe, and most democracies in the rest of the world.
miclin - In my opinion more legislative work is done when the dail is outside of session. What the opposition do during the recess I don't know.
OceanFrog (OF) - Secret Ministerial rotation deals - Why was a secret deal put in place to rotate Green Ministers after 2.5 years in Govt? Why was Eamon Ryan excluded from this secret deal, and why did he not know about the deal (he has claimed ignorance many times).
miclin - 'Secret ministerial rotation deal' is merely a pejorative term for cabinet reshuffle. A proportion of govt business is necessarily done in private such as cabinet meetings. Cabinet appointments are always privately made and non-transparent. The taoiseach picks someone for god knows what reason. I'm not sure what you expected the greens to do differently - hold an open competition for cabinet posts?
OceanFrog (OF) - If secret deals like the above exist, how can we be sure that other secret deals don't exist? Were secret deals done on Tara and Shannon? Why did Eamon Ryan not know about these secret deals between John Gormley and Bertie Ahern? What else don't we know? How can the Green Party still claim to be open and transparent whilst doing deals that GP members and GP Ministers don't even know about?
miclin - Could well have been done, I don't know. Transparency isn't a binary attribute.
OceanFrog (OF) - Why has the Irish EPI index dropped 10 places since Minister Gormley has been in charge. We were 10 places higher when we had Dick Roche in Minister Gormley's seat!
miclin - If you have some analytical skills and an interest in the Irish environment then why not find out for yourself? At first glance, I can see that there are more countries in the more recent EPI survey than in previous surveys, so the rankings will naturally be affected. Many environmental factors like biodiversity don't change dramatically from year to year, so I would start by examining which variables Ireland went down on in the most recent index to draw any conclusions. It is a fair question, though.
OceanFrog (OF) - Where are the Electoral, Tax and Dail reforms?
After the JO'D affair, the greens got agreement from FF for a reform of the expenses system that means you can view TDs expenses online, TDs have to sign in, vouched expenses. Corporate and income taxes have been kept low while consumption taxes have been maintained with a raft of new unpopular green polluter-pays taxes enacted or in pipeline.
miclin - As regards electoral reform, the electoral commission findings are due in the next couple of months. I wouldn't hold out much hope for electoral reform by this or the next dail. There have been many electoral commissions and reports in the past.
OceanFrog (OF) - Where's the GMO Legislation?
miclin - Just last week the EU has decided that member states will be allowed to decide to ban planting of GMO crops. I don't know if legislation is required for the agreement to make Ireland a gm-free zone. Contact Ciaran Cuffe's office if you want to find out further as they are the ministry dealing with this topic and I believe they are working on it now.
OceanFrog (OF) - Where is the ratification of Aahrus?
miclin - We had hoped to have this done in the spring but further legislative and regulatory changes are still needed before ratification is possible. There is more time to do this now that various pieces of major legislation passed at the end of the last session and I know it is of particular interest to JG.
OceanFrog (OF) - Where's the National Transport Strategy?
I don't think lack of strategy is the problem in transport. The most recent was 5 yrs ago: transport 21. Expect the new strategy to be an evolution of this with cycling and walking treated as valid transport methods. The strategy will be published for public consultation later this summer and finalised in the autumn.
miclin - The National transport authority has been set up as a result of enabling legislation in the Dublin transport authority act 2008 and the public transport regulation act 2009. This replaces the DTO and allows for a link between urban planning and transport infrastructure planning. Also a new licensing regime for public transport services has been created to replace the decades old former legislation.
miclin - Metro North will likely be approved by ABP in the next fortnight. I am hoping it will be contractually signed off before the end of the current dail when FG would cancel it. The interconnector railway order app has been submitted and will hopefully get through planning faster than Metro North. I doubt it will be signed off before the next govt. I have great hope for the reform of the Dublin Bus network as a result of the Deloitte report. The first set of reorganised bus routes is due in the next few weeks. RTPI is going live now and will complete by end of 2010/start 2011. Same timeframe for integrated ticketing.
miclin - Dunboyne rail will open this year as will Luas cherrywood. Luas saggart opens early next year. I expect that the extension of rail to Navan will be signed off earlier than expected following delays in metro north and the interconnector. Also dempsey being from navan may help!
Green Party member claims he knows about FG and FF corruption ... but does nothing about it
Extraordinary stuff over on Politics.ie. Green Party member SPN has claimed "Around here, according to one FG Councillor, the rate was €10k per Councillor per rezoning".
The link to SPN's extraordinary statement is here ... http://www.politics.ie/2857749-post23.html
This is a serious accusation of fraud, and I call on SPN to report this to An Garda Síochána immediately.
SPN, I know you sometimes get @excited@ on P.ie. However, if this is just all talk in an attempt to pretend everyone is as corrupt as FF, you need to admit that now. You should not be making such unsubstantiated accusations like this. But I suppose that is the Green Party way these days... you have obviously learned a lot from Willy O'Dea ...
The link to SPN's extraordinary statement is here ... http://www.politics.ie/2857749-post23.html
This is a serious accusation of fraud, and I call on SPN to report this to An Garda Síochána immediately.
SPN, I know you sometimes get @excited@ on P.ie. However, if this is just all talk in an attempt to pretend everyone is as corrupt as FF, you need to admit that now. You should not be making such unsubstantiated accusations like this. But I suppose that is the Green Party way these days... you have obviously learned a lot from Willy O'Dea ...
Minister for Snow blamed by Oireachtas committee
The official response to the devastating flooding late last year and January's crippling cold snap has been branded unacceptable by a critical new report. An Oireachtas committee found disruption during the weather crises could have been greatly reduced if the state had been better informed, more prepared and adequately resourced. The report said it was often unclear who was in charge in emergency situations and claimed serious communications lessons were needed for tackling any future emergencies.
So who was in charge? None other than Minister for Snow John Gormley!
This is an interesting article from the Evening Herald of Jan 8th, 2010 http://www.herald.ie/national-news/city-news/dont-call-me-the-minister-for-snow-2005129.html...
""I'm not the boss," was the extraordinary admission by Minister John Gormley hours after he was put in charge of the freezing crisis.
In a bizarre series of live TV interviews, he failed to reassure the public that the emergency was being handled effectively:
The extremely defensive Minister stated:
- He didn't know where Transport Minister Noel Dempsey is
- Refused to call the army in to clear footpaths and secondary roads
- Became irked at being labelled the 'Minister for Snow'
- Claimed the local authorities were doing a good job clearing routes
Mr Gormley's bizarre performance came as it also emerged that Transport Minister Noel Dempsey only went on holidays this Tuesday, as the crisis descended into chaos."
So who was in charge? None other than Minister for Snow John Gormley!
This is an interesting article from the Evening Herald of Jan 8th, 2010 http://www.herald.ie/national-news/city-news/dont-call-me-the-minister-for-snow-2005129.html...
""I'm not the boss," was the extraordinary admission by Minister John Gormley hours after he was put in charge of the freezing crisis.
In a bizarre series of live TV interviews, he failed to reassure the public that the emergency was being handled effectively:
The extremely defensive Minister stated:
- He didn't know where Transport Minister Noel Dempsey is
- Refused to call the army in to clear footpaths and secondary roads
- Became irked at being labelled the 'Minister for Snow'
- Claimed the local authorities were doing a good job clearing routes
Mr Gormley's bizarre performance came as it also emerged that Transport Minister Noel Dempsey only went on holidays this Tuesday, as the crisis descended into chaos."
No National Biodiversity Action Plan???
2010 was supposed to have been the year that the loss in biodiversity was halted. Alas this was not to be so EU leaders have decided to set a new deadline, this time 2020 (and who knows, perhaps in tens years time we might have another deadline of 2030). In Ireland we do not even have a national Biodiversity Action Plan - a key requirement under the Convention on Biological Diversity which was signed by our government way back in 1992 - since the first (and only) one expired in 2007. So do we have any confidence that 2020 will be any better then 2010 for our natural heritage? Hardly.
Is this another sad indictment of our so-called 'Green' Environment Minister's lack of political will to tackle important environmental issues?
Isn't it about time that the Irish Government committed itself to the implementation of Agenda 21 and the Aarhus Treaty? What a waste of the past 3 years.
Is this another sad indictment of our so-called 'Green' Environment Minister's lack of political will to tackle important environmental issues?
Isn't it about time that the Irish Government committed itself to the implementation of Agenda 21 and the Aarhus Treaty? What a waste of the past 3 years.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Hit the poor hardest ...
Great to see more "though decisions" are being made by Fianna Fáil and supported by the Green Party.
Fianna Fáil and the Greens cut the pay of low paid public servants by 5%, cut child benefit by 10% and cut social welfare benefits paid to the unemployed, disabled, blind and sick. Cuts are ongoing to the poorest and most disadvantaged with more to come in December's budget.
However, senior civil servants and senior executives in the public service and State agencies were given a reprieve. Now it seems that the semi-State bosses are getting the same special treatment. Last December, Brian Lenihan announced that he would bring proposals to Cabinet "at an early date" to review the pay arrangements for the Chief Executives of semi-States. Eight months later, nothing has happened and the Department of Finance has confirmed that the issue has been put on the long finger.
Well done Green Party ... more to be proud of.
Link.
Fianna Fáil and the Greens cut the pay of low paid public servants by 5%, cut child benefit by 10% and cut social welfare benefits paid to the unemployed, disabled, blind and sick. Cuts are ongoing to the poorest and most disadvantaged with more to come in December's budget.
However, senior civil servants and senior executives in the public service and State agencies were given a reprieve. Now it seems that the semi-State bosses are getting the same special treatment. Last December, Brian Lenihan announced that he would bring proposals to Cabinet "at an early date" to review the pay arrangements for the Chief Executives of semi-States. Eight months later, nothing has happened and the Department of Finance has confirmed that the issue has been put on the long finger.
Well done Green Party ... more to be proud of.
Link.
Green Party gifts plum positions on state bodies to election losers
I just wanted to remind people again of way the Green party have embraced gombeenism. This is a follow on from my Green Gombeenism post of a few weeks back.
The picture is of former Galway city mayor Niall O Brolcháin who was recently gifted a Seanad seat as he was the only government nominee for a vacancy on the agricultural panel.
This is taken from an article by Shane Coleman and Conor McMorrow ... the full article is here and is definitely worth reading.
From the article ...
"Over a third of the Green councillors who lost their seats in last year's local elections have been appointed to state bodies and other plum positions by the government in recent months, the Sunday Tribune has established.
The party, which has long railed against the practice of appointing party hacks to state boards and even demanded that it be addressed in the programme for government, is now being accused of "sickening and appalling... cronyism" by the opposition."
I recommend you read the full article and my "Green Gombeenism" post. Sad for those of us who hoped Green politics would equal clean politics.
Anyone remember John Gormleys "Planet Bertie" speech? You can decide for yourself whether he was lying or simply too stupid to understand what he was saying. Either way it makes him look very, very bad now.
A new (and exciting) twist to our ‘Wonderland’?
This post from Arthur Doohans blog ... link
"Minister Ryan and Minister Lenihan are announcing a program to ‘force’ the AIB & BoI to lend €12bln over the next 3 years. So before all of the loans are transferred to NAMA, they are admitting what the majority of independent observers said at the time would be the case; that NAMA would NOT regenerate lending in this economy.
Further, this new program of lending has no incentive and no enforcement and no punitive measures attached, so that there is no way to make this lending happen. There is just a new ‘nodding dog’ of a quango to repackage the lies of Ministers. The pronunciations of the ‘Credit Review Office’, which is as underresourced as it possible for ‘one man and his dog’ to be, flies in the face of the quotidian experience of every accountant, credit officer and small business operator in the land.
It’s not so bad to have a politician lie to us. We are well used to it, by now. But that they are setting up quangos using our taxes to pay civil servants to lie to us is a new twist to our ‘Wonderland’.
Addendum – What has a new lending program, however fictitious, got to do with Minister Ryan’s portfolio of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources?"
Well said Arthur.
"Minister Ryan and Minister Lenihan are announcing a program to ‘force’ the AIB & BoI to lend €12bln over the next 3 years. So before all of the loans are transferred to NAMA, they are admitting what the majority of independent observers said at the time would be the case; that NAMA would NOT regenerate lending in this economy.
Further, this new program of lending has no incentive and no enforcement and no punitive measures attached, so that there is no way to make this lending happen. There is just a new ‘nodding dog’ of a quango to repackage the lies of Ministers. The pronunciations of the ‘Credit Review Office’, which is as underresourced as it possible for ‘one man and his dog’ to be, flies in the face of the quotidian experience of every accountant, credit officer and small business operator in the land.
It’s not so bad to have a politician lie to us. We are well used to it, by now. But that they are setting up quangos using our taxes to pay civil servants to lie to us is a new twist to our ‘Wonderland’.
Addendum – What has a new lending program, however fictitious, got to do with Minister Ryan’s portfolio of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources?"
Well said Arthur.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Green Party to take responsibility for cuts in Budget 2011
Green Party chairman Senator Dan Boyle said his party’s contribution to budgetary preparations would not be confined to the Department of the Environment and the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources – the two portfolios held by Green Ministers.
He was quoted as saying, “Things we’d be most concerned about would be maintaining social welfare rates and education expenditure. Also on the capital side our priority would be infrastructure relating to public transport and water services”.
I'll be watching what the Green Party cut in Budget 2011 Senator Boyle, and I'll be the first one to call you on it.
Link.
He was quoted as saying, “Things we’d be most concerned about would be maintaining social welfare rates and education expenditure. Also on the capital side our priority would be infrastructure relating to public transport and water services”.
I'll be watching what the Green Party cut in Budget 2011 Senator Boyle, and I'll be the first one to call you on it.
Link.
Next Cabinet meeting? That would be sometime in September ...
Ministers will meet on Wednesday to begin discussions on how to deliver €3 billion in cuts in December’s budget. Wednesday’s meeting will be the second-last Cabinet meeting before September. The final meeting has been provisionally scheduled for Wednesday 28th.
If this does not have you fuming, please see my post on Brian Cowen being the 4th highest paid politician in the world (below).
If this does not have you fuming, please see my post on Brian Cowen being the 4th highest paid politician in the world (below).
Dan Boyle sends out wrong signals
Ministers will meet on Wednesday to begin discussions on how to deliver €3 billion in cuts in December’s budget.
But it looks like cracks are already appearing in the coalition with Dan Boyle wondering aloud about the public appetite for another "difficult budget". This has led to a scathing attack on the Green Party Chairman in todays editorial in the Irish Independent. Read the full article here.
This is from the article ...
"Not many of us take Senator Dan Boyle very seriously. Indeed, not many of us take his party, the Greens, seriously except on the numerous occasions when they contrive to annoy sensible people and make them regret that the party ever found a place of influence in the political system.
But regrettably or otherwise, they do have a place in the system. They hold two seats in the Cabinet. The Government depends on them for its existence. And Mr Boyle is the party chairman and finance spokesman.
So when he makes a pronouncement on an issue of the highest importance, people sit up and take notice -- at home and, more dangerously, abroad.
Those of them who have heard of Mr Boyle as a person of consequence in Irish politics will have their doubts reinforced.
But in one respect he is right. He is right to question whether "we" have the political will to stick the course. By "we" he presumably means the coalition, not the voters, who have no recourse but to throw it out of office at the earliest opportunity. In the meantime, it has a choice. It can give the people the leadership to help them through the hard times. Or it can continue to choose cowardice and incompetence on every issue from water charges to top officials' pensions."
Apparently Dan Boyle was unrepentant last night (link) about his warning that Ireland might not be able to reduce its budget deficit within the next four years. He put himself at odds with government policy, which is to to bring down the deficit in line with EU rules by 2014.
Mr Boyle had asked whether this was socially and politically possible. "Seeing that we have had three-and-a-half years of really difficult budgets, I do not see the public appetite continuing. It could be that we have neutral budgets for a period," he said.
But the Green Party gave a rapid assurance that Mr Boyle was speaking on a personal basis -- and not for the party.
But it looks like cracks are already appearing in the coalition with Dan Boyle wondering aloud about the public appetite for another "difficult budget". This has led to a scathing attack on the Green Party Chairman in todays editorial in the Irish Independent. Read the full article here.
This is from the article ...
"Not many of us take Senator Dan Boyle very seriously. Indeed, not many of us take his party, the Greens, seriously except on the numerous occasions when they contrive to annoy sensible people and make them regret that the party ever found a place of influence in the political system.
But regrettably or otherwise, they do have a place in the system. They hold two seats in the Cabinet. The Government depends on them for its existence. And Mr Boyle is the party chairman and finance spokesman.
So when he makes a pronouncement on an issue of the highest importance, people sit up and take notice -- at home and, more dangerously, abroad.
Those of them who have heard of Mr Boyle as a person of consequence in Irish politics will have their doubts reinforced.
But in one respect he is right. He is right to question whether "we" have the political will to stick the course. By "we" he presumably means the coalition, not the voters, who have no recourse but to throw it out of office at the earliest opportunity. In the meantime, it has a choice. It can give the people the leadership to help them through the hard times. Or it can continue to choose cowardice and incompetence on every issue from water charges to top officials' pensions."
Apparently Dan Boyle was unrepentant last night (link) about his warning that Ireland might not be able to reduce its budget deficit within the next four years. He put himself at odds with government policy, which is to to bring down the deficit in line with EU rules by 2014.
Mr Boyle had asked whether this was socially and politically possible. "Seeing that we have had three-and-a-half years of really difficult budgets, I do not see the public appetite continuing. It could be that we have neutral budgets for a period," he said.
But the Green Party gave a rapid assurance that Mr Boyle was speaking on a personal basis -- and not for the party.
Brian Cowen is worlds 4th highest paid politician at $342,400
1. Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister, Singapore
Annual salary: $2.75 million
2. Donald Tsang, Chief Executive, Hong Kong
Annual salary: $515,300
3. Barack Obama, President, United States
Annual salary: $400,000
4. Brian Cowen, Taoiseach, Ireland
Annual salary: $342,400
5. Nicolas Sarkozy, President, France
Annual salary: $319,800
6. Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister, Australia
Annual salary: $315,800
7. Stephen Harper, Prime Minister, Canada
Annual salary: $309,800
8. Jacob Zuma, President, South Africa
Annual salary: $305,800
9. Angela Merkel, Chancellor, Germany
Annual salary: $303,800
10. Gordon Brown, Prime Minister, United Kingdom
Annual salary: $300,400
Link
Annual salary: $2.75 million
2. Donald Tsang, Chief Executive, Hong Kong
Annual salary: $515,300
3. Barack Obama, President, United States
Annual salary: $400,000
4. Brian Cowen, Taoiseach, Ireland
Annual salary: $342,400
5. Nicolas Sarkozy, President, France
Annual salary: $319,800
6. Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister, Australia
Annual salary: $315,800
7. Stephen Harper, Prime Minister, Canada
Annual salary: $309,800
8. Jacob Zuma, President, South Africa
Annual salary: $305,800
9. Angela Merkel, Chancellor, Germany
Annual salary: $303,800
10. Gordon Brown, Prime Minister, United Kingdom
Annual salary: $300,400
Link
Friday, July 09, 2010
12 weeks off and no one is laughing except the politicians
Today is the first day of the 12 week break that our Fianna Fáil and the Green Party politicians have voted for themselves. The Greens have actively colluded in the long break, despite being vociferous objectors to such proposals in opposition.
The longest summer break for the Dáil since 2003.
The longest summer break of any country in Europe, and most democracies in the rest of the world.
Todays Irish Times notes that at a time when the Government is promoting an agenda of productivity and reform within the public service, its own working arrangements require serious attention. A three-day Dáil working week, for seven months of the year, does not represent good value for democracy.
And this is especially true when we have a government refusing to hold three outstanding by-elections, a children's rights referendum being constantly postponed, and the Dublin Mayoral election now in doubt in 2010.
FF/Green notions of democracy are a sick joke. The only problem is that I dont hear anyone laughing ... except the politicians in the Dáil yesterday who had good reason to laugh.
The longest summer break for the Dáil since 2003.
The longest summer break of any country in Europe, and most democracies in the rest of the world.
Todays Irish Times notes that at a time when the Government is promoting an agenda of productivity and reform within the public service, its own working arrangements require serious attention. A three-day Dáil working week, for seven months of the year, does not represent good value for democracy.
And this is especially true when we have a government refusing to hold three outstanding by-elections, a children's rights referendum being constantly postponed, and the Dublin Mayoral election now in doubt in 2010.
FF/Green notions of democracy are a sick joke. The only problem is that I dont hear anyone laughing ... except the politicians in the Dáil yesterday who had good reason to laugh.
Dublin mayoral election "could be next year" according to Eamon Ryan
More Green Party wobbles last night on one of its key pledges. Eamon Ryan has said the Dublin mayoral election "could be next year". This flies directly in the face of Green leader John Gormley's previous stance that the election would be held in 2010.
The Greens had held up the Dublin mayoral election as one of their key policy aims and Mr Gormley's spokesman last night insisted that the "intention" was still to hold the election before the end of the year.
Despite this however Mr Ryan said the Government was now adopting a "wait and see" approach.
"It could be this year, it could be next year. There hasn't been a final call made on that," he told RTE.
Link.
The Greens had held up the Dublin mayoral election as one of their key policy aims and Mr Gormley's spokesman last night insisted that the "intention" was still to hold the election before the end of the year.
Despite this however Mr Ryan said the Government was now adopting a "wait and see" approach.
"It could be this year, it could be next year. There hasn't been a final call made on that," he told RTE.
Link.
Thursday, July 08, 2010
The Mind Boggles ...
From Miriam Lord in todays Irish Times.
_______________________________________
DÁIL SKETCH: FOR A man about to escape answering questions in the Dáil for the next three months, Brian Cowen was in foul humour.
When he finally fled the chamber at lunchtime yesterday, the Taoiseach left safe in the knowledge that he doesn’t have to show his face again until September 29th.
Twice a week he must account for himself on the floor of parliament. At the best of times it is a personal purgatory he undertakes with habitual bad grace. But even by the Taoiseach’s own dour standard, yesterday’s performance took the rancid biscuit. Bearing in mind the sensitivity of the issue under discussion during Leaders’ Questions, Cowen’s grouchy impression of a bear with a sore head jarred with the muted mood of all but a couple of his Ministers.
“I rise today to speak for those who have no voice for themselves,” began the Fine Gael leader, on a day when nearly 2,000 people from around the country were forced to take to the streets to try and embarrass the Government into reversing cuts in basic services for people with disabilities.
These are men and women who have more than enough on their plates without having to march because they have lost, or fear they will lose, their respite care.
“It is fair to say that the people who are on the streets today felt that the days of having to protest, of having to walk on the streets in order to bring attention to the needs and difficulties they have in providing care for members of their family . . . were over,” said Eamon Gilmore.
Cowen listened, head bowed, as an impassioned Enda Kenny contrasted the plight of disabled people hit by minor budgetary cuts with the large increase in the entertainment budget of Government departments.
The Taoiseach’s microphone was off, but his tart assessment of the Fine Gael leader’s contribution was clearly heard in the press gallery.
Without raising his eyes, Brian Cowen uttered just one word, voice dripping with contempt.
“Fool.”
Charming.
Had the Taoiseach taken his opinion of Kenny’s contribution to the gates of Leinster House an hour later, he would have met a lot of people who would have told him, in no uncertain terms, that the Fine Gael leader was speaking sense.
Perhaps the voiceless – “the people who look after adults with a mental age of three or four” as Enda Kenny called them – just slipped beneath his radar.
As this Dáil session comes to a close, a lot of political brains are addled by talk of the banking and Nama billions.
The Taoiseach appeared to be under the impression that no decisions have been made to close down some respite facilities. “It will not happen as far as I’m concerned,” he wheezed.
Opposition deputies were outraged. (A few Government backbenchers looked very uncomfortable.) Examples were furnished from Dublin, Galway and Limerick by incandescent TDs.
“The Taoiseach has said that no such decision has been made. If not, why are thousands of people marching to the House today? This is their cry for help. Who speaks for these people? The Taoiseach certainly doesn’t these days,” fumed Enda.
To which the cankerous Cowen replied: “You don’t, anyway.” As the Opposition piled in with their examples of services under pressure, he countered by arguing “this is no time to scare people who are vulnerable”. They went apoplectic across the floor at that.
The Fine Gael leader was clearly irritating his opposite number, who began muttering to himself before appealing to the Ceann Comhairle to make Kenny get to the point with a sarcastic “Question?” On the back foot on the respite services issue, the Taoiseach started attacking Fine Gael and Labour’s track record in providing disability services. The Rainbow Coalition left power in 1997.
A depressing morning.
Then, during the Order of Business, Cowen was bounced into revealing the length of the recess. Last week, despite Opposition requests, the Government insisted no date had been fixed. (They didn’t want a week of criticism building up over their three-month break from legislating and answering questions.) Ideally, the return of September 29th would have been announced today, with the Taoiseach already gone for the duration and the house about to rise.
In defence yesterday, the Taoiseach declared “there will be a lot of work done by committees in July and September.” Whereupon those deputies left in the chamber burst out laughing.
Stop press! Here’s that Dáil schedule for the foreseeable future that they don’t want you to see: Adjourn today until the third week in December, when the House will rise for the Christmas recess.
In the immediate aftermath of the festive season and after the January sales, Leinster House will reopen to facilitate a mass clocking-in exercise by members of the Government, who will retrospectively regularise their attendance statistics for expenses purposes.
By then, Creme Eggs will be in the Oireachtas shop, signalling the rapid approach of Easter 2011. Accordingly (and taking into account Valentines Day, St Patrick’s Day and Cheltenham), the House will go into recess on the first of February.
It must be noted that the Green Party – while vehemently opposed in principle to ridiculously long parliamentary breaks – is in full agreement with its coalition partners on the issue of avoiding scrutiny in the Dáil.
February, after all, is the start of the rhubarb-forcing season.
There will be a long sitting in May to facilitate the annual golf outing, to postpone the byelections in the national interest and to prepare for the summer break.
Three months away from parliament. Twelve weeks in hiding.
The mind boggles.
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
DÁIL SKETCH: FOR A man about to escape answering questions in the Dáil for the next three months, Brian Cowen was in foul humour.
When he finally fled the chamber at lunchtime yesterday, the Taoiseach left safe in the knowledge that he doesn’t have to show his face again until September 29th.
Twice a week he must account for himself on the floor of parliament. At the best of times it is a personal purgatory he undertakes with habitual bad grace. But even by the Taoiseach’s own dour standard, yesterday’s performance took the rancid biscuit. Bearing in mind the sensitivity of the issue under discussion during Leaders’ Questions, Cowen’s grouchy impression of a bear with a sore head jarred with the muted mood of all but a couple of his Ministers.
“I rise today to speak for those who have no voice for themselves,” began the Fine Gael leader, on a day when nearly 2,000 people from around the country were forced to take to the streets to try and embarrass the Government into reversing cuts in basic services for people with disabilities.
These are men and women who have more than enough on their plates without having to march because they have lost, or fear they will lose, their respite care.
“It is fair to say that the people who are on the streets today felt that the days of having to protest, of having to walk on the streets in order to bring attention to the needs and difficulties they have in providing care for members of their family . . . were over,” said Eamon Gilmore.
Cowen listened, head bowed, as an impassioned Enda Kenny contrasted the plight of disabled people hit by minor budgetary cuts with the large increase in the entertainment budget of Government departments.
The Taoiseach’s microphone was off, but his tart assessment of the Fine Gael leader’s contribution was clearly heard in the press gallery.
Without raising his eyes, Brian Cowen uttered just one word, voice dripping with contempt.
“Fool.”
Charming.
Had the Taoiseach taken his opinion of Kenny’s contribution to the gates of Leinster House an hour later, he would have met a lot of people who would have told him, in no uncertain terms, that the Fine Gael leader was speaking sense.
Perhaps the voiceless – “the people who look after adults with a mental age of three or four” as Enda Kenny called them – just slipped beneath his radar.
As this Dáil session comes to a close, a lot of political brains are addled by talk of the banking and Nama billions.
The Taoiseach appeared to be under the impression that no decisions have been made to close down some respite facilities. “It will not happen as far as I’m concerned,” he wheezed.
Opposition deputies were outraged. (A few Government backbenchers looked very uncomfortable.) Examples were furnished from Dublin, Galway and Limerick by incandescent TDs.
“The Taoiseach has said that no such decision has been made. If not, why are thousands of people marching to the House today? This is their cry for help. Who speaks for these people? The Taoiseach certainly doesn’t these days,” fumed Enda.
To which the cankerous Cowen replied: “You don’t, anyway.” As the Opposition piled in with their examples of services under pressure, he countered by arguing “this is no time to scare people who are vulnerable”. They went apoplectic across the floor at that.
The Fine Gael leader was clearly irritating his opposite number, who began muttering to himself before appealing to the Ceann Comhairle to make Kenny get to the point with a sarcastic “Question?” On the back foot on the respite services issue, the Taoiseach started attacking Fine Gael and Labour’s track record in providing disability services. The Rainbow Coalition left power in 1997.
A depressing morning.
Then, during the Order of Business, Cowen was bounced into revealing the length of the recess. Last week, despite Opposition requests, the Government insisted no date had been fixed. (They didn’t want a week of criticism building up over their three-month break from legislating and answering questions.) Ideally, the return of September 29th would have been announced today, with the Taoiseach already gone for the duration and the house about to rise.
In defence yesterday, the Taoiseach declared “there will be a lot of work done by committees in July and September.” Whereupon those deputies left in the chamber burst out laughing.
Stop press! Here’s that Dáil schedule for the foreseeable future that they don’t want you to see: Adjourn today until the third week in December, when the House will rise for the Christmas recess.
In the immediate aftermath of the festive season and after the January sales, Leinster House will reopen to facilitate a mass clocking-in exercise by members of the Government, who will retrospectively regularise their attendance statistics for expenses purposes.
By then, Creme Eggs will be in the Oireachtas shop, signalling the rapid approach of Easter 2011. Accordingly (and taking into account Valentines Day, St Patrick’s Day and Cheltenham), the House will go into recess on the first of February.
It must be noted that the Green Party – while vehemently opposed in principle to ridiculously long parliamentary breaks – is in full agreement with its coalition partners on the issue of avoiding scrutiny in the Dáil.
February, after all, is the start of the rhubarb-forcing season.
There will be a long sitting in May to facilitate the annual golf outing, to postpone the byelections in the national interest and to prepare for the summer break.
Three months away from parliament. Twelve weeks in hiding.
The mind boggles.
_______________________________________
Monday, July 05, 2010
More cuts for those with intellectual disabilities
RTE are reporting that a Galway-based lobby group has said it will fight a further round of cutbacks being planned by the Health Service Executive in every possible way. Hope4Disability represents the families of children with intellectual disabilities. It said the threatened cutbacks have 'shocked and frightened' parents throughout the county.
The HSE said it is facing severe financial pressures and 'efficiencies' have to be achieved across the entire range of services it provides. The Brothers of Charity, which provides respite care in Galway, said they have been told to reduce their budget again. The National Federation of Voluntary Bodies said the prospect of further cuts is devastating.
The HSE said it is facing severe financial pressures and 'efficiencies' have to be achieved across the entire range of services it provides. The Brothers of Charity, which provides respite care in Galway, said they have been told to reduce their budget again. The National Federation of Voluntary Bodies said the prospect of further cuts is devastating.
Paul Gogarty and his "heroic" push for Dáil reform ...
Apparently, Green Party backbencher Paul Gogarty is writing to chief whip John Curran to propose that the Dail sits every Friday in future link.
Paul Gorarty claimed last week that he asked John Curran if the Dáil would be sitting into July. Mr. Gogarty claimed that Mr. Curran told him that this was not possible because TD's and Ministers already had their holidays booked. Mr. Gogarty also claimed that he did not know when the Dáil would be returning after the Summer recess.
Mr. Gogarty you are a joke, and this will fool no one. This pathetic letter is far too little, and far too late. If you and your Party really wanted Dáil reform you would have pushed for concrete proposals to be inculded in PfG II. Instead you and the Green Party were too busy feathering your own nests, and appointing your own failed Green politicians to state jobs and quangos.
I hope you enjoy your 3 month break. You'll soon have a permanent one.
Paul Gorarty claimed last week that he asked John Curran if the Dáil would be sitting into July. Mr. Gogarty claimed that Mr. Curran told him that this was not possible because TD's and Ministers already had their holidays booked. Mr. Gogarty also claimed that he did not know when the Dáil would be returning after the Summer recess.
Mr. Gogarty you are a joke, and this will fool no one. This pathetic letter is far too little, and far too late. If you and your Party really wanted Dáil reform you would have pushed for concrete proposals to be inculded in PfG II. Instead you and the Green Party were too busy feathering your own nests, and appointing your own failed Green politicians to state jobs and quangos.
I hope you enjoy your 3 month break. You'll soon have a permanent one.
Friday, July 02, 2010
Betty Reeves (Green Alliance) 1985 Local Elections Blackrock
From the 1985 local elections leaflet for Green candidate the late Betty Reeves. Betty Reeves was a founder member of the Green Party and was elected to the council in 1991.
It is a generic leaflet where the candidates name is stamped on it.
It is a generic leaflet where the candidates name is stamped on it.
Trevor Sargent election material 2007 (Dublin North)
This is a leaflet from Trevor Sargent for the 2007 general election.
Trevor Sargent election material 2002 (Dublin North)
First elected in 1992, this is a leaflet from Trevor Sargent for the 2002 general election.
Trevor Sargent sings!
There is something very charming about this ... I'm not sure what, but I really like it.
Minister Gormley rejects Poolbeg jobs claim
This from the excellent Irish Town Planners Blog on 1st July 2010.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley said today he would not be pressured into issuing a foreshore licence for the operation of the Poolbeg incinerator in Ringsend.
The Minister’s comments come after reports that the US ambassador to Ireland Dan Rooney had requested a meeting with him over the delay in granting a licence for the controversial project.
Dublin City Council first lodged an application for a licence almost two years ago and until it is issued, the US developer of the project, Covanta Energy, is unable to proceed.
Mr Gormley, who campaigned against the Poolbeg plan before entering Government, said the incinerator licence is being considered but that it is one of a large number of foreshore applications currently being processed.
Speaking on RTÉ radio this morning, Mr Gormley said the issuing of the licence would be dealt with in a "fair and transparent manner" and denied he was deliberately delaying the project.
"My concern is not the shareholders of a private company. My concern is national waste policy,” he said. "This is a quasi-judicial matter and I find it quite unacceptable that people would use publicly the newspapers to actually lobby for this."
Mr Gormley said he believed pressure was being put on him because of his decision to introduce waste facility levies which are designed to penalise large incinerator projects.
"This really isn't about any foreshore licence. It is about my policy direction and they [Covanta] have been applying considerable pressure to ensure I do not proceed with the incinerator levies and have employed a very slick PR campaign to do that," he said.
"I will not be brow-beaten or intimidated in any way and I will continue on with this course of action and will continue with these imposition levies."
Mr Gormley also rejected claims that up to 600 jobs will be created as a result of the licence being granted, saying that a modern incinerator plant would usually employs about 60 people.
“If you put it in those sort of terms, splashed across the newspaper that somehow there are 600 jobs at jeopardy, that puts any minister under severe pressure. But I won't be pressurised and I won't deviate from the course I've embarked upon," he said.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley said today he would not be pressured into issuing a foreshore licence for the operation of the Poolbeg incinerator in Ringsend.
The Minister’s comments come after reports that the US ambassador to Ireland Dan Rooney had requested a meeting with him over the delay in granting a licence for the controversial project.
Dublin City Council first lodged an application for a licence almost two years ago and until it is issued, the US developer of the project, Covanta Energy, is unable to proceed.
Mr Gormley, who campaigned against the Poolbeg plan before entering Government, said the incinerator licence is being considered but that it is one of a large number of foreshore applications currently being processed.
Speaking on RTÉ radio this morning, Mr Gormley said the issuing of the licence would be dealt with in a "fair and transparent manner" and denied he was deliberately delaying the project.
"My concern is not the shareholders of a private company. My concern is national waste policy,” he said. "This is a quasi-judicial matter and I find it quite unacceptable that people would use publicly the newspapers to actually lobby for this."
Mr Gormley said he believed pressure was being put on him because of his decision to introduce waste facility levies which are designed to penalise large incinerator projects.
"This really isn't about any foreshore licence. It is about my policy direction and they [Covanta] have been applying considerable pressure to ensure I do not proceed with the incinerator levies and have employed a very slick PR campaign to do that," he said.
"I will not be brow-beaten or intimidated in any way and I will continue on with this course of action and will continue with these imposition levies."
Mr Gormley also rejected claims that up to 600 jobs will be created as a result of the licence being granted, saying that a modern incinerator plant would usually employs about 60 people.
“If you put it in those sort of terms, splashed across the newspaper that somehow there are 600 jobs at jeopardy, that puts any minister under severe pressure. But I won't be pressurised and I won't deviate from the course I've embarked upon," he said.
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Reform of Dáil Éireann and the long, long Summer recess
Where is the reform of Dáil Éireann as promised by the Green Party?
The Green Party promised to reform "Dáil Éireann to sit for 45 weeks of the year, sittings running from Monday afternoons to Friday lunchtimes with full days starting at 9.30am and ending no later than 7pm" link.
Instead, we have Green TD Paul Gogarty on the Pat Kenny show yesterday morning saying that the Dáil cannot sit into July because a number of TD's and Ministers already had their holidays booked! Mr. Gogarty also didnt know when the Dáil would resume but presumed it would be sometime in September. We also have another Green TD Trevor Sargent on the Late Debate on TRE radio last night being slaughtered on this issue.
But this is not a new story. It si just the same old debate we have every Summer. Senan Moloney noted in the Independent back in 2007 ...
"The Green party campaigned for a hugely increased Dail workload during the recent general election, but the agreed Programme for Government has no specifics on this. Instead, it says that Fianna Fail, the Greens and the Progressive Democrats will “pursue the issue of reform of Oireachtas sitting times, Oireachtas procedures and strengthening the role of committees”.
While the role of committees won’t be strengthened this summer by the non-appointment of Chairs (worth an extra €20,000 to the lucky man or woman in each case), the envisaged reform of the legislature also promises to reconsider the recommendations of the All Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution on the subject. And the programme says that the coalition partners are pledged to “determine the extent of cross-party agreement on the recommednations of the Report on Seanad Reform.”
And here we still are 3 years later. And still no reform as the TD's and Ministers ready themselves for the 3 month Dáil holidays. The same TD's and Ministers who are apparently too busy to hold the still outstanding 3 by-elections.
The Green Party promised to reform "Dáil Éireann to sit for 45 weeks of the year, sittings running from Monday afternoons to Friday lunchtimes with full days starting at 9.30am and ending no later than 7pm" link.
Instead, we have Green TD Paul Gogarty on the Pat Kenny show yesterday morning saying that the Dáil cannot sit into July because a number of TD's and Ministers already had their holidays booked! Mr. Gogarty also didnt know when the Dáil would resume but presumed it would be sometime in September. We also have another Green TD Trevor Sargent on the Late Debate on TRE radio last night being slaughtered on this issue.
But this is not a new story. It si just the same old debate we have every Summer. Senan Moloney noted in the Independent back in 2007 ...
"The Green party campaigned for a hugely increased Dail workload during the recent general election, but the agreed Programme for Government has no specifics on this. Instead, it says that Fianna Fail, the Greens and the Progressive Democrats will “pursue the issue of reform of Oireachtas sitting times, Oireachtas procedures and strengthening the role of committees”.
While the role of committees won’t be strengthened this summer by the non-appointment of Chairs (worth an extra €20,000 to the lucky man or woman in each case), the envisaged reform of the legislature also promises to reconsider the recommendations of the All Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution on the subject. And the programme says that the coalition partners are pledged to “determine the extent of cross-party agreement on the recommednations of the Report on Seanad Reform.”
And here we still are 3 years later. And still no reform as the TD's and Ministers ready themselves for the 3 month Dáil holidays. The same TD's and Ministers who are apparently too busy to hold the still outstanding 3 by-elections.
Green Party Saving The Nation - Only the Dog Breeding Bill remains
The following article is from IrishLeftReview.org. I dont necessarily agree with everything in the article, but it provides a few interesting points for debate.
_______________________________________________________
At this time of hardship, unemployment, emigration and even negative equity, the Greys have secured a famous victory and guaranteed their place in history. Last night, in a nail-biting near-finale they and their coalition partner FF The Corruption Party forced through a vitally important Bill to save Ireland from the terrible fate of Stag Hunting. The victory was not achieved without suffering however when two FF The Corruption Party TDs (members of parliament) were expelled from their party.
The Greys are well on their way to saving the country as they promised in their party manifesto. In fact, only one major hurdle remains before complete victory - the dreaded Dog Breeding Bill. Dogs all over Ireland are trembling in their dog-baskets at the prospect.
Then the Dáil (parliament) will rise for what is laughingly called ‘the summer recess’ but which does, in fact, extend well into the autumn (in fact, the Dáil barely has time to sit down before it has to stand up again for the Christmas break).
The anti-stag hunting legislation and the Dog Breeding Bill mark two huge milestones in the Grey Party list of priorities. Other less-important priorities, according to their 2007 Manifesto are as follows:
Housing - Ensure the delivery of 10,000 social and affordable housing units a year until the housing waiting lists are cleared.
Health - Provide an additional 4000 beds to cut A&E queues. Introduce medical cards for children under 6.
Child Care - Replace the Early Childcare Supplement with a higher Refundable Parenting Tax Credit available as a cash payment or used to reduce income tax bills.
Education - Invest €1 billion in education for the first year of the next Government to front-load educational priorities. Provide 2,400 extra teachers at primary and secondary levels.
Transport - Prioritise the Dublin Metro and Luas extensions, provide Luas-type lines in Cork and Galway and introduce commuter services on existing railway lines in Limerick and a line to Shannon.
Energy/Climate Change - Seek an all-party approach to cut carbon emissions by 3% annually through renewable energy and improved building standards.
Tax - Reduce both VAT rates by 1%. Index-link tax credits and bands to protect workers from inflation and avoid taxation by stealth.
Social Welfare - Benchmark the lowest social welfare payment for a single person at 50% of average income.
Crime - Provide for a systematic increase in Garda numbers - at least 15,000 are needed. Establish an Organised Crime Agency.
Environment - Increase spending on sewage treatment infrastructure in key towns and villages under development pressure.
Political Reform - Ban corporate donations to political parties.
Carers - Abolish means-testing of the carers’ allowance.
Pension - increase the basic pension from 30% of average income to 60%.
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
At this time of hardship, unemployment, emigration and even negative equity, the Greys have secured a famous victory and guaranteed their place in history. Last night, in a nail-biting near-finale they and their coalition partner FF The Corruption Party forced through a vitally important Bill to save Ireland from the terrible fate of Stag Hunting. The victory was not achieved without suffering however when two FF The Corruption Party TDs (members of parliament) were expelled from their party.
The Greys are well on their way to saving the country as they promised in their party manifesto. In fact, only one major hurdle remains before complete victory - the dreaded Dog Breeding Bill. Dogs all over Ireland are trembling in their dog-baskets at the prospect.
Then the Dáil (parliament) will rise for what is laughingly called ‘the summer recess’ but which does, in fact, extend well into the autumn (in fact, the Dáil barely has time to sit down before it has to stand up again for the Christmas break).
The anti-stag hunting legislation and the Dog Breeding Bill mark two huge milestones in the Grey Party list of priorities. Other less-important priorities, according to their 2007 Manifesto are as follows:
Housing - Ensure the delivery of 10,000 social and affordable housing units a year until the housing waiting lists are cleared.
Health - Provide an additional 4000 beds to cut A&E queues. Introduce medical cards for children under 6.
Child Care - Replace the Early Childcare Supplement with a higher Refundable Parenting Tax Credit available as a cash payment or used to reduce income tax bills.
Education - Invest €1 billion in education for the first year of the next Government to front-load educational priorities. Provide 2,400 extra teachers at primary and secondary levels.
Transport - Prioritise the Dublin Metro and Luas extensions, provide Luas-type lines in Cork and Galway and introduce commuter services on existing railway lines in Limerick and a line to Shannon.
Energy/Climate Change - Seek an all-party approach to cut carbon emissions by 3% annually through renewable energy and improved building standards.
Tax - Reduce both VAT rates by 1%. Index-link tax credits and bands to protect workers from inflation and avoid taxation by stealth.
Social Welfare - Benchmark the lowest social welfare payment for a single person at 50% of average income.
Crime - Provide for a systematic increase in Garda numbers - at least 15,000 are needed. Establish an Organised Crime Agency.
Environment - Increase spending on sewage treatment infrastructure in key towns and villages under development pressure.
Political Reform - Ban corporate donations to political parties.
Carers - Abolish means-testing of the carers’ allowance.
Pension - increase the basic pension from 30% of average income to 60%.
_______________________________________________________
www.fisnua.com
More details are emerging about Fis Nua. The following is from Murra (the main driving force behind Fis Nua) on politicalworld.org;
___________________________________________
Hi all,
I'm back from a few well earned days away - glad to see you missed me!
You will of course have looked at the link by now www.fisnua.com (Its Fis Nua, without the 'An'). The site is still under construction of course, so please give it some more time.
At the weekend meeting, there was a LOT of discussion about the structure of the new organisation -whether it was to be a new party or a federation - there were pro's and con's for both. It was decided in the end that it is a Federation WITH a political structure - ie, an alliance of groups who will sign up to a common set of principles, policies, rules & procedures. Each member, group or organisation will apply to join by submitting their own constitution for the approval of the other member groups. There will be no leadership - the members will select their own candidates from their own constituency areas. The names of participating groups will be listed under the banner.
Part of the manifesto is up on the site, but there's more work to be done, and invitations are sought from individuals, groups or organisations who wish to become involved.
And yes, there were many 'old green's' there - ex Green Party members who quit the Green Party because they too were let down. This is not to say that there is anything wrong with the Global Green movement and we were encouraged by Derek Wall from the Green Left of the Green Party of England and Wales. There were also other 'new' people there. (I didn't see you there Ah Well?)
I appreciate, of course, that there will be plenty of 'knockers' - that's Ireland for ya. But hey - somebody's gotta try, right?
___________________________________________
I'd like to wish Fis Nua the best of luck with what they are trying to achieve. New thinking and new politics are needed more than ever in this country, and hopefully Fis Nua will go some way towards achieving this.
___________________________________________
Hi all,
I'm back from a few well earned days away - glad to see you missed me!
You will of course have looked at the link by now www.fisnua.com (Its Fis Nua, without the 'An'). The site is still under construction of course, so please give it some more time.
At the weekend meeting, there was a LOT of discussion about the structure of the new organisation -whether it was to be a new party or a federation - there were pro's and con's for both. It was decided in the end that it is a Federation WITH a political structure - ie, an alliance of groups who will sign up to a common set of principles, policies, rules & procedures. Each member, group or organisation will apply to join by submitting their own constitution for the approval of the other member groups. There will be no leadership - the members will select their own candidates from their own constituency areas. The names of participating groups will be listed under the banner.
Part of the manifesto is up on the site, but there's more work to be done, and invitations are sought from individuals, groups or organisations who wish to become involved.
And yes, there were many 'old green's' there - ex Green Party members who quit the Green Party because they too were let down. This is not to say that there is anything wrong with the Global Green movement and we were encouraged by Derek Wall from the Green Left of the Green Party of England and Wales. There were also other 'new' people there. (I didn't see you there Ah Well?)
I appreciate, of course, that there will be plenty of 'knockers' - that's Ireland for ya. But hey - somebody's gotta try, right?
___________________________________________
I'd like to wish Fis Nua the best of luck with what they are trying to achieve. New thinking and new politics are needed more than ever in this country, and hopefully Fis Nua will go some way towards achieving this.
Gormley gives "cast-iron guarantee" over water charges
Minister John Gormley again insisted yesterday that water charges won't be brought in until homes are equipped with meters. Mr Gormley gave a "cast-iron guarantee" householders would only be charged for using more water than a basic free allowance.
However, Taoiseach Brian Cowen appeared to undermine the Green Party this week by refusing to rule out the introduction of flat-rate water charges as reported in the Irish Independent. Mr Cowen hinted that the Government may break its promise not to bring in charges until meters are installed in every home.
Fianna Fail and the Green Party's Revised Programme for Government includes a commitment to water charges based on a system where homes are allocated a free basic allowance, with charging only for the amount used above that. Mr Cowen said the Government hadn't "even begun budget discussions yet". Mr Gormley is due to bring a plan to Cabinet in the coming weeks on the cost of the rollout of water meters.
Link.
However, Taoiseach Brian Cowen appeared to undermine the Green Party this week by refusing to rule out the introduction of flat-rate water charges as reported in the Irish Independent. Mr Cowen hinted that the Government may break its promise not to bring in charges until meters are installed in every home.
Fianna Fail and the Green Party's Revised Programme for Government includes a commitment to water charges based on a system where homes are allocated a free basic allowance, with charging only for the amount used above that. Mr Cowen said the Government hadn't "even begun budget discussions yet". Mr Gormley is due to bring a plan to Cabinet in the coming weeks on the cost of the rollout of water meters.
Link.
Gormley to meet the US Ambassador to Ireland ... Ambassador questions why 600 jobs are being held up
An excellent summary of this is provided by David Corcoran over on politics.ie. The Irish Independent this morning reports that the American Ambassador, Dan Rooney, is demanding a meeting with Environment Minister John Gormley over the stalling of the construction of the Poolbeg Incinerator. The company awarded the contract to build the incinerator Covanta have been expressing frustration at the awarding of the foreshore licence. The Independent piece suggests that Cowen may in fact meet with Covanta executives when he visits New York in two weeks to discuss the issue.
So, there appears to be some background issues at play here. Firstly, Dublin City Council awarded a contract for an incinerator to be built in Poolbeg by Covanta. The incinerator is big, very big in fact, it can handle 600,000 tonnes a year.
Private firms (the companies that collect waste - they're mostly represented by a group called the IWMA) are against the incinerator, they argue the plant is too big, and they also point out they have invested in means to handle the waste they collect. This waste they collect is an issue too. Dublin City Council lost a case recently where they tried to say that they own the waste even after it's collected. They lost this case, private firms when they collect the waste then own it.
But these private firms have their own means of dealing with the waste, and the court case effectively means Dublin City Council can't tell the private collectors to send their waste to Poolbeg. Yet Dublin City Council has guaranteed to supply 320,000 tonnes of waste to Poolbeg, and will have to compensate Covanta if this minimum threshold is not met. It would take all of the waste in Dublin (and some) to satisfy the Poolbeg incinerator, but as we can see, Dublin City Council don't appear to have any waste to give them. Covanta is attempting to source the other 280,000 tonnes needed to bring Poolbeg to full capacity.
Poolbeg when operating at full capacity will produce enough power for 50,000 homes. Proponents of the plant say it will allow Ireland to substantially reduce dependence on landfill as required by the EU Landfill Directive. Opponents of Poolbeg (including John Gormley) say that Poolbeg will reduce dependence on recycling - with so much waste needing to go to address the capacity demands, much of what is produced will be burnt regardless. John Gormley says the target of 70% recylables will not be possible if Poolbeg needs to be fed.
John Gormley (even this morning on Morning Ireland) argued that Poolbeg is too big and the means of dealing with the waste in Poolbeg isn't ideal. Gormley says that MBT (Mechnical Biological Treatment) is much more efficient means of dealing with waste. Gormley has said the construction of Poolbeg is contrary to what his policy is for dealing with waste in this country.
So, the IWMA made a complaint to the Competition Authority about Dublin City Council acting in an (allegedly) anti-competitive manner. I spokes to a spokesperson in the Competition Authority this morning who said that it's a matter of public record that a complaint was made by the Irish Waste Management Association about (alleged) anti-competitive behaviour by DCC over the Pooling Incinerator.
And so back to the stalling. A contract has been signed between Dublin City Council and Covanta to build the incinerator. Construction was supposed to start in 2008 and Covanta at the time said it was confident that all the licensing issues would be sorted promptly. A final piece in the puzzle is the foreshore licence which once issued by Gormley will allow the incinerator to fully proceeed. Gormley is being accused of deliberately holding it up in order to prevent the plant from being built.
Stephen Collins in the Irish Times last Saturday wrote a piece critical of John Gormley on the matter. Fine Gael too have criticised Gormley (mainly in response to the piece by Collins on Saturday), Phil Hogan called on Gormley to be removed from influence or decision making on the issue. "It is time for the Taoiseach Brain Cowen TD to implement Government policy and to insist that his cabinet colleagues are not making decisions that demonstrate a clear conflict of interest." was how Phil Hogan put it in a statement at the weekend.
So Covanta seem to be getting a bit tetchy of late - recently warning that 600 jobs are at risk - Gormley says many more jobs than that will be created by him if his waste strategy proceeds. Scott Whitney of Covanta has criticised the lack of transparency by the Irish Government over this issue. He is quoted as saying, "We are at a loss to understand why the Government appears unable, or unwilling, to ensure that its regulatory systems operate in a transparent and predictable manner so as to enable a project such as this, having national importance, to move ahead as speedily as possible".
A lot is at stake over the waste incinerator, whether it's built or not, the taxpayer is going to pay dearly for what's going on.
So, there appears to be some background issues at play here. Firstly, Dublin City Council awarded a contract for an incinerator to be built in Poolbeg by Covanta. The incinerator is big, very big in fact, it can handle 600,000 tonnes a year.
Private firms (the companies that collect waste - they're mostly represented by a group called the IWMA) are against the incinerator, they argue the plant is too big, and they also point out they have invested in means to handle the waste they collect. This waste they collect is an issue too. Dublin City Council lost a case recently where they tried to say that they own the waste even after it's collected. They lost this case, private firms when they collect the waste then own it.
But these private firms have their own means of dealing with the waste, and the court case effectively means Dublin City Council can't tell the private collectors to send their waste to Poolbeg. Yet Dublin City Council has guaranteed to supply 320,000 tonnes of waste to Poolbeg, and will have to compensate Covanta if this minimum threshold is not met. It would take all of the waste in Dublin (and some) to satisfy the Poolbeg incinerator, but as we can see, Dublin City Council don't appear to have any waste to give them. Covanta is attempting to source the other 280,000 tonnes needed to bring Poolbeg to full capacity.
Poolbeg when operating at full capacity will produce enough power for 50,000 homes. Proponents of the plant say it will allow Ireland to substantially reduce dependence on landfill as required by the EU Landfill Directive. Opponents of Poolbeg (including John Gormley) say that Poolbeg will reduce dependence on recycling - with so much waste needing to go to address the capacity demands, much of what is produced will be burnt regardless. John Gormley says the target of 70% recylables will not be possible if Poolbeg needs to be fed.
John Gormley (even this morning on Morning Ireland) argued that Poolbeg is too big and the means of dealing with the waste in Poolbeg isn't ideal. Gormley says that MBT (Mechnical Biological Treatment) is much more efficient means of dealing with waste. Gormley has said the construction of Poolbeg is contrary to what his policy is for dealing with waste in this country.
So, the IWMA made a complaint to the Competition Authority about Dublin City Council acting in an (allegedly) anti-competitive manner. I spokes to a spokesperson in the Competition Authority this morning who said that it's a matter of public record that a complaint was made by the Irish Waste Management Association about (alleged) anti-competitive behaviour by DCC over the Pooling Incinerator.
And so back to the stalling. A contract has been signed between Dublin City Council and Covanta to build the incinerator. Construction was supposed to start in 2008 and Covanta at the time said it was confident that all the licensing issues would be sorted promptly. A final piece in the puzzle is the foreshore licence which once issued by Gormley will allow the incinerator to fully proceeed. Gormley is being accused of deliberately holding it up in order to prevent the plant from being built.
Stephen Collins in the Irish Times last Saturday wrote a piece critical of John Gormley on the matter. Fine Gael too have criticised Gormley (mainly in response to the piece by Collins on Saturday), Phil Hogan called on Gormley to be removed from influence or decision making on the issue. "It is time for the Taoiseach Brain Cowen TD to implement Government policy and to insist that his cabinet colleagues are not making decisions that demonstrate a clear conflict of interest." was how Phil Hogan put it in a statement at the weekend.
So Covanta seem to be getting a bit tetchy of late - recently warning that 600 jobs are at risk - Gormley says many more jobs than that will be created by him if his waste strategy proceeds. Scott Whitney of Covanta has criticised the lack of transparency by the Irish Government over this issue. He is quoted as saying, "We are at a loss to understand why the Government appears unable, or unwilling, to ensure that its regulatory systems operate in a transparent and predictable manner so as to enable a project such as this, having national importance, to move ahead as speedily as possible".
A lot is at stake over the waste incinerator, whether it's built or not, the taxpayer is going to pay dearly for what's going on.
Gormley to meet the US Ambassador to Ireland ... Ambassador questions why 600 jobs are being held up
An excellent summary of this is provided by David Corcoran over on politics.ie. The Irish Independent this morning reports that the American Ambassador, Dan Rooney, is demanding a meeting with Environment Minister John Gormley over the stalling of the construction of the Poolbeg Incinerator. The company awarded the contract to build the incinerator Covanta have been expressing frustration at the awarding of the foreshore licence. The Independent piece suggests that Cowen may in fact meet with Covanta executives when he visits New York in two weeks to discuss the issue.
So, there appears to be some background issues at play here. Firstly, Dublin City Council awarded a contract for an incinerator to be built in Poolbeg by Covanta. The incinerator is big, very big in fact, it can handle 600,000 tonnes a year.
Private firms (the companies that collect waste - they're mostly represented by a group called the IWMA) are against the incinerator, they argue the plant is too big, and they also point out they have invested in means to handle the waste they collect. This waste they collect is an issue too. Dublin City Council lost a case recently where they tried to say that they own the waste even after it's collected. They lost this case, private firms when they collect the waste then own it.
But these private firms have their own means of dealing with the waste, and the court case effectively means Dublin City Council can't tell the private collectors to send their waste to Poolbeg. Yet Dublin City Council has guaranteed to supply 320,000 tonnes of waste to Poolbeg, and will have to compensate Covanta if this minimum threshold is not met. It would take all of the waste in Dublin (and some) to satisfy the Poolbeg incinerator, but as we can see, Dublin City Council don't appear to have any waste to give them. Covanta is attempting to source the other 280,000 tonnes needed to bring Poolbeg to full capacity.
Poolbeg when operating at full capacity will produce enough power for 50,000 homes. Proponents of the plant say it will allow Ireland to substantially reduce dependence on landfill as required by the EU Landfill Directive. Opponents of Poolbeg (including John Gormley) say that Poolbeg will reduce dependence on recycling - with so much waste needing to go to address the capacity demands, much of what is produced will be burnt regardless. John Gormley says the target of 70% recylables will not be possible if Poolbeg needs to be fed.
John Gormley (even this morning on Morning Ireland) argued that Poolbeg is too big and the means of dealing with the waste in Poolbeg isn't ideal. Gormley says that MBT (Mechnical Biological Treatment) is much more efficient means of dealing with waste. Gormley has said the construction of Poolbeg is contrary to what his policy is for dealing with waste in this country.
So, the IWMA made a complaint to the Competition Authority about Dublin City Council acting in an (allegedly) anti-competitive manner. I spokes to a spokesperson in the Competition Authority this morning who said that it's a matter of public record that a complaint was made by the Irish Waste Management Association about (alleged) anti-competitive behaviour by DCC over the Pooling Incinerator.
And so back to the stalling. A contract has been signed between Dublin City Council and Covanta to build the incinerator. Construction was supposed to start in 2008 and Covanta at the time said it was confident that all the licensing issues would be sorted promptly. A final piece in the puzzle is the foreshore licence which once issued by Gormley will allow the incinerator to fully proceeed. Gormley is being accused of deliberately holding it up in order to prevent the plant from being built.
Stephen Collins in the Irish Times last Saturday wrote a piece critical of John Gormley on the matter. Fine Gael too have criticised Gormley (mainly in response to the piece by Collins on Saturday), Phil Hogan called on Gormley to be removed from influence or decision making on the issue. "It is time for the Taoiseach Brain Cowen TD to implement Government policy and to insist that his cabinet colleagues are not making decisions that demonstrate a clear conflict of interest." was how Phil Hogan put it in a statement at the weekend.
So Covanta seem to be getting a bit tetchy of late - recently warning that 600 jobs are at risk - Gormley says many more jobs than that will be created by him if his waste strategy proceeds. Scott Whitney of Covanta has criticised the lack of transparency by the Irish Government over this issue. He is quoted as saying, "We are at a loss to understand why the Government appears unable, or unwilling, to ensure that its regulatory systems operate in a transparent and predictable manner so as to enable a project such as this, having national importance, to move ahead as speedily as possible".
A lot is at stake over the waste incinerator, whether it's built or not, the taxpayer is going to pay dearly for what's going on.
So, there appears to be some background issues at play here. Firstly, Dublin City Council awarded a contract for an incinerator to be built in Poolbeg by Covanta. The incinerator is big, very big in fact, it can handle 600,000 tonnes a year.
Private firms (the companies that collect waste - they're mostly represented by a group called the IWMA) are against the incinerator, they argue the plant is too big, and they also point out they have invested in means to handle the waste they collect. This waste they collect is an issue too. Dublin City Council lost a case recently where they tried to say that they own the waste even after it's collected. They lost this case, private firms when they collect the waste then own it.
But these private firms have their own means of dealing with the waste, and the court case effectively means Dublin City Council can't tell the private collectors to send their waste to Poolbeg. Yet Dublin City Council has guaranteed to supply 320,000 tonnes of waste to Poolbeg, and will have to compensate Covanta if this minimum threshold is not met. It would take all of the waste in Dublin (and some) to satisfy the Poolbeg incinerator, but as we can see, Dublin City Council don't appear to have any waste to give them. Covanta is attempting to source the other 280,000 tonnes needed to bring Poolbeg to full capacity.
Poolbeg when operating at full capacity will produce enough power for 50,000 homes. Proponents of the plant say it will allow Ireland to substantially reduce dependence on landfill as required by the EU Landfill Directive. Opponents of Poolbeg (including John Gormley) say that Poolbeg will reduce dependence on recycling - with so much waste needing to go to address the capacity demands, much of what is produced will be burnt regardless. John Gormley says the target of 70% recylables will not be possible if Poolbeg needs to be fed.
John Gormley (even this morning on Morning Ireland) argued that Poolbeg is too big and the means of dealing with the waste in Poolbeg isn't ideal. Gormley says that MBT (Mechnical Biological Treatment) is much more efficient means of dealing with waste. Gormley has said the construction of Poolbeg is contrary to what his policy is for dealing with waste in this country.
So, the IWMA made a complaint to the Competition Authority about Dublin City Council acting in an (allegedly) anti-competitive manner. I spokes to a spokesperson in the Competition Authority this morning who said that it's a matter of public record that a complaint was made by the Irish Waste Management Association about (alleged) anti-competitive behaviour by DCC over the Pooling Incinerator.
And so back to the stalling. A contract has been signed between Dublin City Council and Covanta to build the incinerator. Construction was supposed to start in 2008 and Covanta at the time said it was confident that all the licensing issues would be sorted promptly. A final piece in the puzzle is the foreshore licence which once issued by Gormley will allow the incinerator to fully proceeed. Gormley is being accused of deliberately holding it up in order to prevent the plant from being built.
Stephen Collins in the Irish Times last Saturday wrote a piece critical of John Gormley on the matter. Fine Gael too have criticised Gormley (mainly in response to the piece by Collins on Saturday), Phil Hogan called on Gormley to be removed from influence or decision making on the issue. "It is time for the Taoiseach Brain Cowen TD to implement Government policy and to insist that his cabinet colleagues are not making decisions that demonstrate a clear conflict of interest." was how Phil Hogan put it in a statement at the weekend.
So Covanta seem to be getting a bit tetchy of late - recently warning that 600 jobs are at risk - Gormley says many more jobs than that will be created by him if his waste strategy proceeds. Scott Whitney of Covanta has criticised the lack of transparency by the Irish Government over this issue. He is quoted as saying, "We are at a loss to understand why the Government appears unable, or unwilling, to ensure that its regulatory systems operate in a transparent and predictable manner so as to enable a project such as this, having national importance, to move ahead as speedily as possible".
A lot is at stake over the waste incinerator, whether it's built or not, the taxpayer is going to pay dearly for what's going on.
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